Director of Student Accounts

Merrimack College invites applications and nominations for the position of Director of Student Accounts. This is an opportunity for a highly strategic, results-driven leader to join a fast-moving, growing institution. The Director of Student Accounts will be responsible for all aspects of student billing and will require the ability to facilitate processes and interactions across multiple divisions of the College and to promote a student-centered, service-oriented atmosphere.

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,100 undergraduate, 2,500 graduate students, and 50 doctoral students from 48 states and 63 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard School of Business, and the Graduate School of Counseling and Social Work. The College's suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master's Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest-growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed in U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings, placing 38th in the Regional Universities North category in 2026. Merrimack is an NCAA Division I athletic institution.

The Director of Student Accounts provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for student billing, accounts receivable, cashiering, and related student financial services functions for Merrimack College. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this position plays a critical role in supporting the College's enrollment, reenrollment, retention, and student success goals through accurate, compliant, and student-centered administration of student account processes. The Director leads the Student Accounts team and collaborates closely with Financial Aid, the Registrar's Office, Finance, Admissions, and other campus partners to ensure a seamless, efficient, and well-coordinated enrollment services experience. This role is responsible for strengthening service delivery, improving operational workflows, identifying opportunities for automation, and supporting the thoughtful use of technology, including emerging AI-enabled tools, to enhance student services and administrative processes. The position may include occasional remote or in-person evening and weekend availability during peak billing and enrollment periods.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field
• 3 to 5 years of progressive experience in higher education student accounts, bursar operations, or related financial administration.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with Jenzabar J1, Cashnet, and regulatory compliance related to college bursar operations required.

• Must exercise sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive financial and personal information.
• Demonstrated leadership ability with experience managing and developing professional staff.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to analyze and interpret complex financial, regulatory, and policy information and make informed decisions.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to think strategically while maintaining attention to operational detail and transactional accuracy.
• Demonstrated initiative and problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate risk and implement effective solutions.
• Technical competence and the ability to understand both detailed transactions and broader institutional financial processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred
• 7 to 10 years of progressive experience in higher education student accounts, bursar operations, or related financial administration.
• Experience with student information systems and billing platforms required, specifically Jenzabar J1 and Cashnet.
• Experience working in a collaborative enrollment services environment and supporting integrated service models across Student Accounts, Financial Aid, and Registrar functions is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience improving operational efficiency through workflow design, process standardization, and automation.
• Demonstrated experience creating efficient workflows, implementing process improvements, and leveraging automation to improve operational effectiveness is strongly preferred.
• Experience in a private higher education environment.
• Experience leading technology-enabled transformation, including workflow optimization, process automation, or AI-supported service delivery in higher education administration.