Collections Lead

Collections Lead (Bilingual English/Spanish)

Location: Houston, TX

Scheduled Days: Monday to Friday (Sat. may vary)

Hours: 8 hour shift/shift between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm

Reports To Position: Assistant Manager, Collections, Collections Supervisor

Supervises Positions: Collections Specialists

General Summary

The Collections Lead provides leadership and coaching to Collections Specialists on utilizing new or improved negotiation techniques to resolve escalated collection accounts, as well as creating, updating, and maintaining reports on all collection activities. Monitor employee-customer interactions for quality and accuracy. Provides support to ensure deadlines and collections objectives are met.  Ensures that Specialists are informed of all procedural updates and assist with the administrative hearing processes. Researches and resolves escalated customer inquiries from Specialists. Handles negotiations and payment plan audits while assisting the County Attorney's Office (CAO).

Duties & Responsibilities

• Coaches, develops, and motivates Collections Specialists by monitoring employee-customer interactions for accuracy and quality. Monitors team attendance and performance, identifies patterns, and addresses improvement opportunities. - 40%
  
• Ensures that optimal time utilization and team workload, deadlines, and work objectives are achieved to include assisting with inquiries related to the entire collections process. - 20%
  
• Performs escalated account negotiations, offers resolutions, provides information regarding EZ TAG/Violations Enforcement Program, prepares and audits payment plan agreements and dockets. Performs account maintenance requests via incoming escalated collection calls, walk-ins, or emails. - 20%
  
• Collaborates with upper management to complete employee evaluations as defined for the section and recommend or propose performance refresher training needs. - 15%
  
• Ensures Collections Specialists are informed of all procedural and product updates. - 5%

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong customer service skills with an expertise on deescalations and negotiations.

• Working knowledge of personal computers and related software including Microsoft Office.

• Ability to work in a team environment and be open to change. 

• Ability to maintain confidentiality. 

• Knowledge of the State statutes and requirements for toll violation and collection processes. 

• Ability to effectively review and supervise collection activities.

• Must possess typing skills of 35 wpm.

• Ability to proactively prioritize tasks using effective time management skills.

• Multi-tasking capabilities; ability to think logically, be flexible and goal-oriented.

Work Environment

Locations are physically comfortable within an office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, etc. Travel to and from different worksites may be required.

Physical Demands

The position mostly requires sitting in an office environment, occasionally some standing, and light lifting, such as three or four reams of paper or books (up to 20 pounds or an equivalent weight) may be required.

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work

This is a full time position. Days of work and hours may vary based on business needs of the department and shift to include days, evenings, nights, and weekends.

Required Education / Experience

High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent required from an accredited institution.

Minimum three (3) years of experience in customer service/relations and/or call-center environment handling account escalations.

Other Duties

This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.