We are looking for a Collections Specialist to join a Financial Services organization in Tonawanda, New York in a Contract to Permanent capacity. This position focuses on commercial account recovery and client communication, supporting a high-volume portfolio in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate brings strong B2B collections experience, sound judgment, and a detail-oriented approach to relationship management with both clients and internal teams.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee a portfolio of commercial accounts, managing collection activity across a high-volume desk while keeping records current and organized.
- Communicate directly with clients through written updates and conversations to provide clear status reports on assigned accounts.
- Drive recovery efforts on placed accounts by following up consistently, negotiating appropriately, and escalating matters when needed.
- Conduct skip tracing and related research to locate businesses or responsible parties and support next-step collection activity.
- Coordinate referrals to legal counsel for accounts that require formal action, ensuring documentation is complete and timely.
- Contribute to department meetings and team initiatives, including sharing updates, presenting information, and supporting office projects as needed.
- Participate in training, seminars, and career development activities to strengthen collections knowledge and performance.
- Build strong working relationships across the department while supporting process improvements that enhance results for clients and the business.
- Foster long-term client partnerships through responsive service, attention to detail, and ongoing account oversight.
- Previous experience in B2B or commercial collections is required.
- Ability to manage a large portfolio of accounts while maintaining attention to detail and follow-through.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for client reporting and account discussions.
- Experience researching accounts and using investigative methods such as skip tracing.
- Comfort handling escalations and determining when legal referral is appropriate.
- Detail-oriented approach with the ability to collaborate effectively in a team-oriented setting.
- Availability to work Monday through Friday during standard business hours, with some flexibility as needed.