Collections Specialist I

First Bank-MO•St Louis, MO

19h

About The Position

The Collections Specialist manages consumer and business deposit accounts that are overdrawn, delinquent, or charged off. This high-volume, telephone-based banking collections role focuses on deposit account overdrafts and charge-offs rather than consumer loan collections. The Specialist performs early-stage and recovery collection activities, responds to inbound inquiries, conducts outbound calls, negotiates payment arrangements and settlements within assigned authority, processes payments, updates client information, and documents collection activity. The role also researches account issues, supports branch and internal partner inquiries, and explains the Bank's overdraft program and available resolution options. Success requires sound judgment, respectful client communication, accurate system documentation, and consistent adherence to Bank policy and applicable laws and regulations.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Two years of customer service, collections, recovery, deposit operations, banking, or call center experience preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Outlook required.
Ability to perform basic business math, calculate payment amounts and percentages, and reconcile account information accurately.
Ability to review and reconcile checking and savings account activity and identify transaction or balance discrepancies.
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, apply sound judgment, and make decisions within established authority.
Professional telephone presence and strong negotiation, active-listening, de-escalation, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to communicate respectfully with clients while asking direct questions and securing clear payment commitments.
High attention to detail and ability to maintain complete, accurate, and timely collection notes.
Ability to manage a high-volume account queue, prioritize work, meet deadlines, and achieve measurable goals.
Ability to handle confidential information and difficult client interactions with discretion and professionalism.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with branch and operations partners.
Follow Bank policies and procedures, internal controls, assigned authority levels, and applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

Nice To Haves

Experience in telephone collections, account recovery, financial services, deposit operations, or a high-volume call center.
Experience with FIS Insight or comparable core banking and collections systems.
Bilingual or multilingual communication skills.
Working knowledge of deposit accounts, overdrafts, charge-offs, payment arrangements, settlements, skip tracing, and account recovery.

Responsibilities

Manage a queue of overdrawn and charged-off consumer and business deposit accounts through telephone contact, written communication, account research, and documented follow-up.
Maintain accounts and document collection activity in applicable systems, including FIS Insight, Sales Management, PeopleSoft, and Cyber/Collect.
Review accounts overdrawn due to service charges or other activity, complete required documentation, and process eligible accounts for closure according to Bank procedures.
Accept and process authorized debit or credit card payments for checking and savings account obligations through the Bank's designated payment system.
Follow Bank policies and applicable requirements, including Regulation E, Regulation DD, privacy and information-security standards, and Bank-identified collection requirements.
Escalate legal, regulatory, complaint, bankruptcy, deceased-client, military-service, fraud, and other sensitive matters as required.
Explain the Bank's overdraft program, account status, payment options, and applicable disclosures clearly and respectfully without providing legal advice.
Meet established quality, productivity, contact, recovery, documentation, and service expectations.
Promptly escalate complex, disputed, high-risk, or exception accounts to the appropriate leader or department.
Document client contacts, promises to pay, payment arrangements, disputes, settlements, and follow-up actions completely and accurately in the appropriate system.
Process incoming mail and daily payments accurately and within established service standards.
Monitor the overdraft email inbox and respond accurately and promptly to branch and internal partner questions.
Process approved overdraft fee and servicing requests within assigned authority and Bank procedures.
Research client contact information and perform skip tracing using Bank-approved resources when appropriate.
Negotiate payment arrangements and settlements within assigned authority and obtain approval for arrangements outside established guidelines.
Identify and accurately code disputes, complaints, fraud claims, cease-contact requests, bankruptcy notices, deceased-client matters, and other exceptions for escalation.
Protect confidential client and Bank information and follow authentication, privacy, records-retention, and information-security procedures.
Partner with branches, Deposit Operations, Fraud, Legal, Compliance, and other internal teams to resolve account issues.
Complete required training and maintain current knowledge of deposit products, overdraft practices, collection procedures, and Bank systems.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
Follow Bank policies, procedures, assigned authority levels, and internal controls; comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations and complete required compliance training.
Identify potential complaints, disputes, fraud, legal notices, and other risk indicators and escalate them promptly.
Maintain accurate records supporting account decisions, payment arrangements, settlements, and client communications.