University Bursar / Manager of Student Accounts

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary:

The University Bursar / Manager of Student Accounts provides leadership and oversight for Salem University's student accounts and accounts receivable operations. This position is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, compliance, efficiency, and effectiveness of student billing, payment processing, account reconciliation, collections, refunds and stipends, payment plans, account adjustments, and other student financial transactions.

The Bursar serves as the University's primary operational leader for student accounts and works collaboratively with Financial Aid, Admissions, Registrar, Academic Affairs, Finance, Information Technology, and other departments to ensure student financial transactions are timely, accurate, compliant, and supportive of student persistence and institutional financial objectives.

The position is responsible for maintaining strong internal controls, proactively managing outstanding student receivables, establishing measurable service and performance standards, and balancing a student-centered service approach with the University's financial and regulatory responsibilities

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The duties listed below are representative of the responsibilities of this position. Additional duties may be assigned based on departmental or organizational needs.

Student Accounts & Billing

• Oversee student account activity, including tuition and fee assessment, billing, payments, credits, adjustments, refunds, stipends, scholarships, third-party payments, and other student financial transactions. 
• Ensure student accounts accurately reflect enrollment, institutional charges, financial aid, scholarships, payments, refunds, and other adjustments. 
• Conduct regular student ledger reviews and audits to identify discrepancies, unresolved credit balances, outstanding charges, posting errors, and other account issues. 
• Coordinate billing processes and schedules with academic calendars, enrollment cycles, financial aid disbursement schedules, and University policies. 
• Oversee student payment plans and ensure arrangements are appropriately documented, monitored, and consistently administered. 
• Ensure student refunds and stipends are processed accurately and timely in accordance with applicable requirements and University procedures. 

Accounts Receivable & Collections

• Provide leadership and oversight of the University's student accounts receivable portfolio and collection activities. 
• Establish and monitor systematic collection processes for current and former student balances. 
• Monitor receivable aging, identify delinquent accounts, and ensure appropriate outreach and collection activities occur according to established timelines. 
• Coordinate placement of eligible delinquent accounts with external collection agencies and monitor agency performance and recovery. 
• Recommend write-offs and other account resolution actions in accordance with university policies and accounting requirements. 
• Work collaboratively with students to resolve outstanding balances while maintaining appropriate institutional controls and collection expectations. 
• Provide regular reporting on outstanding receivables, collection performance, payment arrangements, and accounts requiring escalation. 

Financial Aid & Title IV Coordination

• Partner closely with Financial Aid to ensure accurate posting of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid to student accounts. 
• Review and resolve discrepancies between institutional charges, anticipated aid, disbursed aid, scholarships, payments, and other student account activity. 
• Coordinate with Financial Aid regarding Title IV credit balances, Return of Title IV Funds adjustments, overpayments, authorizations, and other student account transactions resulting from financial aid activity. 
• Ensure student account practices comply with applicable requirements governing Title IV credit balances, cash management, authorization of charges, and related student account activity. 
• Support financial aid reconciliation by providing accurate student account information and researching discrepancies. 

Reconciliation, Accounting & Internal Controls

• Reconcile student account activity to the University's general ledger and support month-end and year-end closing processes. 
• Ensure student payments are accurately processed, recorded, safeguarded, and reconciled. 
• Maintain appropriate segregation of duties and internal controls over student account transactions, adjustments, refunds, cash receipts, and write-offs. 
• Review and approve student account adjustments within established authorization levels. 
• Maintain documentation necessary to support financial statement audits, Title IV compliance audits, and other regulatory reviews. 
• Prepare regular and ad hoc reports related to receivables, collections, refunds, credit balances, aging, write-offs, and other student account activity.

Student Service & Account Resolution

• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex student account issues and disputes. 
• Ensure students receive clear, accurate, and timely information regarding charges, balances, payment obligations, refunds, payment plans, and University financial policies. 
• Establish and monitor service-level expectations for responding to student inquiries and resolving account issues. 
• Promote a student-centered approach that balances service and student success with consistent application of University financial policies. 
• Collaborate across University departments to resolve student account issues and remove unnecessary financial barriers to enrollment and persistence while maintaining appropriate financial controls. 

Compliance, Systems & Process Improvement

• Maintain working knowledge of applicable federal and state requirements affecting student accounts, institutional receivables, payment processing, and collections. 
• Maintain student financial information in accordance with FERPA and University information-security requirements. 
• Support responses to auditors, regulators, and other authorized reviewers regarding student account operations. 
• Monitor regulatory changes affecting student accounts and recommend necessary changes to policies, procedures, and system configurations. 
• Serve as the Finance functional lead for student account operations within the University's Student Information System. 
• Maintain appropriate controls over system access, transaction processing, account adjustments, and reporting. 
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes, improve account accuracy, accelerate collections, strengthen controls, and improve the student experience. 
• Develop and utilize dashboards and reports to monitor student account performance and identify trends requiring management attention. 

Leadership & Department Management

• Supervise, coach, and develop Student Accounts/Bursar personnel, including the Assistant Bursar and other assigned staff. 
• Establish individual and departmental performance expectations, provide training and feedback, monitor productivity, and ensure accountability. 
• Develop, maintain, and enforce Student Accounts policies, standard operating procedures, checklists, workflows, and internal controls. 
• Collaborate with the Vice President of Finance and Controller on financial initiatives and institutional priorities. 
• Participate in University meetings and committees as appropriate. 
• Perform other duties related to Finance and Student Accounts as assigned. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of student accounts, accounts receivable, billing, collections, and reconciliation practices. 
• Understanding of internal controls and financial transaction management. 
• Knowledge of applicable higher education financial and regulatory requirements. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to accuracy and detail. 
• Ability to analyze financial data, receivable trends, aging, and operational performance. 
• Strong leadership, coaching, and staff-development skills. 
• Ability to develop and maintain effective policies, procedures, workflows, and internal controls. 
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications. 
• Ability to effectively utilize student information systems, financial systems, reporting tools, and related technology. 
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a high-volume environment. 
• Ability to balance student-centered service with financial accountability and regulatory requirements. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive financial and student information. 
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and relationship-management skills. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field. 
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in student accounts, accounts receivable, accounting, higher education finance, or a closely related area. 
• Demonstrated experience managing detailed financial transactions and reconciling complex accounts. 
• Demonstrated knowledge of accounts receivable and collection practices. 
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications. 
• Strong analytical, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills. 
• Demonstrated commitment to accuracy, internal controls, confidentiality, and customer service. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within a Title IV-participating institution of higher education. 
• Experience with Anthology/CampusNexus or a comparable higher education Student Information System. 
• Knowledge of Title IV cash management, student credit balances, refunds, institutional charges, and student account compliance requirements. 
• Experience managing student receivables and collection activities. 
• Previous supervisory or staff-development experience. 
• Experience supporting financial, compliance, or Title IV audits. 

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

• Prolonged periods of sitting while working at a computer. 
• Frequent use of computers, telephones, and other office technology. 
• Ability to communicate effectively through written, verbal, and virtual communication platforms. 
• Ability to perform routine office functions and maintain regular availability during established working hours. 

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Work Environment

This position is based at Salem University in Salem, West Virginia, and operates primarily within a professional office environment.

The position requires regular collaboration across University departments and the ability to manage high-volume student account activity during enrollment, registration, financial aid disbursement, semester starts, and other peak periods.

The University Bursar must effectively balance student service, financial accountability, regulatory compliance, and institutional objectives.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity

Salem University is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Job Description Disclaimer

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Salem University reserves the right to modify responsibilities as institutional needs evolve.