Collection Specialist job description.
A collection specialist manages past-due accounts by contacting customers, negotiating payment arrangements, and documenting collection activity. They monitor aging reports, resolve billing disputes, and work to recover outstanding balances while maintaining compliance with applicable collection regulations and company policy.
The Collection Specialist job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 9 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Collection Specialist Reports to: Collections Manager
A collection specialist manages past-due accounts by contacting customers, negotiating payment arrangements, and documenting collection activity. They monitor aging reports, resolve billing disputes, and work to recover outstanding balances while maintaining compliance with applicable collection regulations and company policy.
- Contact customers regarding past-due accounts via phone, email, or mail
- Negotiate payment plans and settlements within approved guidelines
- Document collection activity and account status in the collections system
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
9 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Collections Manager
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Contact customers regarding past-due accounts via phone, email, or mail
- Negotiate payment plans and settlements within approved guidelines
- Document collection activity and account status in the collections system
- Monitor aging reports and prioritize accounts by risk and balance
- Ensure collection activity complies with applicable regulations and company policy
- Coordinate with sales and customer service on billing disputes
- Escalate high-risk or unresponsive accounts to management
- Maintain accurate, up-to-date account records
- Work toward monthly recovery and collection targets
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- High school diploma required; associate or bachelor's degree preferred
- Experience in collections, accounts receivable, or customer service
- Strong negotiation and communication skills
- Familiarity with collections software or CRM systems
- Working knowledge of applicable collection regulations and compliance requirements
- Bilingual communication skills
- Experience with skip tracing techniques
- Credit and collections certification
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Collection Specialist job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Collection Specialist job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The mid band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Collections Manager) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What experience should a collection specialist candidate have?
- Prior experience in collections, accounts receivable, or customer service, along with comfort using collections or CRM software, is typically the strongest predictor of success.
- How is performance usually measured for this role?
- Employers commonly track recovery rates, aging account reduction, and call or contact volume against monthly targets.
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This Collection Specialist job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.