Student Account Specialist

About the role

The Opportunity Reporting to the Assistant Director of Student Financial Services, the Student Account Specialist provides comprehensive financial counseling and support to prospective, current, graduating, and former students across all three Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) campuses, serving a global student population of more than 30,000 annually.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely, accurate, and high-volume financial counseling via email, phone, electronic platforms, and in-person to students, parents, and ERAU staff.
• Resolve complex and high-risk account issues while delivering exceptional customer service and financial guidance.
• Partner with campus departments to provide enrollment support outreach, including payment deadline communication and informational presentations (e.g., UNIV 101 virtual sessions).
• Educate students, families, and staff on tuition, fees, billing policies, payment options, and institutional financial responsibilities.
• Maintain thorough understanding and compliance with university, state, and federal policies related to collections, refunds, withdrawals, and enrollment cancellations.
• Conduct quality assurance reviews of account adjustments and refund determinations.
• Analyze aging and delinquency reports to identify trends, risks, and contributing factors affecting student accounts.
• Process returned payments daily, including tuition, flight, and payment plan transactions.
• Facilitate promissory note and payment plan arrangements, including documentation, student guidance, and follow-up to ensure compliance and reduce outstanding balances.
• Monitor cancellation, hold, and receivables reports to proactively engage students and reduce attrition and bad debt.
• Support retention efforts by identifying at-risk accounts and coordinating resolution strategies.
• Review and analyze daily, weekly, and monthly financial reports related to cancellations, holds, aging accounts, and receivables.
• Monitor credit balances and account activity to ensure accuracy and proper financial tracking.
• Provide reporting insights that support institutional financial planning and liability management.
• Review and audit flight activity reports to ensure compliance with institutional policies.
• Communicate proactively with at-risk students regarding financial flight grounding policies.
• Coordinate flight grounding actions for delinquent accounts in collaboration with Flight Operations and Campus Safety.
• Advise students on financial solutions to resolve outstanding tuition and flight-related balances.
• Process tuition assistance (TA) documentation with accuracy and within established timelines.
• Review, validate, and enter contractual agreements related to tuition benefits each term.
• Cookordination with internal and external stakeholders to resolve complex student account and third-party billing cases.
• Support Directors and Assistant Directors of Student Financial Services with special projects, initiatives, and process improvements.
• Assist with both on-campus and virtual events, presentations, and student engagement activities.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree or completion of a post-secondary program of 18+ months after high school.
• Required Skills, Knowledge, And Abilities:
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with strong emphasis on Excel.
• Demonstrated self-starter with strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent customer service orientation with strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders in a team-oriented environment.
• Willingness to share knowledge, collaborate, and learn new processes and responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Required Education and Qualifications: Associate’s degree or completion of a post-secondary program of 18+ months after high school. Preferred Area of Concentration: Accounting, Finance, Banking, Treasury, or Business.
• Required Skills, Knowledge, And Abilities: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with strong emphasis on Excel. Demonstrated self-starter with strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Excellent customer service orientation with strong verbal and written communication skills. Strong interpersonal and organizational skills. Ability to work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders in a team-oriented environment. Willingness to share knowledge, collaborate, and learn new processes and responsibilities.