Payment & Student Acct Spec

General Summary

Act as the primary point of contact for and have a working knowledge of all areas of Student Business Services, including Student Accounts, Departmental Processing, Collections, Third Party and Eagle Card. Perform cash handling related clerical and customer service activities in support of the department.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Assist students, parents, and University personnel in the resolution of problems and questions regarding current activity on student accounts via phone, e-mail or in person. Communicate University payment procedures and fees to customers. Provide immediate assistance to student and University Departments requests for service, escalate and refer to other areas when necessary and follow through to resolution. Act as a representative of Student Business Services with faculty, students, staff and the public concerning issues requiring interpretation of department policies, procedures and programs. Process residency appeals, and billing discrepancies, including initiating communication and gathering relevant documentation. Maintain files and communicate information to and from students in accordance with policies. Evaluate situations reported and identify what documentation/information is necessary to move forward in the appeal process. Identify appeals which should be referred to other areas of the University and discuss with Management. Accurately process a variety of financial transactions including student account payments, transcripts, incoming mail, diploma fees, departmental deposits, and departmental web transactions. Reconcile cash drawer and balance daily receipts to research and resolve all payment issues or problems. Process checks daily and submit file to the bank. Identify and research check payments which were returned. Complete daily cashier balancing report of all payment and student account specialist Process all international payments received by wire or payment processing company to student account Complete daily TouchNet balancing of all Marketplace and Student Account Payments. Review and document any account discrepancies before giving to appropriate administrative staff. Assist with problems or issues provided to Student Business Service by third party call center. Review accounts with payment processing issues, ie Non-Refundable Aid Alert students and departments within an appropriate timeframe of returned payments. Run reports and input student charges, fee removals, or payments as directed by management. Review at the end of each month before any additional processing between charges and departments. Develop and maintain a network of contacts with other University departments that commonly interface with the work unit. Perform liaison functions with appropriate University offices to resolve all deposits with errors and meet the needs of the department. Identify processes and procedures in the department which are causing problems for groups of customers. Recommend to management and, where authorized, implement improvements in systems, processes and procedures that will increase the customer satisfaction capability of the department. Keep current with university, departmental, federal and state regulations, policies and updates and share with departmental staff to ensure compliance. Adhere to any and all NCAA, Mid-American Conference and Eastern Michigan University policies, rules, regulations, and operational procedures.

Minimum Qualifications:

Knowledge of basic accounting principles, business correspondence, and automated office systems, with strong skills in written and interpersonal communication, organization and problem solving, typically acquired through the completion of two years of post- high school business-related coursework.
Three years previous experience as account clerk, bookkeeper or financial assistant in the last ten years is required.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office products such as Excel and Word is required
Effective conflict management skills are required (e.g., defuse emotionally charged situations, clearly identify issues, clearly communicate procedures for resolving issues, working with the customer to develop a resolution acceptable to both the customer and the work unit).
Accuracy and attention to detail is required.
Two years of previous experience in handling deposits is required; preferably in a banking or higher education environment.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required.
Basic personal computing skills to utilize word processing and spreadsheet applications and perform file management functions are necessary.
Knowledge of specific software applications utilized in the area of assignment may be desirable.
Working knowledge of policies and procedures in the areas of Financial Aid, Admissions, Registrar and Advising is desirable.
Knowledge of payment plans, billing procedures, and student information system (Banner) used to process transactions is desirable. Knowledge of the University's Red Flags Rule and Identify Theft Prevention Policy and Procedure.

Preferred Qualifications:

Special Instructions:

This position is fully in-person on EMU's main campus.

This position starts at $23.62/hour