In accordance with federal, state, and campus fiscal policies and regulations, the Assistant Director serves as the primary professional responsible for the direct supervision of all payment processes and campus merchant services within the Student Accounts Office. This role includes oversight of campus-wide payment activity for tuition, fees, and departmental revenue collections, encompassing E-Commerce transactions, Financial Aid, and both internal and external funding sources. The Office of Student Accounts administers the campus Marketplace software, which enables departments to securely offer products and services online and process electronic payments; the Assistant Director oversees this system, which currently supports more than 50 departmental storefronts and generates approximately $5 million in annual revenue, with continued growth expected.

Under the general supervision of the Associate Director of Student Accounts, the Assistant Director also plans, directs, and coordinates all State collection and banking activities on behalf of the campus, including monitoring and reporting online collection activity through the E-pay website.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Cash Management:  
  • Ensures that receipt and application of all funds are in conformance with campus, SUNY, state, and federal policies and regulations and are accomplished in conformance with all requirements and deadlines. This includes payment applications, payment notifications to students and parents, refunds to lenders, and check endorsements for non-EFT students.
  • Ensures adequate controls are maintained in monitoring the University's bank accounts.
  • Provides adequate security and accountability for all funds received. Ensures all monies are deposited and applied against appropriate University liabilities on time.
  • Serves as the collection manager for Departmental IFR billing and collection.
  • Participates in any upgrades to the PeopleSoft and TouchNet Payment Systems and in the ongoing development and refinement of any software used in the Office of Student Accounts and Payments Unit. Provide for efficient credit card processing, ACH payments, refunds, and returns
  • Participates actively in the implementation and ongoing operation of centralized billing and collection of Departmental IFR revenue, facilitating the conversion of off-line departmental processes to the PeopleSoft Student Financial Services and/or Financials system, TouchNet Marketplace, or its successors. 
  • Supervise the portion of the Departmental IFR billing and collection system related to the Payments Unit. Continues to train unit staff to become proficient with Departmental IFR transaction processing on PeopleSoft Financials.
  • Ensures efficient and productive office operations through effective supervision of staff. Provides training and guidance to staff to enable them to understand performance expectations clearly and accomplish tasks and responsibilities, standards, and special objectives. Ensures that job assignments challenge and develop subordinates; provides appropriate support and resources as needed; encourages staff development.
  • Supports the University's Diversity & Inclusion mission and goals.
  • For internal control purposes, document and test the controls in place to ensure appropriate procedural and recordkeeping requirements.  Perform regular audits of the unit's processes. Ensure appropriate levels of security are in place.  Document the performance of the unit as it relates to internal control and security. Such reviews may include, but are not limited to:
    • Determining the adequacy of written office procedures
    • Reconciling the office change fund
    • Comparing our cash overages/shortages to other institutions
    • Ensuring safe alarm tests are performed
    • Undertaking Internal Control exercises as directed
  • Participates actively in vendor selection and implementation of office security and surveillance, working closely with University Police and Information Technology Services (ITS).  Maintains appropriate documentation related to the assignment of access codes and service agreements.
  • Make exemplary customer service a priority personally and within the unit. Continuously strive to improve the level of customer service within specific responsibility areas. Look for opportunities to streamline and enhance front counter operations to enhance customer service.
  • Provides all information and forms necessary for proper payment processing and accounting for State or Agency accounts. 
  • Participates in the Payment Card Industry - Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS) assessments and reviews of cash management functions.
• Campus Merchant Services Responsibilities: E-Commerce (Marketplace Manager) 
  • Manage requests for online payment portals (Marketplace Storefronts) for departments within the University.   This entails ensuring products and services being offered via the storefront are approved by the University Controller and Internal Controls.
  • Responsible for coordination of paperwork to establish storefronts, such as obtaining merchant ID numbers from our contracted Merchant Services provider, Elavon.
  • Train departmental Marketplace users on PCI compliance and the inner workings of their storefront.
  • Develop and build storefronts for departments by building out products and data elements to be collected. Also, training and implementation for new storefronts and users. Maintain a cohesive look and feel that identifies the marketplace store with the UAlbany brand.
  • Review storefronts quarterly for compliance and maintain an inventory of online storefronts (50 plus stores), which include Items being offered (sold) online, merchant ID numbers, account numbers, departmental Marketplace managers/contacts, and additional pertinent information regarding the site.
  • Reconcile marketplace reports to ensure accurate processing and receipt of revenue
  • Troubleshoots storefront processing problems with our E-commerce vendor, TouchNet, pertaining to the Marketplace software and works with Touchnet customer care representatives to resolve problems related to the software. 
  • Work with departmental Business Analyst on all Marketplace initiatives.
• Student Account Website and Payment Communication 
  • The Assistant Director will review and maintain Student Account billing and payment messages through the website and payment portals, including TouchNet, MyUAlbany and Slate.

Functional and Supervisory Relationships:

• Reports to Associate Director, Student Accounts
• Supervises the following positions: Assistant Bursar (Payment and Merchant Services)

Job Requirements:

• Demonstration of effective communication and interpersonal skills with staff, colleagues and constituents.
• The ability to develop and implement creative operational approaches.
• Appropriate use of planning foresight, and flexibility in the exercise of management responsibilities.
• Effective follow-through with tasks and projects, including an appropriate re-ordering of priorities when conditions warrant.
• Demonstrate effective leadership and role-modeling skills in the training, supervision, and development of staff.
• The effectiveness and efficiency with which University personnel and fiscal resources are utilized.
• Evidence of continuing commitment to the needs and objectives of all units within the Office of Student Accounts and the University in general.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from a college or University accredited by the US Department of Education or internationally recognized accrediting organization.
• 4-5 years of progressively responsible experience in financial operations, cash handling, and payment processing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply institutional, state, and federal policies and procedures, including compliance, documentation, and internal controls.
• Applicants must demonstrate an ability to develop inclusive and equitable relationships within our diverse campus community
• Applicants must demonstrate an ability to support diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging relative to their role

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree from a college or university accredited by the U.S. Department of Education or an internationally recognized accrediting organization.
• Five or more years of experience in merchant services, banking, and cash management.
• Five or more years of experience in higher education working with student populations.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement creative approaches in solving both personnel and operational problems.

Working Environment:

• Typical office environment

Professional Rank and Salary Grade: Senior Staff Assistant, SL4, $75,000-$80,000. 

Special Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. If you currently need sponsorship or will need it in the future to maintain employment authorization, you do not meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, please note that UAlbany is not an E-Verify employer.

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, without exception, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University's crime statistics for the past three years; and disclosures regarding the University's current campus security policies. The University at Albany's Annual Security Report is available in portable document format [PDF] by clicking this link http://police.albany.edu/ASR.shtml

Pursuant to NYS Labor Law 194-A, no State entity, as defined by the Law, is permitted to rely on, orally or in writing seek, request, or require in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current wage, or salary history as a condition to be interviewed, or as a condition of continuing to be considered for an offer of employment, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation, and for the purpose of verifying information, may such requests be made.  If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.

THE UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY IS AN EO/AA/IRCA/ADA EMPLOYER

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About University at Albany (SUNY)

The University at Albany, SUNY, offers exciting and rewarding careers to those who seek opportunities to grow and excel. Driven by a passion for excellence and a desire to make a positive impact on the community and the world, UAlbany is one of the nation's most diverse public R1 institutions. There are exceptional benefits available to employees. For more information, please visit: https://www.albany.edu/human-resources/careers-ualbany

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