Skip to main content

Employment

Director, Student Accounts

Apply now Job no: 495697
Work type: Full Time
Location: Swarthmore
Categories: Staff, Salary (Exempt), On Campus

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

The opportunity:

The Director, Student Accounts has primary responsibility for planning, developing, managing, and administering programs that support the billing and collection of student accounts, ensuring that the College is compliant with all applicable federal and state regulations, and ensuring that regular cashier activities related to the receipt, deposit, and accounting of student account funds is administered effectively, efficiently, and with an eye on customer service and accuracy.

The Director works collaboratively with the Financial Aid Office to ensure that customer service needs are met and that a proactive approach is taken regarding all student financial matters. The Director also works collaboratively with Information Technology Services to ensure that systems and operations are functioning smoothly and efficiently.

Serves as the primary liaison between the Controller’s Office and other key administrative offices to ensure proper billing and collection, as well as re-enrollment and graduation eligibility decisions. Communicates and counsels students and families on student account obligations, billing, payment, and collection concerns. Administers the Swarthmore College Monthly Payment Plan. Provides timely and accurate management reports for auditing and organizational decision-making. Supervises one full-time support staff person.  Performs other relevant duties as necessary.

Essential Responsibilities

  • Directs the operational activities of the Student Accounts Office, including the accurate and timely billing and collection of student accounts receivable. Responsible for cashier function, including the security of funds, proper recording, timely depositing, and reconciliation of cash receipts.
  • Manages the Swarthmore College Payment Plan, which is maintained by the Student Accounts Assistant. Maintains accurate and up-to-date student records.
  • Receives and processes receipts (via lock-box, wire transfers, direct payments, e-check payments, pay my tuition payments for international students).
  • Manages student refund processes, ensuring compliance with Federal Title IV regulations. Coordinates billing schedule and processes with appropriate offices on campus.
  • Supervises the e-bill & e-pay processes and promotes these services to students.
  • Monitors and manages all student accounts receivable and collections including the implementation and maintenance of appropriate collections activities and efforts. Contracts with third-party collection agencies for the collection of defaulted accounts and manages agency performance and related activities.
  • Prepares reports, as needed, for each student whose account is in arrears and arrange appropriate collection strategies.
  • Prepares journal entries to ensure proper accounting of student receivables.
  • Maintains functional expertise on the College’s database module (currently Banner and moving to Workday) and acts as a super-user for the system of record of student accounts. Is part of the project team for initiating changes and overseeing system implementations for the billing and collections of student accounts including the software related to student payment plans, international student payment and the student portal for credit card and ACH payments.
  • Provide reports of students who are not up to date with their financial responsibilities, including payment arrangements and payment plans. Provide outreach to students and document results.
  • Ensure compliance with internal control procedures and federal and industry regulations.
  • Proficient in federal and state regulations related to student accounts, including Title IV and FERPA.
  • Review, suggest and implement best practices for billing, collection and student records and provide suggestions for streamlining or automating office processes.
  • Tracks loan information for students who have been awarded Swarthmore College institutional loans and/or Perkins government loans. Executes loan promissory notes for students and transmits the signed agreements to the service bureau that administers the loan program. Maintains accurate files in the Student Accounts Office on each students’ loans. Serves as the liaison between the service bureau and the students.

Communication and Relationship Management

  • Effectively answers student and family questions, and resolves problems and complaints.
  • Maintains positive and professional interactions with students regarding billing issues, ensuring clear communication of financial obligations while supporting the College’s revenue objectives.
  • Acts as an effective representative of, and liaison with, the Controller’s Office and other departments of the College (primarily the Dean’s Office, the Financial Aid Office, the Registrar’s Office, Information Technology Services (ITS), etc.) in order to facilitate timely workflow, problem solving, and continuous improvements across functional lines and with a variety of stakeholders.
  • Maintains effective relationships with outside contacts, such as representatives of government loan servicing programs, banks, loan providers and collection agencies.
  • Maintains and creates all websites and office communications for students and parents. 

Account Reconciliation and Reporting

  • Prepares accurate and complete lists and management reports of receivable balances, e.g., for external auditors, making sure that the balances agree with the general ledger.
  • Provides other information and reports as requested for internal or external review or reporting purposes.
  • Responsible for 1098-T reporting and the timely and accurate submission of information to students and the IRS.

Supervisory Responsibilities

  • Directly supervises the work of the Student Accounts Assistant.
  • Effectively performs the following:
    • Organize workflow and ensure staff understand their duties or delegated tasks.
    • Provide and develop training opportunities. Create and conduct staff performance evaluations.
    • Communicate key issues and information to staff.
    • Provide fair, constructive, and timely feedback.
    • In partnership with Human Resources, follow disciplinary procedures as established in accordance with the employee handbook.
  • Participate in supervisory training opportunities.
  • Maintain a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment.

Who you are:

  • Proven leadership skills and broad knowledge of the field.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and time-management skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and interact effectively with internal and external constituents while maintaining a high level of confidentiality.
  • Maintains expertise through ongoing professional development in both specialty areas and technology.
  • Skilled at handling sensitive and emotionally charged situations with students and families; listens effectively, de-escalates tension, and seeks resolution.
  • Continuously seeks process improvements and contributes creative solutions to enhance efficiency.
  • Maintains high ethical standards and confidentiality due to access to sensitive information.
  • Manages time and workload effectively; prioritizes tasks and is consistently available to support coworkers and customers, including occasional work beyond standard hours.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or a job-related field with a minimum of five years of job-related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
  • Proficient in personal computer software (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, databases) and integrated campus systems (e.g., Banner, Workday).
  • Understands integrated accounting databases and can manipulate data for reporting and analysis.

Physical Demands

  • This position requires the ability to focus on a stationary position for extended periods, including at a desk in front of a computer.

Working Conditions

  • Standard office environment with occasional evenings and weekends required for deadlines.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter, by September 5, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).

The market range for this position is $72,000-$104,000 per year, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

PA Criminal Clearance Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

Credit Check Required by Position

Due to high fiscal responsibility performed in the essential job responsibilities for this position, a Credit Check is required prior to the start of employment.

Education Verification Required by Position

An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

2025 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Advertised: Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:

Back to search results Apply now Refer a friend