Collections Specialist

Job Title: Collections Specialist

Location: Columbus, OH 43215

Duration: 12+ Months

Pay Rate: $27/HR on W2

Job Summary:

Within the collections team, this position will be responsible for the day-to-day collections activities on our Residential and Commercial accounts.

Responsible for contacting delinquent accounts to collect overdue payments as well as resolving discrepancies and billing disputes, while minimizing company losses.

Also charged with building and/or maintaining reports and databases used to track various customer and vendor activity as well as creation and publication of A/R and Collections reports.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Contacting customers with overdue payments by telephone in order to negotiate payments or resolve discrepancies.

Recommends accounts that are to be returned to utility supply or placement with third party collection firms after all collection efforts have been exhausted.

Learn, document and monitor procedures, policies, applicable regulations and operating practices associated with collections of customer past due accounts.

Maintain daily, weekly and monthly reporting associated with collections.

Work with customers and customer service employees to resolve collection related issues.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Experience:

Minimum 3 years collections experience required.

Experience in the Utilities industry preferred.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Working knowledge of collection processes, policies, analysis, practices and systems

Results oriented with strong negotiation skills

Strong communication abilities (verbal and written) and the ability to understand and effectively follow verbal and written instructions

Process driven; emphasis on continuous improvement

Solid knowledge of all MS Office applications with advanced knowledge and experience with Excel

Working knowledge and experience with MS Access or SQL a plus

Enthusiastic learner, eager to meet challenges and quickly assimilate new concepts.

Displays confidence in ability and performance on subject and role, exudes subject matter expertise.

Able to bear high levels of responsibility: making decisions, being accountable.

Communicates honestly, openly, and consistently.

Shares information appropriately and involves the customer in solving problems.

Able to evaluate information quickly, identify key issues and formulate conclusions based on sound, practical judgment, experience, and common sense.

Proactive thinking.

Ability to foresee outcomes and plan against possible shortcomings.

Understand the strategic business drivers and able to map market trends.

Excellent communication skills – written, spoken, presentation and listening with ability to explain and interpret complex issues clearly, mindful of audience.

Well organized; ability to prioritize, plan proactively and execute properly while managing conflicting priorities and multi-task effectively.

Innovative and resourceful.

Effective and comfortable in a dynamic/in-flight/fast-paced work environment.

Acts with a sense of urgency.

Ability to handle stress in a professional and productive manner.