Position Summary:

The Billing and Collection Specialist will report to the Controller and provide general administrative support, and perform billing and collection-related duties for affiliate program and learning center sites and participants. This is a part-time in-office position based in Hartford, CT at the YWCA Hartford Region Administrative Office.

Essential Functions of the Job:

• Maintains files and related filing system in an accurate and timely manner;
• Works with Central Registration to process client registrations into the childcare billing system for Early Learning Centers (ELCs) and School Age (SA) programs;
• Ensures the integrity of data for billing, programs, and grant-required information;
• Provides general customer assistance to efficiently and accurately assist callers with billing issues;
• Remains current on program offerings;
• Prepares and maintains regular program tuition postings, processes payments, and prepares and reviews regular account reports; 
• Travels to designated site locations as needed to collect payments;
• Performs monthly billing reconciliations;
• Prepares various reports, such as school readiness for site managers, as requested;
• Regularly reviews third-party payer (DCF, Care4Kids) accounts and documentation and follows up with accurate invoicing, ensuring payments are kept current;
• Works with families, site managers, and site supervisors to create payment plans when necessary;
• Follows up with accounts to ensure balances are collected on time; 
• Completes paperwork for delinquent payments, initiating collection paperwork when necessary;
• Confirm the accuracy of childcare attendance lists for staff and children in the database.
• Provides annual tax information for program clients; participates in training and other personal development activities to enhance knowledge and understanding of role;
• Builds customer relations with families, site managers, and site staff; and
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Controller or CFO.

  Education:

• High school graduate or GED required. Associate’s degree preferred.

Experience:

• Three (3) years’ experience required in billing, collections, or customer relations. 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and billing/collection procedures. 

Schedule: 

• This is a non-exempt, hourly position offering 15 hours per week. Standard hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 5:30 pm. The Department Head or direct supervisor will define the work schedule and hours. Due to the nature of the work, some weekend and evening hours may be required.

Key Competencies: 

• Seeks to cultivate and develop professional working relationships with key stakeholders, i.e., staff, volunteers, interns, board members, etc.;
• Demonstrated skill in understanding others;
• Engages in (or commits to) personal and professional development;
• Demonstrates a willingness to examine one’s assumptions and attitudes;
• Maintains productive work relationships while considering multiple perspectives;
• Demonstrates awareness of one’s and others’ life experiences and their relevance in the workplace; and
• Experience resolving conflicts effectively.

Skills: 

• Collaboration: Enlists active participation of others to solve problems;
• Confidentiality: Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and proprietary business information;
• Customer Focus: Builds effective relationships with customers, identifies customer expectations, tries to see issues from their point of view; offers practical solutions to concerns;
• Emotional Intelligence: Recognizes and values different ideas of others; Empathetically and respectfully      accepts these differences and works cooperatively and sincerely to optimize contributions of all individuals;
• Ethics & Integrity: Makes decisions and conducts oneself consistently with the organization's mission; respects all individuals in the work environment;
• Mission-driven: Understands programs and services offered by YWCA Hartford Region;
• Personal Accountability: Accepts responsibility for own actions, including failure; Embraces experiences as learning opportunities and not chances to blame;
• Quality Assurance: Demonstrated ability to produce accurate and timely processing of detailed accounting transactions;
• Technical Skills: Possesses the knowledge and abilities necessary to perform required job elements to established standards;
• Time Management: Allocates time efficiently to the most important issues and knows what not to spend time on; completes work promptly; Demonstrated ability to manage multiple and changing work assignments and priorities effectively; and
• Work Relationships: Builds productive relationships in the workplace to achieve goals.