Director of Student Accounts

Job Details

Merrimack College is a selective, private college in a beautiful, residential setting — just minutes from Boston, Massachusetts. Merrimack College invites applications and nominations for the position of Director of Student Accounts. This is an opportunity for a highly strategic, results-driven leader to join a fast-moving, growing institution. The Director of Student Accounts will be responsible for all aspects of student billing and will require the ability to facilitate processes and interactions across multiple divisions of the College and to promote a student-centered, service-oriented atmosphere.

THE COLLEGE

The only Catholic, Augustinian institution of higher education in New England, Merrimack College is a private, independent, coeducational institution with more than 4,100 undergraduate, 2,500 graduate students, and 50 doctoral students from 48 states and 63 countries. The College features more than 160 career-focused undergraduate, professional, and graduate programs, all taught by exceptional faculty who are passionate about their subject and student success. The College has six schools: arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, the Girard School of Business, and the Graduate School of Counseling and Social Work. The College’s suburban 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a Master’s Colleges and Universities/Larger Programs (M1) institution in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Merrimack is one of the fastest-growing educational institutions in the country and has steadily climbed in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings, placing 38th in the Regional Universities North category in 2026. Merrimack is an NCAA Division I athletic institution.

THE POSITION

The Director of Student Accounts provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for student billing, accounts receivable, cashiering, and related student financial services functions for Merrimack College. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this position plays a critical role in supporting the College’s enrollment, reenrollment, retention, and student success goals through accurate, compliant, and student-centered administration of student account processes.

The Director leads the Student Accounts team and collaborates closely with Financial Aid, the Registrar’s Office, Finance, Admissions, and other campus partners to ensure a seamless, efficient, and well-coordinated enrollment services experience. This role is responsible for strengthening service delivery, improving operational workflows, identifying opportunities for automation, and supporting the thoughtful use of technology, including emerging AI-enabled tools, to enhance student services and administrative processes. The position may include occasional remote or in-person evening and weekend availability during peak billing and enrollment periods.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Position Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of student billing and accounts receivable processes, including tuition and fee assessment, payment plans, refunds, excess financial aid, health insurance waivers, account holds, and account reporting.
• Report to and partner closely with the Chief Financial Officer to support a coordinated, end-to-end enrollment services model that promotes operational excellence, student persistence, and effective reenrollment practices.
• Lead, supervise, and develop Student Accounts staff by providing clear direction, coaching, performance management, and operational oversight to ensure consistent service delivery, policy compliance, and effective problem resolution across all student account interactions.
• Oversee the accurate generation of student bills and account statements; monitor aging reports and collection efforts to minimize institutional risk while supporting student retention and success.
• Ensure proper administration of loan disbursements, excess funds, direct deposit enrollment, and refund processing to support timely and secure access to student funds in compliance with federal regulations.
• Oversee the acceptance, posting, and reconciliation of tuition and fee payments; ensure accurate account maintenance and reconciliation within the student information system and financial platforms.
• Serve as the functional lead for the Jenzabar J1 student information system as it relates to student accounts, including configuration, reporting, troubleshooting, and process optimization.
• Oversee the administration and integration of Cashnet for online payments, payment plans, and refund processing, ensuring system integrity, PCI compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Utilize advanced Excel skills for reconciliation, financial modeling, audit preparation, regulatory reporting, and data analysis to inform decision-making and institutional planning.
• Ensure compliance with FERPA, Title IV cash management regulations, IRS 1098-T reporting requirements, PCI standards, and other applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations governing student accounts and bursar operations.
• Develop, document, and maintain strong internal controls, policies, and procedures to safeguard institutional assets and ensure audit readiness.
• Collaborate closely with Financial Aid, the Registrar’s Office, Admissions, and Finance to address billing impacts related to aid eligibility, disbursements, registration activity, enrollment changes, SAP outcomes, and special circumstances.
• Maintain effective cross-functional communication with campus partners including Financial Aid, Registrar, Admissions, Housing, Student Life, Athletics, academic departments, and Finance to support a seamless student financial experience.
• Identify and resolve complex student account issues that involve multiple offices, policies, or systems, exercising sound judgment, discretion, and institutional awareness.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance billing accuracy, service delivery, documentation, communication strategies, and staff effectiveness.
• Demonstrate experience creating efficient workflows and improving business processes to reduce manual effort, eliminate redundancies, and strengthen service consistency across student-facing operations.
• Identify, recommend, and implement automated processes and system enhancements that improve accuracy, timeliness, compliance, and the student experience.
• Support appropriate exploration and use of AI-enabled tools in student services and administrative processing, with an emphasis on efficiency, service quality, data stewardship, and responsible operational application.
• Oversee reporting, audits, and compliance reviews related to student accounts and serve as the primary contact for internal and external audit inquiries.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field
• 3 to 5 years of progressive experience in higher education student accounts, bursar operations, or related financial administration.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with Jenzabar J1, Cashnet, and regulatory compliance related to college bursar operations required.
• Must exercise sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive financial and personal information.
• Demonstrated leadership ability with experience managing and developing professional staff.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to analyze and interpret complex financial, regulatory, and policy information and make informed decisions.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to think strategically while maintaining attention to operational detail and transactional accuracy.
• Demonstrated initiative and problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate risk and implement effective solutions.
• Technical competence and the ability to understand both detailed transactions and broader institutional financial processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred
• 7 to 10 years of progressive experience in higher education student accounts, bursar operations, or related financial administration.
• Experience with student information systems and billing platforms required, specifically Jenzabar J1 and Cashnet.
• Experience working in a collaborative enrollment services environment and supporting integrated service models across Student Accounts, Financial Aid, and Registrar functions preferred.
• Demonstrated experience improving operational efficiency through workflow design, process standardization, and automation.
• Demonstrated experience creating efficient workflows, implementing process improvements, and leveraging automation to improve operational effectiveness strongly preferred.
• Experience in a private higher education environment.
• Experience leading technology-enabled transformation, including workflow optimization, process automation, or AI-supported service delivery in higher education administration.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

For best consideration, please submit materials as soon as possible. The requested application materials listed below should be submitted via DSG’s candidate portal.

Application materials shall include a resume and a cover letter outlining interest, administrative experience, and appreciation for Merrimack College’s mission. All applications and nominations will be treated confidentially.

The compensation range for this position is $95,000 – $125,000 with a generous benefits package.

Steve Leo, Managing Director
Brian Bustin, Senior Associate
Storbeck Search
MerrimackDirectorStudentAccts@dsgco.com

Merrimack College is an Equal Opportunity Employer

This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check.