Billing and Collections (Contractor)

The Billing and Collections Contractor role at Open Up Resources involves managing invoicing through Salesforce Billing, performing collections support, and ensuring timely payment follow-ups. This position requires conducting regular reviews of open accounts, making professional outbound collection calls, and collaborating with other specialists to troubleshoot billing issues.

To qualify for this position, candidates should have 3-5 years of billing and collections experience, particularly with a background in customer interactions related to the K-12 education market. Strong communication skills, proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Drive, and the ability to work independently in a virtual environment are vital.

Open Up Resources is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, actively encouraging applicants from all backgrounds. They are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, considering all candidates without regard to color, religion, or other identities. This focus on social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential to their mission.

The Billing and Collections Contractor is expected to handle accurate and timely invoicing and follow specific billing and collections processes. This role also involves keeping monthly reports on collections status while reducing accounts receivable days delinquent, all within a remote, full-time, non-benefited temporary position.

As a Billing and Collections Contractor, proficiency in Salesforce Billing is essential for invoicing tasks. Additionally, a strong command of the Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel) and Google Drive is needed to manage documentation and analyses effectively.

When answering this question, showcase your familiarity with Salesforce Billing, emphasizing specific instances where you've used it to manage invoices or resolve billing issues effectively. Highlight any previous roles where you streamlined processes or enhanced efficiency through the use of the software.

Demonstrate your conflict resolution skills by discussing a time when you successfully navigated a challenging conversation. Emphasize your approach—remaining calm, professional, and solution-oriented—while also maintaining strong customer relations.

Share specific strategies you've implemented in past roles to reduce delinquent accounts, such as establishing clear billing terms, consistent follow-up procedures, or leveraging technology for tracking payments, ensuring your answer reflects your proactive approach and analytical thinking.

Discuss your methodical approach to vendor setup, including gathering necessary documentation, communicating with vendors to clarify terms, and ensuring compliance with company policies. Highlight your attention to detail and how you ensure seamless onboarding.

Talk about your time management skills and the planning tools you use to prioritize tasks. You can mention any techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix or using digital task management software to keep track of your responsibilities while meeting deadlines.

Provide a specific example that illustrates your problem-solving abilities, your communication style, and your commitment to customer satisfaction. Emphasize how you listened to the customer's concerns, offered solutions, and maintained a positive relationship.

Discuss the key metrics you track, such as days sales outstanding (DSO), collection effectiveness index (CEI), and overdue invoices. Explain how monitoring these can inform your strategies for improvement in making the billing process more efficient.

Identify key skills such as strong communication, empathy, analytical thinking, and organizational skills. Provide reasoning for your choices, linking them to specific challenges faced in billing and collections roles.

Highlight the importance of empathy and communication in maintaining relationships. Describe your approach to outreach that balances firmness in requesting payment with understanding the customer’s situation, ensuring they feel valued even when there are outstanding invoices.

Express your passion for education and how Open Up Resources' mission aligns with your values. Highlight your interest in contributing to a company dedicated to equity and inclusivity in education while utilizing your skills in billing and collections to support that mission.