Parent Support Specialist

Company: Friendship Schools
Location: Washington
Posted on: January 26, 2023

Job Description:

Overview

The Parent Support Specialist provides administrative support to the Office of Extended Learning Programs (OELP); communicates with parents of students enrolled in Friendship Cares: ensures compliance with financial, legal, and subsidy requirements; and supports the broad array of services that are provided by OELP to students, parents, instructional and support employees.

The Parent Support Specialist is our front-line expert supporting parents on escalated issues related to the Friendship Cares program. This role is the professional and friendly face of OELP when parents need a helping hand in navigating EZ Child Track and/or aftercare payment issues - both private pay and subsidy. The Parent Support Specialist must be a customer service expert, able to build relationships and trust through problem solving.

Responsibilities

Typical work activities

The position will spend the majority of the day on the phone speaking with delinquent parents, listening to their concerns, and providing them with the best solutions. This position must be a master problem solver!Customer care is key- our approach to collections is about finding the right options for the parent by understanding their needs, and the options Friendship has for them.

The work of the Parent Support Specialist includes all of the following activities:

* High degree of integrity required with the ability to deal with sensitive or confidential parent information.
* Research and analyze accounts prior to initiating parent contact, examines historical data, evaluates past collection efforts.
* Manage parent accounts via EZ Child Track on all past due accounts, documenting details of methods utilized to secure payment.
* Contact parents and establish reason for past due account situation; make payment arrangements to bring account current and execute appropriate follow-ups to ensure obligation is satisfied.
* Be accessible to parents to discuss changing financial situations documenting material information; restructures or revises payment terms within well-established limits and procedures after Compliance Manager approval.
* Ensure accurate posting of payments related to collection agreements via EZ Child Track.
* Generate Balance Aging Report timely and accurately.
* Compile information and prepare a variety of reports on collection activities as needed.
* Create and maintain high levels of parent and school satisfaction throughout all sites;

Specific responsibilities, goals and tasks:

* Delivering a positive customer experience through EZ Child Track, email, chat, and phone, to parents.
* Taking ownership of parent issues to discover root causes, solve their problems, and provide feedback to the Compliance Manager on service and policy gaps
* Testing the newest features within EZ Child Track before they go live to our parents, providing feedback and sharing suggestions
* Maintaining performance metrics including productivity, parent satisfaction scores, and attendance

Skills Needed:

* Excellent interpersonal skills
* Skilled in developing and facilitating collaborative relationships
* Demonstrated experience leading and developing teams
* Excellent organizational skills and problem solving abilities
* Excellent oral and written communication skills
* Excellent Microsoft Office skills; ability to collect and maintain information as needed
* Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
* Ability to work in fast paced, high energy environment
* Respect for all levels of the organization and parents
* Ability to learn and navigate the EZ Child Track database
* Energetic team player who works well in collaborative situations
* Strong orientation to customer service with a positive attitude, ready to offer help and support in a friendly and professional way
* An excitement to help parents keep their child or children enrolled in Friendship Cares.

Qualifications

* Associates or Bachelors degree preferred
* Minimum 3 years customer service experience
* Effective November 1, 2021, all adult employees, contractors, interns, and volunteers working in person in a public, public charter, independent, private, or parochial school in the District of Columbia, and all adult employees, contractors, interns, and volunteers working in person in a child care facility regulated by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, shall have received a full course of a vaccination against COVID-19 unless they have been granted an exemption from such vaccination pursuant to, and are compliant with the requirements of, Section IV of this Order."

FPCS's policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants and employees regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, status as a special disabled veteran, or any other protected criteria as established by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to recruitment and hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfer, layoff, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment. Employment decisions at FPCS are based solely upon relevant criteria, including an individual's capabilities, qualifications, training, experience and suitability.

Keywords: Friendship Schools, Washington DC , Parent Support Specialist, Other , Washington, DC