Financial Services Client Care Specialist - Financial Services

Universities of Wisconsin•Whitewater, WI

1d•$20 - $22•Onsite

About The Position

Financial Services in the Division of Finance and Administrative Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater seeks a Financial Services Client Care Specialist (Financial Specialist II, FN007). The role is one of four specialists assigned to Student Financial Services, which oversees student billing, payment activities, and campus cashiering. Specialists rotate among tasks according to office needs during the academic and fiscal year. Assignments may include customer communications, counter service, daily cashiering, loan processing, collections, refunds, and third-party billing. The position requires knowledge of FERPA confidentiality requirements, imaging and document storage, cash handling, State and UW System collection requirements, and applicable UW System and campus policies and procedures. The position reports to the Associate Bursar and works standard customer service hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The role provides customer service through phone, email, mail, social media, and in-person interactions; conducts cashiering and accounting processes; and supports student and federal loan programs, third-party billing, collections, and student communications. It also contributes to team operations, maintains procedures and documentation, assists with software testing, and performs other duties as assigned. This position does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at hire and maintain authorization throughout employment.

Requirements

At least one year of experience in customer service, administrative support, or retail cash handling, or educational equivalent.
Demonstrated exceptional customer service aptitude and ability.
Demonstrated exceptional interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills for working with staff, students, parents, and the general public.
Keen attention to detail and understanding of adequate supporting documentation for transactions.
Ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
Ability to work with individuals from diverse socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
Willingness and ability to actively follow applicable safety rules and regulations, including necessary training and drills.
Legally authorized to work in the United States at hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term; visa sponsorship is not offered.

Nice To Haves

Experience with banking, cash handling, and reconciliations.
Knowledge of accounting and bookkeeping principles, practices, and processes, gained through experience or formal training.
Previous experience working with federal regulations and developing and implementing procedures to comply with them.
Knowledge of collection policies, practices, procedures, and laws, as well as analytical and negotiation skills.
Proficiency with computers, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe; specifically, experience with pivot tables and mail merges.

Responsibilities

Manage incoming phone calls and communications, including email, mail, and social media; follow communication procedures and verify FERPA compliance before disclosing confidential information.
Listen to customer concerns, research needs, provide accurate information, resolve complaints professionally, coordinate resolutions with other staff or departments, and follow up as appropriate.
Record customer interactions and image supporting documents in WINS and/or Workday; assist and monitor student employees at the customer service window, provide window service as needed, and assist with student employee training.
Coordinate morning cashiering setup; receive ACH information from the bank, apply funds to ledger accounts, maintain transaction records, and research discrepancies.
Review general ledger output reports and follow up on variances; process department deposits and advise departments on deposit policies, procedures, deadlines, accounting codes, sales tax reporting, and tender types.
Receipt customer-window transactions; provide bookkeeping and check-writing services for student and faculty organizations; prepare monthly reports, open and close accounts, and train organization representatives on account use and sales tax reporting.
Review student refund edit reports, resolve discrepancies, and process refunds; balance daily cash, checks, and other tender against register reports; complete end-of-day balancing documentation and ensure documents match daily reports.
Research miscellaneous checks and electronic wires, enter scholarships into the scholarship log and route them to Financial Aid, train department staff on cash handling, coordinate cash-handling audits, and maintain change-bank custody records.
Process bank communications and exceptions, including non-sufficient-funds items, peer transfers, stop payments, voided checks, e-refund bounce-backs, and stale checks.
Audit and submit Federal Perkins loan data to the ECSI loan-servicer system, maintain debtor communications, approve accounts for legal action or bankruptcy, and monitor collection-agency activity.
Maintain promissory notes and loan records for Perkins and Direct Loan programs; review service-provider records, monitor electronic data transmission, and ensure Direct Loan promissory-note processes function properly.
Respond to inquiries about federal loan entrance counseling, monitor loan balances and collection efforts, and assign accounts to the Department of Education when appropriate.
Collect and maintain third-party authorizations, coordinate with Veteran Services on governmental benefits, add and adjust payment contracts on student accounts, prepare courtesy bills and invoices, and image authorizations to student accounts.
Review unpaid third-party obligations, follow up with overdue organizations, process third-party payments, and partner with Financial Aid when invoicing for disbursing aid item types.
Conduct collection follow-up on defaulted and delinquent accounts; coordinate collection and default notices for students 30 to 180 days past due; forward enrolled-student requests for special consideration to the Bursar; and make authorized account adjustments and release holds.
Arrange written payment plans with former students, document communications and collection actions, enter past-due debts into Wisconsin’s Tax Refund Intercept Program, reconcile program balances with student accounts, and prepare or adjust accounts for legal action.
Apply collection procedures such as transcript holds, registration stops, and other account actions; coordinate collections with third parties and agencies; process payments received from collection agencies; and discuss collection matters with students, parents, and staff.
Work with University police on worthless-check collection procedures, including processing actions in student and general-ledger systems, registration, and legal notifications.
Coordinate and document mass student communications, maintain and review the collections database, update Student Financial Services webpages, and recommend improvements to the Associate Bursar.
Coordinate retention of communications and documents under federal and state regulations; prepare student and campus publications and materials; present student-account information at orientation and preview sessions; and participate in Hawk Squad or peer mentor training when requested.
Support the Student Financial Services team, maintain current procedures and forms, coordinate unfinished work when assignments change, keep document imaging current, process enrollment deposit refund requests, and participate in software and application testing.
Complete other duties as assigned.