Collections and Loan Specialist (Finance)
About Rice:
Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.
Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name - RICE - Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.
Position Summary:
The Bursar's Office serves as Rice University's central office for providing cashiering, student financial services, billing administration, and centralized accounts receivable systems. The Collections and Loan Analyst is responsible for managing and overseeing the collection of delinquent student accounts and loans. This role involves reviewing inactive accounts, managing loan balances, assisting with payment plans, coordinating with collection agencies, and ensuring compliance with university policies and federal regulations.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collections Management: Monitor and manage delinquent student accounts and loans. Contact account holders to discuss account status and arrange payment plans.
- Coordination with Agencies: Coordinate the submission of delinquent accounts to collection agencies. Monitor agency activities and review monthly payment processing.
- Student Communication: Communicate with students regarding past due balances, payment plans, and financial holds. Ensure proactive communication to increase student retention.
- Documentation: Provide necessary documentation to collection agencies and respond to inquiries regarding credit bureau disputes, delinquent status, and academic transcript requests.
- Compliance: Ensure all collection activities comply with university policies and federal regulations. Assist with periodic reviews of departmental procedures.
Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate for the Collections and Loan Analyst role in the Bursar's office is a highly organized and detail-oriented professional with a strong background in collections and loan management. They possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling them to effectively counsel students and borrowers on financial matters and payment options.
With a solid understanding of federal loan programs and university policies, the ideal candidate is adept at navigating complex financial regulations and ensuring compliance. The candidate is proactive in their approach, capable of working independently and collaboratively within a team. Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, along with experience using student information systems, is essential.
The ideal candidate is committed to providing exceptional customer service, demonstrating empathy and patience when addressing the financial concerns of students and borrowers. They are dedicated to supporting the university's mission by helping students manage their financial obligations and achieve their academic goals.
On campus position: This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in-person at the Bursar's Office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM. Per Rice policy 440 , work arrangements may be subject to change.
Hiring Range:
$48,700-$60,800. This is an Exempt salaried position under FLSA and not eligible for overtime.
Minimum Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree
- In lieu of the educational requirement, additional related experience above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted
- 1+ year experience
- In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted
Skills:
- Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software
- Basic knowledge of accounting and accounting principles
- Working knowledge of accounting systems
Preferences:
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact effectively with students, borrowers, and collection agencies
- Strong organizational abilities to manage multiple accounts and tasks simultaneously
- Empathy and patience in dealing with students and borrowers facing financial difficulties
- Commitment to providing high-quality service and support
- Critical thinking and ability to analyze financial situations and develop appropriate solutions for payment plans and debt resolution
- Attention to detail in maintaining accurate records and documentation
- Familiarity with student information systems and federal loan programs
- Understanding of federal and state regulations related to student loans and collections
- Ability to ensure compliance with university policies and legal requirements
- Experience in a college or university setting
- Experience with Ellucian Banner AR, Oracle Cloud, and TouchNet
Essential Functions:
- Performs general accounting activities, including the preparation, maintenance and reconciliation of ledger accounts and financial statements
- Prepares, records, analyzes and reports accounting transactions and ensures the integrity of accounting records for completeness, accuracy and compliance with accepted accounting policies and principles
- Provides financial support including forecasting, budgeting, and analyzing variations from the budget
- Analyzes and prepares accounts, financial statements and reports
- Conducts or assists in the documentation of accounting projects
- Identifies, prioritizes, and resolves financial issues; probes beyond stated situation; identifies underlying issues; recognizes exceptions; performs preliminary analysis
- Recommends, assists, tests, or implements process streamlining, system improvements or work flow changes; participates as a project team member
Additional Functions
- Monitor and manage delinquent student accounts and loans
- Monitor and coordinate inactive account adjustments
- Contact borrowers to discuss account status and arrange payment plans
- Process deferment, cancellation, and forbearance requests
- Assist with economic hardship requests and other financial concerns
- Coordinate the submission of delinquent accounts to collection agencies
- Monitor agency activities and review monthly payment processing
- Communicate with students regarding past due balances, payment plans, and financial holds
- Ensure proactive communication to increase student retention
- Maintain accurate records and documentation for all collection activities
- Provide necessary documentation to collection agencies and respond to inquiries regarding credit bureau disputes and delinquent status
- Ensure all collection activities comply with university policies and federal regulations
- Assist with periodic reviews of departmental procedures to ensure best practices
- Performs all other duties as assigned
Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits
Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University
Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.
If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.
