Collections Agent 2

State of Montana; Montana; Hybrid; USD 46,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedules

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Health insurance

Telehealth

Job summary

The State of Montana is seeking a dedicated professional to join the CSD collections team, recovering unemployment insurance taxes from employers with delinquencies or underpayments. You will establish contact with employers, courts, and other sources to set up payment arrangements and prepare legal filings.

Responsibilities include managing a caseload, negotiating payment plans, and ensuring compliance with state and federal unemployment laws.

Qualifications

• Regulatory knowledge and application: Learn, interpret, and apply unemployment insurance laws, regulations, and collection procedures to individual employer accounts.
• Customer service and conflict resolution: Give respectful, solution‑focused service while resolving disagreements and finding workable outcomes with employers.
• Empathetic professional communication: Handle sensitive financial conversations with empathy, tact, and professionalism, and explain complex requirements in plain language.
• Negotiation and problem solving: Assess an employer’s situation and negotiate payment arrangements that balance what the business can pay with what the agency requires.
• Accuracy and documentation: Keep careful attention to detail and maintain complete, accurate, well‑organized case records.
• Caseload and time management: Prioritize a high volume of cases, meet deadlines, and follow through on commitments with little supervision.

Responsibilities

• Manage delinquent accounts: Reviews, researches, and manages a caseload of delinquent unemployment insurance tax accounts so balances are collected on time and accurately.
• Communicate with employers: Contacts employers by phone, mail, and email to explain what they owe, the reasons for the balance, and the payment options available to them.
• Negotiate and monitor payment plans: Sets up payment agreements that follow agency policy, tracks whether employers are keeping to them, and follows up when payments are missed.
• Prepare and file legal documents: Prepares, files, and tracks legal documents with district courts and other entities to secure and recover unpaid taxes.
• Coordinate with outside sources: Works with courts, employers, and other relevant parties to get the information needed to resolve accounts.
• Ensure regulatory compliance: Applies state and federal unemployment insurance laws, rules, and collection procedures consistently and fairly.
• Document case activity: Records every contact, agreement, and action clearly and thoroughly in the case management system so records are accurate and ready for audit.

Skills

Regulatory knowledge

Customer service

Negotiation

Communication

Documentation

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, accounting, finance, public administration, or related field

Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

MISSION STATEMENT:

Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity.

It’s about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The CSD collections team recovers unemployment insurance taxes that employers have not paid or have paid incorrectly. This keeps the state’s unemployment insurance program financially sound and compliant with state and federal law. In this role, you will start and maintain regular contact with employers, district courts, and other sources to gather information, set up payment arrangements, and prepare and file legal documents. By resolving unemployment insurance tax accounts, you will support a financially sound program, help ensure eligible workers can receive benefits when they need them, and promote fair, consistent treatment of employers across Montana.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU:

• Meaningful public service: Your work helps make sure Montana workers who lose their jobs get the unemployment benefits they’re eligible for. It also helps keep the system fair for employers who pay what they owe.
• Practical legal and regulatory experience: You’ll learn unemployment insurance law and collection procedures firsthand, including how to prepare and file legal documents with district courts.
• Stronger negotiation skills: You’ll build a strong set of skills in negotiating, resolving conflicts, and handling hard conversations. Every day you’ll work with employers to find payment solutions that work for them.
• Financial and case management expertise: You’ll gain hands‑on experience with account research, payment plans, and case management systems. These skills carry over to careers in finance, tax, compliance, and public administration.
• Room to grow: Working with employers, courts, and agency staff gives you a solid base for moving into advanced collections, compliance, audit, or lead roles.
• Supportive team: You’ll work alongside colleagues who value accuracy and respectful service. They’ll help you learn the work and keep building your professional skills.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Manage delinquent accounts: Reviews, researches, and manages a caseload of delinquent unemployment insurance tax accounts so balances are collected on time and accurately.
• Communicate with employers: Contacts employers by phone, mail, and email to explain what they owe, the reasons for the balance, and the payment options available to them.
• Negotiate and monitor payment plans: Sets up payment agreements that follow agency policy, tracks whether employers are keeping to them, and follows up when payments are missed.
• Prepare and file legal documents: Prepares, files, and tracks legal documents with district courts and other entities to secure and recover unpaid taxes.
• Coordinate with outside sources: Works with courts, employers, and other relevant parties to get the information needed to resolve accounts.
• Ensure regulatory compliance: Applies state and federal unemployment insurance laws, rules, and collection procedures consistently and fairly.
• Document case activity: Records every contact, agreement, and action clearly and thoroughly in the case management system so records are accurate and ready for audit.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Regulatory knowledge and application: Learn, interpret, and apply unemployment insurance laws, regulations, and collection procedures to individual employer accounts.
• Customer service and conflict resolution: Give respectful, solution‑focused service while resolving disagreements and finding workable outcomes with employers.
• Empathetic professional communication: Handle sensitive financial conversations with empathy, tact, and professionalism, and explain complex requirements in plain language.
• Negotiation and problem solving: Assess an employer’s situation and negotiate payment arrangements that balance what the business can pay with what the agency requires.
• Accuracy and documentation: Keep careful attention to detail and maintain complete, accurate, well‑organized case records.
• Caseload and time management: Prioritize a high volume of cases, meet deadlines, and follow through on commitments with little supervision.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Education and Experience)

• Experience in collections, accounts receivable, billing, tax, or financial customer service, or in another setting where resolving account balances or payment issues was a main part of the job.
• Experience interpreting and applying laws, rules, policies, or procedures, and balancing regulatory requirements with practical customer or business needs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience explaining financial or technical information to a range of audiences, sometimes in difficult conversations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook (email and calendar) and office software, and the ability to learn and use case management or electronic records systems.
• Experience handling confidential records and sensitive financial information, following privacy rules and using sound judgment.
• Experience managing a large workload with competing deadlines while staying accurate and following up.

A degree in business, accounting, finance, public administration, or a related field may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.

BENEFITS:

Being able to enjoy the quality of life in the beautiful state of Montana is one of the benefits you will love about this opportunity! Our mountains, waterways and open spaces provide not only beautiful scenery but year‑round recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. Montana boasts a high‑quality education system and a variety of entertainment including fairs, rodeos, and theaters. Read more about our great state here.

See our other incredible benefits here. These are some of our benefits just to name a few:

• Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
• 38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
• Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
• Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
• Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP – click here to learn more.
• Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan – click here to learn more.
• Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73% – 9.07% of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available. – Click here to learn more.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness- click here to learn more!
• Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
• State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.

*This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)

++E-Verify:++

This agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification. For more information about E-Verify, please visit the E-Verify website found here, https://www.e-verify.gov/