Director of Student Accounts - Hartwick College : Job Details

October 10, 2024

Title: Director of Student Accounts

Description: Under the supervision of the Executive Director of Financial Aid & Student Accounts, the Director of Student Accounts is responsible for all aspects of student billing, in addition to the accounts receivables for the entire college community. The Director of Student Accounts manages the internal collection process and oversees the student loan component for non-current students. The Director supervises the Assistant Director of Student Accounts and Student Accounts Specialist. It is required that the Director have full knowledge of all duties assigned to these other positions in order to supply backup when needed.

Responsibilities:

* All aspects of Student Billing - tuition, fees, miscellaneous expenses, transfer of Financial Aid, meal plans and housing, involving technical setup of parameters uploads and downloads between Ellucian Colleague and Excel. Computing and applying interest, checking for accuracy and completion of student billing.

* Manage Internal collections - involving account maintenance, assigning accounts to outside agencies, following bankruptcy regulations.

* Oversee and implement notification, disbursing and refunding of Title IV funds and State Grants and NYS TAP. Full knowledge of Federal and State regulations that govern these funds to maintain their accuracy and guidelines. Includes working closely with Financial Aid Office.

* Keeping current with Bursar application, duties and regulations and IT improvements or enhancements. Information from seminars, list serves and publications. This involves implementing of processes as they become available.

* Working with outside agencies involving tuition payment plans, collection agencies, lenders, vendors, prepaid tuition, health and tuition insurance companies, NYS HESC, online payment services, local banking institutions and campus bookstore operated by Barnes and Noble

* Communications with families and students through large informative mailings at beginning of each semester, written notices to students at registration and pre-registration concerning restrictions, constant emails and phone communications regarding account inquiries and conflict resolution. Group presentations to parents as requested.

* Thorough knowledge to provide supervision and back up to Assistant Director of Student Accounts and Student Accounts Specialist. This involves decision making and problem solving as situations arise.

* Balancing of various accounts. NYS TAP, loan account, deposit accounts, student accounts, outside payment plan and assisting accounting with re-reconciliation of deposits to college cash account. Involves use of various reports and queries on Ellucian Colleague and outside servicer systems.

* Working closely with numerous departments on campus relating to student accounts, payroll and policy involving any aspect of fees or charges to accounts. Also involves serving on numerous campus committees.

* Ability to create and maintain positive relationships with all internal and external constituents.

* Comply with all applicable College, Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations.

* As a representative of the College, comport oneself in a professional manner at all times, both on and off campus.

* Participate in significant campus activities including Welcome Weekend, True Blue Weekend, and Commencement Weekend.

* Additional job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Minimum requirements for this position are a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with between 5 and 7 years of experience in a similar position/field.

* Knowledge of federal and state regulations governing Title IV funds, NYS TAP and bankruptcy

* Knowledge of Higher Ed procedures and regulations

* Accounting experience in an education environment involving cash receipts and balancing of accounts

* Excellent written and oral communication skills

* Strong interpersonal and organizational skills

* Bondable

* Knowledge of some type of campus-based system (Ellucian Colleague preferred)

* Excel, Word and Outlook Express knowledge for merging and communication

* Supervisory experience a must

The College strongly recommends that all employees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (full course of primary vaccination plus at least one dose of a booster).

Salary range: $65,000 - $70,000

An independent, residential liberal arts college enrolling approximately 1,200 full-time undergraduates, Hartwick embraces the teacher-scholar model, with teaching excellence as the first priority, and seeks to recruit, retain and promote a diverse workforce. The College features a Liberal Arts in Practice general education curriculum and aspires to be the best at melding liberal arts education with experiential learning.

Hartwick operates as a community of learners where there is a very real sense of belonging and connection. By joining Hartwick, you become part of a group of people who work together, share in our successes, and a celebrate our accomplishments. All positions at Hartwick contribute to the education and development of students with the opportunity to see the impact on future leaders-what you do at Hartwick really matters.

Our beautiful 425-acre campus is located in the scenic Susquehanna River valley in Oneonta, New York-a charming town near the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick offers health benefits to domestic partners of employees, flexible scheduling, opportunities to engage in athletic and cultural events (concerts, exhibits, and lectures) and tuition benefits for eligible employees and their dependents.

Hartwick College prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation/preference and gender identity/expression and is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to broadening the understanding, awareness, and appreciation of diversity among all members of the Hartwick community. Women, minorities, and other underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Hartwick College is committed to providing a safe and secure educational and employment environment. Employment at Hartwick College is therefore contingent upon a successful background check on every new employee. Candidates to whom an offer of employment is made will be required to sign a Release of Information Form authorizing the College to conduct a thorough background check.

Hartwick College is committed to a diverse candidate pool, values an inclusive workforce and workplace environment, and wishes to minimize or eliminate the impact of implicit bias during the search and hiring process.

All applicants are asked to submit the following materials with their online applications:

* A cover letter;

* A resume;

* A Diversity Statement that addresses how your past and/or potential contributions to diversity will support Hartwick College's Diversity Statement ( and

* The names and contact information for three references, with annotation regarding how the reference is related to you and your work (at least one of your references must be from a current and/or previous supervisor).

Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.