Collections Officer / Collections Officer Senior - Human Services / Medical Collections

Collections Officer / Collections Officer Senior

This Collection Officer / Collections Officer Senior position is in the Community Services Department and will act as the subject matter expert for county collections best practices and regulatory requirements. Employees in this class perform varied and complex financial duties utilizing highly specialized knowledge of financial records and systems. This position plans, organizes and coordinates collecting funds from individuals in debt to the department and using independent judgment, initiative and discretion is responsible for pursuing payment of these financial obligations.

Washington County Community Services values your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. We are committed to building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive work environment where differences are valued and accepted. We believe diversity benefits and enriches our work and helps us to effectively deliver services to our employees and communities. This position is eligible for a hybrid work environment.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE :

• Two or more years of government / human services / medical collections experience
• Experience as a team lead, serving as a government / human services / medical collections subject matter expert
• Skilled at developing processes to optimize workflow, internal controls, technical functionality, and cost efficiency
• Demonstrates an ability to work on a diverse team and promote an inclusive, culturally competent, and respectful workplace

SELECTION TECHNIQUE : Your training and experience will be rated based on the required application material submitted and the top-scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.

HOURS / DAYS : Monday - Friday, 8 : 00 am to 4 : 30 pm. Work schedules (hours and days) and location are subject to change based on department needs.

ANTICIPATED HIRING RATE : $29.34 - $39.97 Hourly (This position may be hired at the Collections Officer Senior level, depending on qualifications.)

E-Verify Participation : Washington County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Washington County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Washington County is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact DHS and / or the SSA before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.

JOB SUMMARY :

The Collections Officer plans, organizes and coordinates collecting funds from individuals in debt to the County and using independent judgment, initiative and discretion is responsible for pursuing payment of these financial obligations.

EMPLOYMENT CRITERIA :

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS : This position requires an Associate's Degree in accounting, business, administration, public administration or a related field and two years of collections experience, or equivalent.

CORE COMPETENCIES, JOB SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL JOB PERFORMANCE outline essential business and professional traits necessary to perform this job. Promote a diverse, culturally competent, and respectful workplace; Demonstrates knowledge of laws governing collections and an ability to work with attorneys on how to abide by laws and statutes when pursuing legal options such as garnishing wages; Demonstrates skills in office and accounting computer applications; Demonstrates ability to maintain a courteous and professional manner when working with adversarial individuals; and Demonstrates ability to adjust an approach or method with an individual in collections that best fits the situation; presents suggestions to individuals in collections and negotiates payment plan options.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES :

Serve as the County collections agent for overdue accounts and overpayments : Review databases that hold records of outstanding debts such as : bad checks, judgments, custody and visitation evaluation fees, placement fees, overpayments of benefits, library fees, taxes, out of home placement fees, or fraud that qualifies for collections; Create an account in the collections system / database and use tickler reports to monitor and prioritize collections activities; Determine collections actions to be taken on each case; Initiate telephone contact with a debtor, review what is owed to the County, and attempt to collect payment or establish a repayment agreement; Act as liaison between County departments and debtors when there is a discrepancy regarding the amount of the debt, or the services rendered; Determine if accounts are collectible; Prepare and send letters to individuals not available by telephone; Maintain collections accounts to initiate monthly billings, receipt payments, balance accounts at month-end, and close individual accounts paid-in-full; and Coordinate inter-county and interstate collections activities with State and Federal agencies that include submitting reports concerning collections activities.

Determine course of action for unpaid accounts : Follow County Board or judicial policies; File civil court actions; Submit a summons and complaint to the court when Collections efforts are not successful in producing payment on a County owed obligation; Testify at court hearings and provide evidence of the debt owed to the County; Clarify case records as necessary; Act on court decisions which may include garnishing wages or bank accounts, or initiating Federal or State revenue recapture actions; Assemble conciliation court documents and file with the district court once a judgment is satisfied; and Perform other duties related to court actions.

Track all funds collected and provide preliminary budget estimates for the collections budget.

Perform other duties as assigned. WORK ENVIRONMENT Work performed is sedentary in nature, and typically performed within the Government Center or a satellite office. Lifting requirement of up to 25 pounds on an occasional basis. Equipment used may include, but is not limited to, computer, typewriter, calculator, telephone, scanner, and microfiche reader, and copy and fax machine. Work interruptions are frequent. There is some pressure associated with dealing with individuals who may be emotionally charged and with project or activity deadlines and details. Driving or riding to work at a service center, attend meetings, participate in or lead training sessions, etc. may be required. Must have own means of reliable transportation for business purposes; individuals operating a motor vehicle for county business must possess a valid driver's license.