Payment Support Associate

Ascendus, Inc. • New York, NY

5d • $25 - $29 • Hybrid

About The Position

Ascendus is a nonprofit small business lender working to create economic opportunity by providing entrepreneurs with access to the capital and the business support they need to develop and grow healthy enterprises and contribute to thriving local economies. As an accredited CDFI, since 1991, Ascendus has provided almost $600 million to over 70,000 small business owners across the country. For more information, visit www.ascendus.org.

The Payment Support Associate plays a critical role in protecting the health of Ascendus' loan portfolio management while helping entrepreneurs successfully navigate repayment challenges. Through proactive client engagement, effective repayment solutions, and disciplined portfolio management, this role supports both borrower success and the organization's long-term financial sustainability. The Payment Support Associate reports to the Director of Credit Risk.

Requirements

• Bilingual (Spanish and English) fluency required.
• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, and Word) required.
• Ability to work remotely and overtime when required.
• Must be located in the New York City or tri-state area.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States required.
• Willingness to cross-train and take on additional tasks as assigned.

Nice To Haves

• college degree or relevant experience preferred.
• Minimum 1–2 years of experience in customer service, loan servicing, payment support, or financial services; call center experience preferred.
• Knowledge of FDCPA and payment support best practices preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a high volume of client phone, email, and written communications while adhering to FDCPA standards and maintaining professionalism.
• Proactively engage borrowers experiencing payment challenges to understand the underlying cause of delinquency, identify appropriate repayment solutions, negotiate repayment arrangements when appropriate, and support the organization's portfolio quality objectives of maintaining delinquency below 4%.
• Support recovery and account management activities by coordinating with approved third-party payment support vendors, posting recoveries, following up on charged-off accounts, and maintaining accurate account documentation, including returned mail and late notices.
• Collaborate with the Credit Risk and Loan Servicing team to support strategies that maintain portfolio health and reduce write-offs.
• Support daily operations by assisting with documentation, data entry, and recordkeeping to ensure timely and accurate loan servicing.
• Assist with bank report reconciliation and other repayment-related operational tasks as assigned.
• Identify account trends, recurring issues, and inefficiencies, and suggest improvements to workflow and documentation processes.
• Partner with the Technology department to report system issues, support data cleanup efforts, and assist with testing or implementing servicing/payment support enhancements.
• Collaborate with internal departments to ensure effective communication and resolution of client repayment matters.
• Address client and internal staff inquiries related to account adjustments, billing statements, promissory notes, loan funding, and repayment logistics.
• Ensure compliance with client correspondence requirements, including accurate documentation and timely follow-up.
• Monitor the loan service inbox daily to ensure client requests and documentation are handled efficiently.
• Maintain organized and secure storage systems for both physical and electronic client records in accordance with compliance standards.
• Perform periodic office responsibilities, including processing physical mail, as needed.
• Support the development and implementation of repayment strategies tailored to client needs, including payment arrangements and account adjustments.
• Help identify trends in delinquency or repayment issues and share observations to enhance client communication and servicing.
• Actively participate in team meetings, contributing updates and ideas to support operational efficiency.
• Contribute to departmental goals in alignment with Ascendus' mission to promote financial health for clients.

Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications.
• Comprehensive health benefits with generous employer contributions toward medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their families.
• Employer-paid HRA card for medical expenses like co-pays and prescriptions.
• Monthly mobile phone stipend of $30.
• Eligibility for 401(K) participation after 30 days of employment, and employer-match of up to 3% of annual salary.
• Flexible time off.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED