Service Specialist: Bursars Office - UTK

The Bursar Service Specialist serves as a front-line representative of the Office of the Bursar, providing exceptional customer service and financial support to students, parents, faculty, staff, and external partners. This position is responsible for processing financial transactions, maintaining accurate student account records, reconciling payments, and ensuring compliance with university policies and regulatory requirements. The Specialist serves as a primary point of contact for inquiries related to student accounts, billing, payments, refunds, and other bursar-related services through in-person assistance, phone support, and email correspondence.

Customer Service & Student Support

• Serve as a front-line representative of the Office of the Bursar, assisting students, parents, faculty, staff, and external partners in person, by phone, and through email communication.
• Participate in phone bank coverage, responding to a high volume of student and parent inquiries professionally, courteously, and accurately.
• Manage assigned email service cases and ensure timely, thorough, and accurate responses to questions regarding billing, payments, refunds, account holds, and related services.
• Manage and resolve Salesforce Cases assigned to the Bursar's Office.
• Provide accurate information regarding university billing policies, payment plan options, refund processes, deadlines, and account requirements.
• Resolve routine concerns independently and escalate complex issues to senior bursar staff when appropriate.
• Demonstrate professionalism and effective conflict-resolution skills when addressing challenging customer interactions.

Financial Transaction Processing

• Receive and process payments for tuition, fees, housing, and other student charges, including checks and electronic ACH transactions.
• Balance and reconcile daily cash drawers, deposits, and electronic transactions to ensure accuracy and compliance with established procedures.
• Maintain detailed records of financial transactions and identify discrepancies for resolution.
• Ensure proper cash-handling procedures and accounting controls are consistently followed.

Account Management & Administrative Support

• Respond to correspondence received through USPS and direct email communications while verifying FERPA authorization and compliance requirements prior to releasing student information.
• Verify and maintain the accuracy of mail logs, One Stop run logs, and other University departmental logs.
• Process transcript requests, duplicate diploma requests, and proficiency examination requests in accordance with university procedures.
• Generate and provide student account statements for current and prior semesters for tax reporting purposes or upon student request.
• Copy scholarship checks and supporting documentation and scan records to designated storage locations and OnBase for review, processing, and disbursement by the Office of Financial Aid.
• Maintain accurate documentation and records in compliance with institutional policies and audit requirements.

Required Qualifications:

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent

Experience

• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to interact professionally with students, parents, faculty, staff, and external partners.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of accounting principles, balancing procedures, and cash-handling practices.
• Knowledge of customer service principles and conflict-resolution techniques.
• Knowledge of FERPA regulations and confidentiality requirements.
• Knowledge of student account billing, payment processing, and financial service operations preferred.
• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to interact professionally and effectively with students, parents, faculty, staff, and external partners.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to de-escalate difficult customer situations and resolve concerns effectively.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in processing financial transactions and account adjustments.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive information.
• Proficiency in using technology and business systems, including email, case management platforms, financial systems, and Microsoft Office applications.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

Education

• Associate's Degree in a business related field

Experience

• 2 years office, accounting, and customer service experience in Higher Education

• Experience working in a university environment with various student populations.

• Experience with tuition appeals, collections, sponsorship billing, or refund processing.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Working knowledge of Banner, TouchNet, Evisions, Outlook, Footprints, OnBase and Scanner/Copier

• Office accounting skills

• Ability to multi-task

• Knowledge of federal, state, and university rules and regulations pertaining to the disbursement of all UT Knoxville student financial aid.

• Ability to learn and navigate complex student financial systems. 

Working Environment

This position operates in a customer-focused office environment with significant interaction with students, parents, faculty, staff, and external constituents. The role requires the ability to balance multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy, compliance, and customer service.

Work Location: University of Tennessee Knoxville. This position is in-person. 

Compensation and Benefits: 

• UT market range: MR05
• Anticipated hiring range: $19.50 ($40K per year)
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

About The College/Department/Division: The Office of the Bursar specializes in managing student accounts, assesses tuition and fees, provides billing statements, refunding, and processing payments. Our goal is to aide students in understanding their student-related charges while also providing guidance about payment options available to them.

We aim to provide the best student centric service so that students are prepared for success on their collegiate journey. We also provide banking services for university departments. 

The Finance & Administration Division has fiduciary and leadership responsibility for the Knoxville campus in three primary areas of accountability: fiscal, physical, and auxiliary operations.  Our goal is to provide quality support in the institution’s pursuit of excellence through effective stewardship and enhancement of the University’s resources. The strategies to achieve the goal of quality support of the instruction, research and public service functions include implementation of best operations practices, recommendation of efficient and cost-effective policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, focusing on internal and external customer needs, and the provision of a safe and productive physical environment.