Job SummaryThe Bursar provides leadership and oversight for all student accounts receivable, registration-related financial processes, billing, collections, cashiering, refunds, payment processing, Banner Student Accounts configuration, reconciliation, and related student financial services for Atlanta Metropolitan State College.
The Bursar is responsible for ensuring the accurate assessment, billing, collection, reconciliation, safeguarding, and reporting of institutional receivables while maintaining compliance with University System of Georgia, state, federal, and institutional requirements and established accounting and cash-management practices.
The Bursar serves as the institutional subject-matter expert for student accounts and acts as the primary liaison between the Bursar's Office, Accounting, Financial Aid, Registrar, Admissions, Auxiliary Services, Housing, Information Technology, Academic Affairs, and other institutional units .
ResponsibilitiesStudent Accounts, Billing and Accounts Receivable Management - Direct all student accounts receivable operations.
- Ensure tuition, mandatory fees, housing, meal plans, bookstore charges, student health insurance, and other authorized charges are accurately assessed and posted.
- Ensure student bills, account statements, and payment notices are generated and distributed timely.
- Monitor outstanding student receivables throughout each semester.
- Oversee payment plans, account holds, returned payments, waivers, exemptions, reversals, corrections, and account adjustments.
- Review application-of-payment activity and ensure identified posting issues are resolved.
- Ensure accurate treatment of account changes resulting from enrollment changes, withdrawals, residency changes, financial aid adjustments, and other activity.
- Ensure appropriate management of student and non-student receivables administered through the Bursar's Office.
Registration, Fee Payment, Drop for Nonpayment and Reinstatement - Coordinate the financial component of registration and enrollment readiness.
- Monitor students who are registered but have not satisfied their financial obligations.
- Ensure students with outstanding balances receive timely bills, notices, and payment reminders.
- Monitor payment activity leading up to established fee-payment deadlines.
- Analyze student account and registration reports following the fee-payment deadline.
- Determine students who meet established criteria for cancellation or purge for nonpayment.
- Coordinate drop/purge activities with the Registrar, Financial Aid, Academic Affairs, and other appropriate offices.
- Oversee the financial component of student reinstatement following cancellation for nonpayment.
- Ensure all required drop and reinstatement activities are completed by established deadlines.
- Prepare and distribute purge, reinstatement, and enrollment-impact reports.
- Collaborate with the Registrar and other offices in developing the academic calendar, including registration, payment, refund, withdrawal, and related fiscal deadlines.
Banner Systems, Configuration and Fee Assessment - Serve as the functional owner and primary subject-matter expert for Ellucian Banner Student Accounts.
- Create, maintain, and approve Banner detail codes.
- Create, maintain, and test tuition and fee assessment rules.
- Maintain Banner configuration supporting billing, receivables, payments, refunds, and other Student Accounts activity.
- Develop, implement, and maintain Banner Student and General module processes affecting the Bursar's Office.
- Ensure the accuracy and integrity of Student Accounts system data.
- Run or oversee required daily, weekly, monthly, semester, and year-end Banner processes.
- Lead quarterly and periodic Banner testing.
- Test software upgrades, patches, interfaces, and enhancements.
- Serve as the primary functional contact for Student Accounts technical issues.
- Work with Information Technology to identify and resolve system issues.
- Develop or implement automated solutions to improve efficiency and meet business requirements.
Submodule Reconciliation, General Ledger Interface and Financial Controls - Serve as the primary liaison between Student Accounts and Accounting Services.
- Complete Student Accounts submodule reconciliations.
- Reconcile outstanding accounts receivable to Banner reports and third-party collection reports.
- Reconcile Banner trial balance and control reports, including TGRRCON, ZGRAGES, and successor reports.
- Reconcile Student Accounts-related balance sheet accounts.
- Monitor and reconcile the daily interface between Banner and PeopleSoft or the institution's financial system.
- Identify and resolve failed, rejected, or out-of-balance interface transactions.
- Ensure Student Accounts transactions are accurately recorded in the general ledger.
- Reconcile housing revenue in Banner and the general ledger to the housing/room assignment system each semester.
- Reconcile student health insurance charges between Banner, the financial system, and third-party administrator records.
- Prepare and review accounts receivable aging reports and supporting schedules.
- Complete month-end, semester-end, fiscal year-end, and Student Accounts submodule closeout.
- Maintain reconciliation workpapers and supporting documentation.
- Monitor unresolved reconciliation items and ensure timely corrective action.
- Maintain and periodically evaluate segregation of duties and internal controls.
- Complete required segregation-of-duties reviews and certifications.
Collections, Aging, Bad Debt and Write-Offs - Develop and administer institutional collection procedures for delinquent student accounts.
- Review accounts receivable aging and monitor collection activity.
- Ensure appropriate due-diligence efforts are completed prior to referral or write-off.
- Determine accounts eligible for referral to collection agencies or other authorized collection mechanisms.
- Monitor third-party collection activity and collection agency performance.
- Coordinate bad-debt and write-off activities with Accounting.
- Prepare and submit institutional write-off requests.
- Prepare collection reports and monitor recovery activity.
- Ensure appropriate documentation is maintained for collection activity, agency referrals, and write-offs.
Refund and Federal Cash Management Oversight - Ensure refunds are processed accurately and within applicable federal and institutional timelines.
- Oversee the BankMobile refund program and related controls.
- Ensure appropriate cash is available to support scheduled student refunds.
- Coordinate with Financial Aid regarding aid disbursements, withdrawals, Return of Title IV calculations, and resulting student receivables.
- Ensure refunds to original payment sources, including credit cards, are processed appropriately.
- Ensure returned, stale, and unclaimed student refunds are managed in accordance with applicable requirements.
- Ensure compliance with applicable federal cash-management regulations
Compliance, Reporting and Audit Readiness - Prepare, review, or submit required Student Accounts reports,
- Ensure required periodic accounts receivable reporting is completed timely.
- Maintain compliance with Board of Regents, institutional, state, and federal requirements.
- Maintain adequate documentation supporting student financial transactions.
- Coordinate responses to internal audits, external audits, and USG reviews.
- Develop and monitor corrective-action plans related to identified findings.
Staff Leadership, Customer Service and Process Improvement
- Hire, train, assign, supervise, evaluate, and develop Bursar's Office staff.
- Establish performance expectations and work priorities.
- Maintain appropriate cross-training and backup coverage.
- Ensure adequate staffing during registration, payment deadlines, and other peak periods.
- Establish expectations for responsive and professional service to students, parents, employees, campus departments, and external customers.
- Lead process-improvement initiatives within the Bursar's Office.
- Serve as leadership support for related Fiscal Affairs functions as assigned.
Required Qualifications Educational Requirements - Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related business degree and four years of related experience OR combination of education and experience.
Required Experience - Four years of related experience.
- Strong Technical/Information Systems Aptitude
- Experience working with an enterprise resource planning or student information system.
- Demonstrated knowledge of internal controls, segregation of duties, and financial transaction processing.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other standard office applications.
Preferred Qualifications Additional Preferred Qualifications - Master's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, or a related field.
- Five or more years of higher education Bursar or Student Accounts experience.
- Experience serving in a Bursar, Assistant Bursar, Student Accounts Manager, or comparable leadership role.
- Experience with Ellucian Banner Student Accounts, including detail codes, fee
assessment rules, application of payments, accounts receivable processes, and Student Accounts reporting. - Experience reconciling Banner Student Accounts to PeopleSoft Financials or another general ledger system.
- Knowledge of student information systems (e.g., Banner, Colleague, PeopleSoft)
Proposed SalarySalary Range
$76,500 - $95,500
Required Documents to Attach - CV
- Cover Letter
- Unofficial Transcripts (Official Transcripts and Official International Course-by-Course Evaluations Due Upon Hire)
- Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least 3 references.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities - Strong student-centered focus and committed to student satisfaction and success
- Effective organizational and time management skills; excellent oral written, communication, and teamwork skills.
- Ability to prioritize workload to meet deadlines in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Attentive to details and good record-keeping
- Ability to function independently; ability to communicate effectively with multiple offices and individuals; ability to synchronize accounting practices and information systems.
- Thorough knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and practices
- Knowledge and understanding of federal cash management regulations
- Knowledge of FERPA regulations
- Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques to find solutions to complex accounting practices.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (especially Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
- High level of interpersonal skills with demonstrated poise, tact, and diplomacy
- Knowledge and ability to use applicable information technology and systems to meet work needs
- Must be able to establish and maintain positive and productive working relationships within the office and with all other members of the University community.
- Ability to handle challenging customers or situations in a professional, composed, and poised manner.
- Ability to read, analyze, prepare, and understand financial reports, procedural manuals, and financial documents.
- Ability to complete assigned tasks in a timely manner. Organize data using a detailed and analytical approach, develop and follow an approach, and organize time efficiently. Assess, prioritize, and reprioritize; notify appropriate person with an alternate plan when needed.
- Ability to independently evaluate a situation and initiate recommendation and/or solutions.
