Student Accounts Officer

**Job Title: Student Accounts Officer (SAO)**:

- Staff Bargaining Unit_

**Position Status**:1 Permanent, Full-Time (35 hours/week)
1 Temporary, Full Time (35 hours/week), One-year contract
OSSTF

**Department**:Financial Services

**Supervision Received**:Manager, Student Financial Services

**Supervision Exercised**:Student Assistants

**Location**:Brampton / Mississauga, ON

**Number of Positions **1 Permanent (Brampton, ON)
1 Temporary, One-year contract (Brampton and Mississauga,
ON)

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS:
A. Student Accounts 60%

B. Accounts Receivable 15%

C. Financial Aid 15%

D. Departmental & Other Duties 10%

**TOTAL 100%**

The Student Accounts Officer (SAO) provides front-line customer contact for student payments and works in tandem with the Accounts Receivable Officer (ARO), the Financial Aid & Awards Officer, and front-line customer contact positions in the Office of the Registrar.
The SAO ensures that students have accurate, timely, and complete information and service to their accounts, both in writing and in person. This position is also responsible for providing support and coordination of bursaries, and scholarships/awards.

The SAO is part of the Financial Services team and contributes to the wellbeing and growth of Algoma University by providing student account services to its students.

The SAO is also cross-trained in the Accounts Receivable Officer position.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
**A. Student Accounts (60%)**

Responsible for student account customer interface:

- Provide the first point-of-contact for students regarding accounts, payments, etc.
- Post student account online bill payments, and OSAP electronic payments.
- Respond to student inquiries about their accounts in person or in writing.
- Plan, design, coordinate with other departments, test, and implement regular communication with students regarding fee changes, accounts, payment dates/deadlines, payment plans, fee deferrals (OSAP, payment plans, etc.), and other topics.
- Play an active role in designing and implementing registration late fees, payment, and health insurance opt-out deadlines.
- Update the yearly academic calendar to reflect new academic student account information.
- Advise students on payment options.
- Assist with general inquiries, as necessary.
- Calculate and implement the financial fee schedule for the University based on fee and ancillary increases.
- Verify registration and fees owing, and related interest charges on student accounts.
- Ensure that all students are correctly assessed, especially concerning differential fees.
- Ensure all residence, and UHIP are appropriately assessed on accounts.
- Adjust accounts to reflect health insurance opt-ins, opt-outs and/or additional dependent coverage.
- Generate and send regular student health insurance reports to coverage provider.
- Rectify student accounts regularly to ensure they are up-to-date, and assist with all student-related data-tracking and verification.
- Liaise with the Office of the Registrar to ensure correct interface between student registration and payment processes.

Ensure correct, appropriate, and time-sensitive advising and handling of refunds:

- Develop and implement dates for fall/winter and spring refund schedules.
- Ensure all refund schedules are posted online and in the academic calendar.
- Calculate refunds and maintain accurate refund schedules and reporting.
- Advise students of fees owing and OSAP payback.

Regular updating and balancing of student holding account, residence damage

deposits, UHIP, and student meal plans:

- Deposit funds of non-registered students in holding account.
- Provide necessary journal entries to the Accounting department when students register.
- Process residence damage deposits or make appropriate journal entries to student accounts with fees owing.
- Regular communication with food service providers regarding student enrollment in meal plans.
- Request cheques for the clearing of UHIP and meal plan accounts.

**B. Accounts Receivable (15%)**

Track student accounts and, working with the Accounts Receivable Officer, ensure correct, timely, and understandable invoices:

- Ensure communication is received from sponsoring agencies regarding student sponsorship in a timely manner.
- Ensure all student accounts are marked with the corresponding sponsor for invoicing.
- Posting of invoice payments.
- Ensure all invoices are paid in a suitable time frame.
- Balancing of deposits, in times of ARO absence.
- Handle petty cash, in times of ARO absence.
- Handle and receive money from other departments in the university.
- Assist with parking token sign-out.
- Assist with regular communication with students to ensure payment of current or outstanding tuition and/ or deposits.
- Together with ARO, balance student fee income, and receivables to the accounting system
- Assist with annual preparation of T2202a.

**C. Financial Aid (15%)**
- Work as a team member with the Financial Aid Office to ensure that s