JOB SUMMARY

The Associate Director of Student Accounts is the operational partner to the Director of Student Financial Services, sharing day-to-day responsibility for student billing, payment processing, account resolution, and student service. The office employs two Student Accounts professional staff members; both must be capable of independently managing all critical functions when the other is unavailable.

This role is focused on Student Accounts. Financial aid advising and award questions are handled by the Associate Deans of Financial Aid; the Associate Director's service responsibility is billing and accounts. This role requires sufficient familiarity with how financial aid applies to student account balances to answer basic billing-related questions and to direct students appropriately-not to advise on aid eligibility or awards.

Employment Type: Full-Time (1.0 FTE), Exempt (Salaried), Benefits-Eligible

Pay Range: $53,000-$57,000 annually

How to apply: Continue here or visit https://gustavus.edu/jobs/ to complete the online application and submit a resume and cover letter. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Anticipated start date = Summer 2026

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Accounts & Billing Operations

• Serve as the primary operator of the student accounts receivable system: generate charges, manage billing cycles, distribute fee statements and monthly statements on schedule.
• Administer payment plan enrollment and maintenance; communicate with students and families on terms, missed payments, and adjustments.
• Process payments across all accepted channels: online transactions, checks, wire transfers, and employer or third-party billing.
• Manage cash drawer operations, daily reconciliation, and deposit procedures.
• Process refunds and Title IV credit balance distributions in compliance with regulatory and institutional requirements.
• Coordinate account adjustments with the Director and other campus offices as needed.
• Monitor accounts for discrepancies; communicate proactively with students regarding balances, holds, or errors.
• Administer transcript and registration holds in accordance with institutional policy.
• Process disbursements of federal, state, and private grants and loans in coordination with the Director.
• Reconcile the online payment gateway; assist with monthly general ledger reconciliation.
• Approve routine account adjustments, fee waivers, and write-offs within delegated authority limits; escalate to the Director as needed.

Student & Family Service

• Serve as a primary service contact for students and families with questions about their bill, account balance, payment options, and financial holds.
• Provide clear and accurate information on billing processes, payment plans, and account status.
• When a student's question involves how their financial aid award applies to their balance-such as why a balance remains after aid has posted-provide basic billing-side context and, where the question involves the aid award itself, direct the student to the appropriate Associate Dean of Financial Aid.
• Resolve complex account disputes professionally and empathetically; escalate to the Director as needed.
• Ensure consistent, professional service across in-person, virtual, phone, and email channels.

Compliance & Regulatory Execution

• Apply federal and state regulations governing student billing and disbursement-including Title IV credit balance rules, refund policies, and disclosure requirements-in all daily operations.
• Maintain current working knowledge of billing compliance requirements; flag emerging issues to the Director promptly.
• Prepare student accounts work papers and reconciliation reports for the annual institutional audit.
• Support program reviews and required reporting as directed.
• Prepare 1098-T data under the Director's review and approval.

Systems & Data Integrity

• Serve as the primary day-to-day operator of Ellucian Colleague, Perceptive Content, and related platforms for Student Accounts functions.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records in compliance with FERPA and institutional data standards.
• Report data integrity issues to the Director; assist with resolution in coordination with the AIS team.
• Participate in system upgrade testing and implementation as directed.

Cross-Training & Mutual Coverage

• Maintain working proficiency across all Student Accounts functions-including those primarily led by the Director-sufficient to manage them independently during the Director's absence.
• Actively participate in the office's cross-training program; maintain up-to-date desk procedure documentation for all critical functions.
• Coordinate coverage planning with the Director in advance of planned absences.
• Support student worker coordination and training when student employees work in the office.

Campus Collaboration & Process Improvement

• Partner with Admissions, Registrar, Housing, Academic Affairs, and other offices to support accurate student account management and enrollment retention.
• Identify and propose workflow improvements; implement approved changes.
• Participate in institutional committees and financial wellness initiatives as assigned.

Prerequisites

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business, accounting, or a related field.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in student accounts or student financial services in a higher education setting.
• Working knowledge of student billing practices, accounts receivable, and applicable federal billing regulations.
• Cash handling and bookkeeping experience.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills; demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a high-volume environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to student-centered service.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a small, highly collaborative two-person team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Ellucian Colleague, Perceptive Content, Slate, Google Workspace, or Microsoft Office suite.
• Experience supervising staff or student workers.
• Familiarity with financial aid disbursement processes and how aid awards interact with student account balances.
• Experience in a small-office or generalist role requiring broad functional coverage.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, exempt, primarily office-based position. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required during peak periods. As one of two Student Accounts professional staff members, this role requires a high degree of operational self-sufficiency and the ability to manage all critical Student Accounts functions independently when the Director is unavailable. Ongoing professional development and regulatory training are expected.

Gustavus offers competitive and comprehensive benefits which include:

• Medical insurance (which includes access to Nice Healthcare) as well as dental, vision, and life insurance
• Workplace accommodations for physical or mental health concerns
• Onsite health services
• Free parking, exercise classes, and use of library and athletic facilities
• Paid parental leave
• Employer contribution to retirement savings plan (after one year of employment)
• Tuition scholarships for dependents
• Tuition benefit plan for employees and spouse
• 13 paid Holidays + generous PTO plan