What are the responsibilities and job description for the Call Center Representative - State Grant and Special Programs position at Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency?
PHEAA is a nonprofit student aid organization that holds a mission of providing affordable access to higher education.
Give back tomorrow by joining us today!
PHEAA's State Grants and Special Programs team is seeking qualified candidates to help us make a difference in the lives of Pennsylvania students. Our daily goal is to meet our public service mission of creating affordable access to higher education.
This role is 100% remote and intended for long-term employment. Our knowledgeable training staff creates a comprehensive training program to ensure our team members are destined for success. Our dedicated Call Center Representatives provide a positive experience for all customers.
Location: 100% Remote
Training Shift: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Long Term Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Salary: $16.00/hour
Pay Increase: Pay will increase to $16.50/Hourly after 6 months of continuous employment.
Job Responsibilities
- Call Center Representatives answer inbound calls, handling various complex account issues.
- Answer questions, identify the call's root cause, and conduct research to resolve the customer inquiry upon first contact. Customer interactions must adhere to program regulations, PHEAA objectives, and department policies/procedures.
- Assist customers with troubleshooting online account issues and utilizing available online tools.
- Update customer and account information as needed.
- Process correspondence, student emails, forms, or other customer documents.
- Counsel customers on program eligibility criteria and what documentation to submit to complete their accounts. This includes but is not limited to answering application inquiries, reviewing eligibility materials, discussing the applicant record status, and discussing additional program requirements.
- Professionally handle complex or escalated callers and assist with resolution.
- Will work with one or multiple customer support lines.
Additional Benefits:
Call Center Representatives can enroll in the Bronze Medical Insurance plan from day one of employment and will be required to join the State Employees Retirement System. Learn more about these benefits here: https://www.pheaa.org/about/careers/index.shtml
Required Skills
- High School Diploma or GED Equivalent
- Computer literacy and knowledge of MS Office
- Prior customer service experience.
Additional Job Requirements:
- Must complete a 3-week training program that combines lecture and practice on live customer accounts and performs account adjustments. Due to the amount and complexity of information, time off will not be permitted during the training period.
- Ability to multi-task, problem-solve, and perform in-depth research while assisting the customer.
- Applicants must meet the internet and security requirements below to work from home.
- Have a private, residential, high-speed internet connection (defined as a minimum of 200 Mbps)
- You must have a wired ethernet (direct) connection from PHEAA-supplied equipment to the home router OR have a Wi-Fi router that is configured to support WPA2 AES encryption to work wirelessly.
Preferred Qualifications and/or Experience:
- Associate's degree and two years’ experience in an administrative role providing exceptional customer service.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including intermediate knowledge of Word and Microsoft Excel.
- Additional Language Skills: Fluent Spanish a plus
PHEAA’s environment welcomes and supports our employees, customers, and stakeholders; we seek out and value differing perspectives and contributions. Our organizational culture promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of the organization.
Required Experience
High School Diploma or GED Equivalent
Salary : $16
