Prodigy Finance - who are we?
Prodigy Finance is a platform that delivers socially responsible financial services, making it possible for students from more than 150 countries to fulfil their dream of studying at the world’s top universities and schools by financing their international postgraduate studies whilst delivering competitive financial and social returns to alumni, institutional and private investors.
This borderless and innovative model enables education loan financing to students from across the globe whilst using predicted post-degree affordability rather than present-day salary. Since 2007, Prodigy Finance has extended over US$1.8 billion through the platform to fund over 35,000 students.
Prodigy Finance is fueled by impact investors and other privately qualified entities who invest in tomorrow's leaders whilst earning a financial and social return. Prodigy Finance’s borderless lending model enables students to apply for a loan based on their future earning potential and not just their current circumstances and credit history.
What will you do in the role?
We are looking for a US Repayments Specialist with demonstrated experience in servicing and collections to join our US repayments team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This person will be fully accountable for managing customer interactions, processes, and systems related to loan servicing and collections in the US and providing our US licensing and compliance team with on-the-ground support.
What are some of the roles and responsibilities of this role?
- Managing a portfolio of borrowers in our “Select States” who are on schedule and/or past due.
- Work directly with our team leads on overflow of servicing and collections queues.
- Managing your attendance, timekeeping and personal effectiveness to maintain required SLAs and/or turnaround times on borrower communication/queries
- Providing professional, warm, clear customer service to assist and educate borrowers (our customers) on:
- How to use our customer app and portal and how to access self-service features
- All queries relating to their loan, loan statement and managing the repayment and final settlement of their loan.
- Cure delinquent accounts by working with the borrower to bring arrears up to schedule
- Repayment options, how to make a payment and the consequences of non-payment
- Understand and advise borrowers on the best solutions and processes that would assist them in their current situation
- Work with other teams and customers, i.e. inter-functional assistance and feedback
- Having deep subject matter expertise development over time
- Hit targets in a fast-paced, high volume and high-quality customer services environment
- Ensure weekly tasks are completed
What would the ideal candidate be great at?
- Self-starter - does well in a small team or remote environment
- Have an empathetic yet firm approach
- Strong interpersonal skills, preferably with people from different cultures and countries
- Strong attention to detail and administrative discipline; able to identify, escalate and correct any errors when made by any part of the team or business
- Ability to listen well and show empathy
- Proven ability to remain calm under pressure
- Ability and willingness to deal directly with specific tasks and enquiries where required
- Advanced troubleshooting and multi-tasking skills
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
- Ability to assess complex situations and use creativity to solve problems
- Strong negotiation skills
- Proven ability to operate independently
- Self-assurance and a confident manner
- Have the ability to debate constructively and to challenge conventional wisdom.
- Process control and process thinking – understanding the impact of how changes upstream affect customers and stakeholders in all parts of the value chain.
- Accountable: being comfortable with being the first point of contact for internal and external stakeholders
- Excellent financial acumen: understand the functional and operational elements of a financial business and products
- A strong level in Excel and/or Google Sheets is a must.
- Good knowledge of FDCPA, TCPA and other federal and state laws related to student loan servicing and collections.
Qualifications and experience
- Bachelor's degree or in school for a 4-year degree
- 1+ years’ experience in collections or loan servicing
- 1+ years experience working in a call centre environment
- Experience working with a VOIP phone system and comfortable working in a remote setting with a strong internet connection is a must
- Experience in managing processes from beginning to execution and resolution
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- The ability to communicate and negotiate with a variety of internal and external customers
- Thrives in a busy environment and handles stressful situations calmly and professionally
- Team player, willing to help other areas to work as one team
Experience that would be nice to have
- Industry experience: Ideally, you will have experience with US-based consumer protection law and UK Consumer Duty and Treating Customers Fairly laws.
- Lending experience: ideally, you would have worked for a lending business
- Fintech experience: ideally, you would have experienced the excitement and challenges of working at the bleeding edge of disruptive technology within financial services
- Regulatory Experience: experience with the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or have worked in a business that is FCA-regulated
- Growth Company experience: you may have experienced rapid growth in your current role or company, knowing how to keep pace with changing processes and dependencies