Counselor - Higher Ed. jobs in Harrisburg, PA

MOHELA is a not-for-profit student loan servicer with $147.2 billion worth of loans in combined portfolios owned by federal government, special entities, and itself. We are a contracted servicer with the Department of Education. We currently have 1250 employees . We have been actively providing financial support and other support to Missouri's higher education programs in the past more than 40 years.

MOHELA is looking for passionate and skillful Service Member and Veteran Liaison

MOHELA offers competitive salary and a benefit package that includes paid personal and vacation time-off, insurances for medical, dental, life, short-term disability, 401K plan with dollar-for-dollar match up to 8% of salary, defined benefit pension plan, and tuition assistance.

What You Will Be Doing

General Statement of Duties:

Responsible for oversight and direction of all service member accounts to meet the needs of our military borrowers and to enhance the overall borrower experience. This includes ownership over all service member related phone calls, correspondence, and military borrower outreach. Work closely with internal departments and external partners to ensure accurate and timely processing of all military related processes. This includes but is not limited to processing of payments, service member related documentation, and all forms of service member outreach. Responsible for gathering and tracking service member trends, preferred options, and method of communication to identify gaps and improve our overall program and process. Also must keep up on recent regulations or Change Requests pertaining to service members to be able to fully educate the borrower on all of their available benefits. . Expert knowledge over the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to ensure excellent service for Military borrowers enrolled in the program. Respond to PSLF correspondence and related escalations for MOHELA borrowers.

• Compliance and Quality Assurance - Maintain and assure compliance through the strategic use of MOHELA’s various systems, keeping current with and accurately interpreting the applicable laws, rules and regulations. Ensure all accounts are worked within MOHELA standards and in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. Assure and maintain quality assurance standards in the department and strive to meet goals to ensure departmental compliance with all Federal, State and internal guidelines and policies which includes Security and Privacy Policies.
• Verbal and Written Communication - Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. Must be able to adjust communication style to fit the listener’s needs. Promotes effective communication, internally and externally with military service members, internal departments, and external partners over the phone and in writing.
• Analysis/Problem Identification - Secure relevant information and identify key issues and relationships from a base of information. Relate and compare data from different sources and identify cause-effect relationships. Detect problems or opportunities. Gather all relevant information. Identify underlying issues or problems. Organize information. Recognize trends. Commit to an action after developing alternative courses of action that are based on logical assumptions and factual information, taking into consideration resources, constraints and organizational values. Weigh pros and cons/impact of alternatives. Commit to the most appropriate action. Develop and maintain weekly, monthly, quarterly and other progress reports for management, as requested.
• Account Research/Analysis/Resolution - Respond to agency wide requests regarding service member accounts via phone or in writing. The Liaison is required to advocate for each and every caller. Ensure the accurate and efficient education for handling of inbound/outbound calls by providing a positive world class borrower experience including first call resolution and a high quality assurance, and meeting the Customer Promise and Customer Service Mission. Make recommendations to help improve our level of service. Track and compile data to help identify gaps and make recommendations to prevent future escalations and improve borrower satisfaction. May be required to work various tasks or projects at once.
• Call Handling - Field all service member caller issues with tact and professionalism, while representing MOHELA in positive image. Must display empathy, sensitivity, and understanding when dealing with sensitive situations. Is required to advocate for each and every caller and collaborate with internal departments and other MOHELA clients in order to provide a satisfactory resolution. Must be able to convey less than desirable news to callers, while still being able to communicate and effectively educate the caller regarding the account in question. Must be able to acknowledge and validate the borrowers concerns and convey their willingness to help to the caller. Must be able to handle a high volume of calls and continue to maintain professional composure. Must be able to approach each caller with a fresh and unbiased perspective.
• Assist Line - The purpose of the Assist Line is in place to manage incoming Call Center Agent inquiries regarding borrower accounts. All Assist Line requests will come through an identified number for tracking purposes and will allow a designated specialist to focus on this task. Will be required to research and analyze each account to provide the agent with accurate information. In addition, will be required to provide exceptional internal customer service and treat the Call Center Agent as they would treat a borrower. When assisting the Call Center Agent, the tools should be provided and the means of how to find the answer. This will prevent call backs and increase agent understanding. All Assist Line calls will be tracked by agent log in and type of call. This information is compiled and provided to the Call Center to assist with agent training and development.
• IDQ Evaluation - Field interdepartmental requests (IDQ) from the Contact Center to evaluate and approve additional forbearance requests.
• Escalated Call Handling - Required to field escalated caller issues with tact and professionalism, while representing MOHELA in positive image. Must display empathy, sensitivity, and understanding when dealing with sensitive situations. Is required to advocate for each and every caller and collaborate with internal departments and other MOHELA clients in order to provide a satisfactory resolution. Must be able to convey less than desirable news to callers, while still being able to communicate and effectively educate the caller regarding the account in question. Must be able to acknowledge and validate the borrowers concerns and convey their willingness to help to the caller. Must be able to handle a high volume of highly escalated callers and continue to maintain professional composure. Must be able to approach each caller with a fresh and unbiased perspective.
• Escalated Correspondence- Research and respond to escalated correspondence from Military VIP borrowers and from PSLF borrowers, including inquiries referred to MOHELA by FSA or other external partners. Ensure high quality written communication, efficiency, and accuracy in correspondence. Perform in-depth account research and collaborate with internal departments to advocate on behalf of borrowers. Strive for one-contact resolution on written inquiries. Ensure compliance with federal and state law regarding written correspondence.

What Experience You Will Bring:

Education and Experience:

• 12 months of Student Loan Contact Center or CAT experience required or prior military experience
• A stable work history with an excellent attendance and dependability record
• Fantastic verbal skills
• Capability to exceed challenging expectations
• A friendly speaking voice
• Ability to understand and apply complex regulations
• Solid data entry skills (30 words per minute)
• Skilled in Microsoft Windows and Outlook
• Strong Verbal and Written Communication Skills

Must be able to obtain a Federal 5C Security Clearance after hire

We are an EEO/AA Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law

To build a diverse workforce, MOHELA encourages applications from individuals with disabilities, minorities and veterans.

In compliance with the American Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with MOHELA, please call please call 636.733.3700 x3571, TDD 7-1-1