Associate - Financial Aid Services (CAAS - Higher Education Industry)

CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)•Minneapolis, MN

About The Position

CLA is a top 10 national professional services firm where our purpose is to create opportunities every day, for our clients, our people, and our communities through industry-focused wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, consulting, and outsourcing services. Even with more than 8,500 people, 130 U.S. locations, and a global reach, we promise to know you and help you. CLA is dedicated to building a culture that invites different beliefs and perspectives to the table, so we can truly know and help our clients, communities, and each other. CLA is currently seeking an Associate to join our CAAS (Higher Education Industry) group in our King of Prussia PA, Minneapolis MN, Chicago IL, or Austin TX office. CLA is currently seeking an Associate to join our Higher Education Student Financial Services / Student Accounts (Bursar) team. This role supports day-to-day student accounts operations for one or more higher education clients, including student billing, receivables, cash application, refunds, collections support, customer service, and reconciliations. The Associate collaborates closely with client stakeholders and internal CLA team members to deliver accurate, timely, and high-quality service.

Requirements

Accounting and financial experience is preferred.
Bachelor's degree is required.
Combination of related experience, education, and training may be accepted in lieu of degree.

Responsibilities

Client Service Gains ability to handle multiple clients, systems, and account structures on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Serves as a dependable point of contact for routine student accounts requests, escalating exceptions and complex items to senior team members as needed.
Student Billing & Accounts Receivable (Student Accounts) Supports student billing operations, including posting charges, validating tuition/fee assessments, and preparing or assisting with billing statements and schedules. Monitors student receivables activity and assists with aging review, issue resolution, and documentation for follow-up/collection workflows. Supports third-party sponsor billing and related reconciliation as applicable.
Cash Receipts, Deposits & Payment Processing Coordinates and processes cash receipts and application of payments to student accounts, including reconciled deposit detail and transaction support. Assists with payment platform reporting and deposit detail (e.g., ensuring deposit support is captured and aligned to student activity and reporting needs).
Student Refunds & Adjustments Assists with student refund processing and documentation, including exception handling support and ensuring refunds align with internal controls and timing requirements. Supports adjustments, reversals, and account corrections with clear audit trail documentation.
Month-End Processing & Reconciliations Completes month-end and periodic reconciliations and supports financial reporting deliverables. Coordinates and completes account reconciliations (e.g., bank/merchant activity, deposits, receivables-related reconciliations) to ensure student accounts activity aligns to financial reporting needs.
Customer Service & System Support Supports student customer service for billing/payment questions through documented processes and professional communication. Supports system and process improvements to increase accuracy, reduce rework, and improve communication to students and families.
Other Quarterly/Annual Processing Supports periodic reporting needs for student accounts operations, including reconciliations, documentation, and other items as requested by clients.