Student Account Representative III
: Job Details :

Job Description Responsible for assisting with the areas of marketing, report preparation, communications, collections, document retention, system testing design and validation, and technical services related to collections, payment products and student systems. Coordinates activities of outside and contracted vendors; including payment plans, online payment systems, collection agencies, book vouchers and electronic course materials fees. Assists IT in coordination of systems testing for the office. Responsibilities Provides customer support to students, College departments, outside vendors, and other interested parties. Duties include in-person and telephone support, communicating account status information through mail, e-mail, and telephone, and maintaining positive working relationships with all Business Office contacts. Administers payment links which includes creating, maintaining, modifying, and training for college departments and staff users, including appropriate use of PCI credit card equipment, to process payments for departmental activities upon request. Maintains Technology Agreement forms and inspects credit card equipment on a regular basis for tampering. Responsible for the accuracy of the manual and automated posting entries in the General Ledger accounts and processing requested refunds. Ensures data is posting to the appropriate financial system correctly and engage with IT staff for any corrections. Coordinate testing of enhancements. Verifies and requests at least twice a week student refunds; monitors the cash refund procedures; exercises judgment in deciding eligibility for all check and credit card refunds. Reviews refunds for accuracy in accordance with state and federal financial aid rules and regulations. Collaborates with the Office of Student Financial Assistance and/or Registrar's Office regarding any student account corrections. As a functional user, assists with testing of the Student Information System (SIS), payment upgrades, and facilitate work with other departments to maintain testing efficiency (minimum three a year). Sets and review scenarios for standard and Financial Aid payment testing. Finds proper students to use with each scenario. Verifies the scenario was successful and notify Information Technology Business Analyst when a scenario is unsuccessful and/or notify our vendor. Makes suggestions for improvement to systems. Coordinates with our payment plan provider to determine payment plan dates, management of payment plan file uploads and balance accuracy. Researches student accounts and provide analysis and advice for students, parents, and staff. Contacts the payment plan provider for special investigations and adjustments. Collaborates with the Accounting Department regarding the accuracy of payment plan entries into the student account and the chargeback of payments. Makes entries to the student account as needed. Point of escalation for payment plan related complaints. Investigates failed payments and payment technology issues in SIS as they occur to determine success/failure of payment(s). Engages with our outside payment vendor as needed. Responsible for responding to email communications to the generic Business Office email account during business hours and as requested during non-business hours. Manages the book voucher process including coordinating the semester set up between the vendor and IT; reconciling SIS entries daily and monthly with the vendor. Complete the semester reconciliations student electronic course materials fees and the vendor invoice. Assist/backup the Lead Student Account Representative to perform all daily cash deposit and reconciling responsibilities in addition to student refunds, including verifying check and credit card refund amounts, contacting financial aid regarding adjusting student awards, and providing refunds in a timely manner. Assists the Lead Student Account Representative with daily reconciliation duties by balancing the Commerce Manager payments. Facilitates collection efforts with the Local Debt Recovery Program (IOC / IDROP) with the State of Illinois. Manage all student accounts that are sent to the state for garnishment, including all notifications, analysis, processing, and maintenance both in the Harper's systems and the Comptroller Office's system. Upon request, conduct personal protest meetings with students to evaluate their student account status and provide counsel in order to help them reach a productive resolution for their individual situation. Collaborates with International Studies & Programs Department to provide payment options for various study abroad opportunities, tracks and releases funding to student accounts, reconciles multiple general ledger accounts, and reviews requests for payments to vendors. Resolves student complaints and problems, including communicating and collaborating with other College departments to resolve student issues. Use conflict management skills to handle adverse situations and deliver positive or negative messages. Collaborate with other student service departments to resolve student conflicts. Represent the Business Office as a member Registration Appeal Committee which evaluates complex registration appeals that require multiple departmental input. Responsible for all required communication attempts to students that have not acted upon their uncashed refund checks per Federal regulations; this includes creating a mailing list, printing letters, sending emails and making phone calls. Complete the reversal of uncashed checks if students fail to complete action per Federal regulations. Notify Accounting about the checks to be placed into cancelled vendor. Oversees the process of returned student refund checks. Ensures federal regulation requirements are followed, regarding returned and uncashed checks. Completing the voiding of the refund check and coordinating the reversal of aid with the Office of Student Financial Assistance per federal regulations when necessary. Tracks, evaluates and communicates to students regarding NSF checks and returned ACH transactions. Makes necessary adjustments to student accounts as needed. Collaborates with One Stop Office to have the ticketing system updated to more efficiently perform daily functions. Creates in detail a summary of what needs to be altered in the ticketing system. Researches and makes adjustments to duplicate student accounts provided by the Information Technology Department to verify financial records to confirm if they can be merged in to one account. Responsible for the development of written training materials, instructions, procedures and other communications. Coordinates the content on the MyHarper Portal Finances page and coordinates with the OSFA when necessary changes are needed. Maintains all payment and refund related content on the external website. Compiles and posts the important dates for the Registration Office on the external website. Performs related duties as assigned in addition to all Account Representative II duties as necessary. QualificationsEducation: Bachelor's Degree preferred. Associates Degree or two years of college coursework required. Experience: 1 year minimum customer service/administrative experience required. Proficient data entry and analytic skills required. Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite required, specifically Excel. Experience with Oracle, Banner Student Information System, and NelNet payment systems preferred. Excellent problem solving and conflict resolution skills needed. Knowledge of student financial aid and veteran tuition programs a bonus. About Us We are Harper College...the college in your community. The College was established by referendum in 1965 and opened September 1967. It is named for Dr. William Rainey Harper, a pioneer in the junior college movement in the United States and the first president of the University of Chicago. Harper College is now one of the nation's premier community colleges and one of the largest, serving approximately 29,000 students annually in Chicago's northwest suburbs. The College's academic programs prepare students for rewarding careers and for transfer to four-year universities. Harper offers associate degree and certification programs, advanced career programs, workforce training, professional development, continuing education classes, accelerated degree options for adults and developmental education programs.