Collections Specialist I

About the role

The Collections Specialist manages consumer and business deposit accounts that are overdrawn, delinquent, or charged off. This role performs early-stage and recovery collection activities, responds to inbound inquiries, conducts outbound calls, negotiates payment arrangements and settlements within assigned authority, processes payments, updates client information, and documents all collection activity. The Specialist also researches account issues, supports branch and internal partner inquiries, and explains the Bank's overdraft program and available resolution options. Success requires sound judgment, respectful client communication, accurate system documentation, and consistent adherence to Bank policy and applicable laws and regulations. This is a high-volume, telephone-based banking collections role in a regional bank environment. The position works with deposit account overdrafts and charge-offs rather than consumer loan collections.

First Bank is one of the largest independent banks in the U.S., with over 100 years of history and a commitment to employee and client success.

Responsibilities

• Manage a queue of overdrawn and charged-off consumer and business deposit accounts through inbound and outbound telephone contact, written communication, account research, and documented follow-up.
• Perform accurate account maintenance and document collection activity in applicable systems, including FIS Insight, Sales Management, PeopleSoft, and Cyber/Collect.
• Review accounts overdrawn due to service charges or other activity, complete required documentation, and process eligible accounts for closure in accordance with Bank procedures.
• Accept and process authorized debit or credit card payments for checking and savings account obligations through the Bank's designated payment system.
• Follow Bank policies and applicable requirements, including Regulation E, Regulation DD, privacy and information-security standards, and collection-related requirements identified by the Bank. Escalate legal, regulatory, complaint, bankruptcy, deceased-client, military-service, fraud, or other sensitive matters as required.
• Explain the Bank's overdraft program, account status, payment options, and applicable disclosures in clear, respectful language without providing legal advice.
• Meet established quality, productivity, contact, recovery, documentation, and service expectations.
• Promptly escalate complex, disputed, high-risk, or exception accounts to the appropriate leader or department.
• Document each client contact, promise to pay, payment arrangement, dispute, settlement, and follow-up action completely and accurately in the appropriate system.
• Process incoming mail and daily payments accurately and within established service standards.
• Monitor the overdraft email inbox and respond to branch and internal partner questions accurately and promptly.
• Process approved overdraft fee and servicing requests in accordance with assigned authority and Bank procedures.
• Research client contact information and perform skip tracing using Bank-approved resources when appropriate.
• Negotiate payment arrangements and settlements within assigned authority; obtain approval when an arrangement falls outside established guidelines.
• Identify and accurately code disputes, complaints, fraud claims, cease-contact requests, bankruptcy notices, deceased-client matters, and other exceptions for escalation.
• Protect confidential client and Bank information and follow authentication, privacy, records-retention, and information-security procedures.
• Partner with branches, Deposit Operations, Fraud, Legal, Compliance, and other internal teams to resolve account issues.
• Complete required training and maintain current knowledge of deposit products, overdraft practices, collection procedures, and Bank systems.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Two years of customer service, collections, recovery, deposit operations, banking, or call center experience preferred. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience in telephone collections, account recovery, financial services, deposit operations, or a high-volume call center is strongly preferred.
• Experience with FIS Insight or comparable core banking and collections systems is preferred.
• Bilingual or multilingual communication skills are preferred.

Skills

• Ability to perform basic business math, calculate payment amounts and percentages, and reconcile account information accurately.
• Ability to review and reconcile checking and savings account activity and identify transaction or balance discrepancies.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, apply sound judgment, and make decisions within established authority.
• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Outlook required.
• Professional telephone presence with strong negotiation, active-listening, de-escalation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate with clients respectfully while asking direct questions and securing clear payment commitments.
• High attention to detail and ability to maintain complete, accurate, and timely collection notes.
• Ability to manage a high-volume account queue, prioritize work, meet deadlines, and achieve measurable goals.
• Ability to handle confidential information and difficult client interactions with discretion and professionalism.
• Working knowledge of deposit accounts, overdrafts, charge-offs, payment arrangements, settlements, skip tracing, and account recovery preferred.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with branch and operations partners.

Compliance and Risk Responsibilities

• Follow all Bank policies, procedures, assigned authority levels, and internal controls.
• Comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations and complete all required compliance training.
• Identify potential complaints, disputes, fraud, legal notices, or other risk indicators and escalate them promptly.
• Maintain accurate records sufficient to support account decisions, payment arrangements, settlements, and client communications.

Pay

A reasonable estimate of the current pay range is $17.75 - $21.50 per hour. The range takes into account factors including prior experience, skill set, training, and internal business and organizational factors. First Bank generally does not hire at or near the top of the stated range. The range is driven by the geographic location of the anticipated hiring location; however, the specific range may vary depending on the geographic location for remote positions. Compensation decisions depend on the specific facts and circumstances of each hiring instance.

Schedule

Hybrid work environment: employees work at least three full days in the office, with more or all in-office days expected of client-facing teams and the groups that support them.