Director of Student Accounts

Director of Student Accounts

Arkansas State University-Newport

The Director of Student Accounts supports the success of Arkansas State University - Newport and the college’s short‑ and long‑term financial well‑being through effective management of student accounts and college accounts receivable, payment collection, administration, and reconciliations. The Director fosters a highly collaborative, enthusiastic, innovative, accessible, engaged, and service‑oriented culture for internal and external stakeholders. As custodian of college funds, the Director provides leadership on tuition and fee structures, refund processing, billing, receivables, and payments, and develops policies and procedures related to student finances. The Director also implements a dynamic advising and analysis program for students and stakeholders, ensuring compliance and developing solutions to elevated requests and concerns.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct, supervise, and mentor employees to develop and maintain a high‑performance culture that values accountability, leadership, sound planning, service, and excellent execution.
• Lead and participate in strategic planning, departmental goal setting and evaluation, and continuous process and service improvement.
• Present a consistent voice for the department and foster mutual respect and understanding amongst internal and external stakeholders in a manner that improves support services.
• Oversee the student accounts receivable program, including billing, payment plans, account receivable reconciliations, payment administration, collection procedures, write‑offs, bad debt, resolving discrepancies, and communication.
• Coordinate the accurate preparation and completion of state and federal tax forms and reports, including Form 1098‑T, and ensure timely submission to the IRS and other government entities.
• Oversee the preparation, evaluation, and processing of student account refunds in accordance with Title IV regulations, federal and state law, and college policy.
• Oversee third‑party billings for payment by government entities, employers, and other outside organizations.
• Maintain and update billing tables in the college’s financial system to assure all revenue and expenses are reflected appropriately in the general ledger.
• Utilize discretion in the enforcement and application of college policies, including holds, collections placements, late fees, and policy exceptions.
• Analyze student accounts for accuracy, resolve discrepancies in a timely manner, and ensure the proper posting of all charges and payments.
• Oversee and maintain merchant and payment services, including online and credit card payment systems, ensuring modern processing methods that meet the changing needs of those served.
• Serve as the principal liaison to partners and vendors associated with student accounts and merchant services, including payment processing companies and collections agencies, and act as the principal audit liaison for student financial services.
• Collaborate with enrollment management, financial aid, registrar’s office, housing, student affairs, academic affairs, finance, and other internal departments to ensure student account accuracy and the proper flow of information.
• Using excellent judgment, create systems, structures, and processes to prioritize requests, activities, and workflows in a customer‑friendly manner.
• Facilitate the use of data to inform decision‑making and planning.
• Perform special studies, research, and analysis of financial, student account, AR, and budget matters and provide recommendations for courses of action.
• Partner with the finance team to ensure the timely completion of monthly and year‑end close processes.
• Collaborate with the finance team to manage the college’s accounts receivable program, including billing, processing payments, customer service, and collections.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, local, and institutional laws, policies, and procedures.
• Communicate effectively to students, parents, faculty, staff, partners, and other stakeholders via all communication methods.
• Participate in various college events and committees as assigned.
• Coordinate, with financial aid and the finance team, the accurate posting of internal and external financial aid to student accounts, including reporting, updating billing statements, and refund processing.
• Reconcile all bank deposits, including ACH/EFC deposits, daily cashier deposits for three campuses, credit card deposits for the bookstore and food service, and deposits from online payments.
• Prepare and submit the college’s monthly sales tax report to the state.
• Prepare, verify, and submit a yearly list of unclaimed property to the state.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum requirements include a Bachelor’s Degree and at least 3 years of experience in accounting, business operations, banking, or related financial business. Experience with Microsoft Office suite and higher education software is required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Working knowledge of college and university business practices. Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills. Ability to lead effectively. Experience in the resolution of complaints and disputes. Preferred: experience in higher education accounting, collections, AR, and student/customer financial services. Ability to independently set priorities to meet organizational needs and achieve results.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FUNDS, PROPERTY, AND EQUIPMENT

Responsible for employees who maintain cashier funds, requiring periodic audit checks.

TOOLS

None

TECHNOLOGY & SOFTWARE

Intermediate: Word Processing/Typing, Alphanumeric Data Entry, Database, Presentation/PowerPoint, Spreadsheets

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

1 full‑time employee

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Strong communication skills are required. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from students, faculty, administration, or the general public, and to speak clearly so others can understand instruction.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of known variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram formats.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Under general direction, working from policies and general directives. Rarely refers specific cases to supervisor unless clarification or interpretation of the organization’s policy is required.

PLANNING

Considerable responsibility with regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner, or sequence of performance of own work, and for the organization and delegation of work for a group of employees engaging in similar activities.

DECISION MAKING

Performs work operations that permit frequent opportunity for decision‑making of significant importance and major importance, affecting the work operations of a small organizational component and the organization’s customers.

ANALYTICAL ABILITY / PROBLEM SOLVING

Moderately structured. Fairly broad activities using moderately structured procedures with only generally guided supervision.

USE OF MACHINES, EQUIPMENT AND/OR COMPUTERS

Regular use of office equipment (desktop/laptop computer and software).

ACCURACY

Probable errors would normally not be detected in succeeding operations and could possibly affect organization‑patron relationship. May also cause inaccuracies or incomplete information that would be used in other segments of the organization as a basis for subsequent decisions, plans, or actions.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Frequent contacts with general public, students, parents, or other outside representatives, wherein the manner of handling these contacts has a bearing on the organization’s position and operation.

EMPLOYEE CONTACT

Contacts with other departments or offices and frequently with individuals in middle‑level positions; consulting on problems that necessitate judgment and tact in presentation to obtain cooperation or approval of action. Also, important contacts with associates as required in advanced supervisory jobs.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

None

PREFERRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

None

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

Employee must continuously talk or hear; frequently stand; frequently walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms; and occasionally climb or balance. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities: close vision.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

There are no harmful environmental conditions present for this position, though some equipment may be hazardous.

NOTIFICATION

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis. The institution is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.