Refunds College Aide

Department-of-Finance; New York (NY); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

NYC Department of Finance is seeking a Refunds College Aide to support refund processing, payment workflows, and data reconciliation. The role involves preparing vouchers, handling refunds, and assisting with financial operations under the supervision of the Deputy Director of Refund Issuance and Administration.

The position requires current enrollment in college or grad school with preferred majors in finance, accounting, or public administration, and strong Microsoft Office skills.

Qualifications

• Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school.
• Employment conditioned upon continued student status.
• Information Technology track requires IT-related coursework.
• Appointment levels determined by Technology Steering Committee.

Responsibilities

• Prepare refund vouchers in the City’s Financial Management System (FMS).
• Process manual refund cases in BTCS.
• Monitor balances of 78 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and assist with disbursement in FMS.
• Handle CRM cases and ensure timely completion of inquiries.
• Process stop-payment requests and replacement checks in agency systems.
• Assist with bank reconciliations and SOP document updates.

Skills

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

PowerPoint

Research

Writing

Verbal communication

Written communication

Data manipulation

Time management

Team collaboration

Bank reconciliation

Taxation knowledge

Education

Finance/Accounting/Public Admin major

Tools

FMS

BTCS

CityPay

CRM system

Job description

NYC Department of Finance (DOF) is responsible for administering the tax revenue laws of the city fairly, efficiently, and transparently to instill public confidence and encourage compliance while providing exceptional customer service.

DOF’s The Treasury and Payment Services Division is responsible for overseeing all City payment websites, the payment processing of tax returns, property recording forms, parking violation programs, and the collection of delinquent accounts, and oversees the agency’s management of the City’s cash balances and its relationships with banking institutions. Treasury and Payment Services is also responsible for collecting outstanding violations issued by City agencies and adjudicated by the Environmental Control Board.

Payments, Billing, and Refunds is responsible for processing payments for property taxes and property-related charges, business and excise taxes, and parking and camera violations. The division is responsible for communicating amounts due, maintaining the quality of departmental records, and providing customer service to individuals seeking information on making payments or receiving refunds. Payments, Billing, and Refunds perform account adjustments and respond to refund inquiries from the public.

The Refunds Unit is currently seeking a highly motivated, highly organized, and detail-oriented graduate college student to serve as a Refunds College Aide. The ideal candidate will have the opportunity to gain firsthand exposure to the operations of a citywide agency. Reporting to the Deputy Director of Refund Issuance and Administration, the selected candidate’s duties and responsibilities will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Prepare refund vouchers in the City’s Financial Management System (FMS).
• Processes manual refund cases in BTCS.
• Monitor the account balances of the 78 Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) regularly. Assist with the BID disbursement process by preparing payment documents in FMS.
• Handle CRM cases and ensures timely completion of these cases.
• Process stop-payment requests and replacement checks in the relevant agency systems.
• Handle chargeback reversals in the CityPay reversal tool.
• Complete refunds utilizing PayPoint and Braintree.
• Assist with bank reconciliations.
• Assist with user testing in PTS and BTCS.
• Assist with transfer of payments from the property suspense account to the correct property or processes refunds for these payments.
• Respond to email/customer service inquiries received in our unit email box.
• Help develop and update Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents and training materials for the unit.
• Provide administrative and operational support to the Refunds Unit.
• Work on other special projects and new initiatives as needed for the division.

Additional Information:

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

COLLEGE AIDE (ALL CITY DEPTS) - 10209

Minimum Qualifications

For Assignment Level I:
Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school.

For Assignment Level II (Information Technology):
Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school with a specific course of study in information technology, computer science, management information systems, data processing, or closely related field, including or supplemented by 9 semester credits in an acceptable course of study.

For Assignment Level III (Information Technology Fellow):
Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school with a specific course of study in information technology, computer science, management information systems, data processing, or other area relevant to the information technology project(s) assigned, including or supplemented by 9 semester credits in an acceptable course of study. Appointments to this Assignment Level will be made by the Technology Steering Committee through the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.

SPECIAL NOTE
Maximum tenure for all Assignment Levels in the title of College Aide is 6 years. No student shall be employed more than half-time in any week in which classes in which the student is enrolled are in session. Students may be employed full-time during their vacation periods.

Preferred Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Strong research, analytical, and writing skills with the ability to synthesize information into clear and concise materials.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience manipulating large datasets for quick turnaround and reporting.
• Strong creative problem solving and organizational skills.
• Ability to work well and manage multiple assignments in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with staff across the agency.
• Majors in finance, accounting, or public administration preferred.
• Experience with bank account reconciliation, credit card disputes, and/or taxation a plus.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.