Associate - Financial Aid Services (CAAS - Higher… at CLA… · Chicago

Summary: CLA is a top 10 national professional services firm focused on creating opportunities for clients and communities. The Associate role in the Higher Education Industry involves supporting student accounts operations, including billing, receivables, customer service, and reconciliations for higher education clients. Responsibilities: - Gains ability to handle multiple clients, systems, and account structures on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis - Serves as a dependable point of contact for routine student accounts requests, escalating exceptions and complex items to senior team members as needed - Supports student billing operations, including posting charges, validating tuition/fee assessments, and preparing or assisting with billing statements and schedules - Monitors student receivables activity and assists with aging review, issue resolution, and documentation for follow-up/collection workflows - Supports third-party sponsor billing and related reconciliation as applicable - Coordinates and processes cash receipts and application of payments to student accounts, including reconciled deposit detail and transaction support - Assists with payment platform reporting and deposit detail (e.g., ensuring deposit support is captured and aligned to student activity and reporting needs) - Assists with student refund processing and documentation, including exception handling support and ensuring refunds align with internal controls and timing requirements - Supports adjustments, reversals, and account corrections with clear audit trail documentation - Completes month-end and periodic reconciliations and supports financial reporting deliverables - Coordinates and completes account reconciliations (e.g., bank/merchant activity, deposits, receivables-related reconciliations) to ensure student accounts activity aligns to financial reporting needs - Supports student customer service for billing/payment questions through documented processes and professional communication - Supports system and process improvements to increase accuracy, reduce rework, and improve communication to students and families - Supports periodic reporting needs for student accounts operations, including reconciliations, documentation, and other items as requested by clients Required Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree is required - Accounting and financial experience is preferred - Ability to handle multiple clients, systems, and account structures on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis - Serves as a dependable point of contact for routine student accounts requests, escalating exceptions and complex items to senior team members as needed - Supports student billing operations, including posting charges, validating tuition/fee assessments, and preparing or assisting with billing statements and schedules - Monitors student receivables activity and assists with aging review, issue resolution, and documentation for follow-up/collection workflows - Supports third-party sponsor billing and related reconciliation as applicable - Coordinates and processes cash receipts and application of payments to student accounts, including reconciled deposit detail and transaction support - Assists with payment platform reporting and deposit detail (e.g., ensuring deposit support is captured and aligned to student activity and reporting needs) - Assists with student refund processing and documentation, including exception handling support and ensuring refunds align with internal controls and timing requirements - Supports adjustments, reversals, and account corrections with clear audit trail documentation - Completes month-end and periodic reconciliations and supports financial reporting deliverables - Coordinates and completes account reconciliations (e.g., bank/merchant activity, deposits, receivables-related reconciliations) to ensure student accounts activity aligns to financial reporting needs - Supports student customer service for billing/payment questions through documented processes and professional communication - Supports system and process improvements to increase accuracy, reduce rework, and improve communication to students and families - Supports periodic reporting needs for student accounts operations, including reconciliations, documentation, and other items as requested by clients Required Skills: Accounting experience, Financial reporting Important Skills: Customer service, Cash application Benefits: Flexible PTO (designed to offer flexible time away for you!), Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave, Paid Volunteer Time Off, Mental health coverage, Quarterly Wellness stipend, Fertility benefits, Health, dental, vision, 401k and much more