[Hiring] Customer Support Specialist @Central Research

Role Description

Central Research, Inc. (CRI) is hiring Customer Support Specialists to perform contact center support for our federal contract servicing federal student loans.

Customer Support Specialists earn $17.20 per hour. In addition, the employee will earn $5.09 per hour paid (capped at 40 hours per week) in Health and Welfare. If the employee works a 40-hour week, this Health and Welfare will cover the full cost of employee-only medical, dental, and vision premiums.

These positions are currently remote (work from home). To qualify, applicants must live within a 75-mile radius of a Central Research deployment facility in Lowell, AR or Hendersonville, TN.

The reason for this is the employee is expected to:

• Pick up their equipment and PIV card/credentials.
• Come into the facility whenever the equipment must be repaired or replaced.
• Return their equipment to the facility at the end of their employment.

New hires will be trained to understand federal regulations and company policies and the use of customer relationship tools to offer personalized interaction to meet the unique needs of each customer inquiry. Employees must be fully available to successfully complete a remote paid training curriculum, which can extend up to 5-6 weeks.

The hours of training are 8am - 5pm (Central Time), Monday – Friday. After training has been completed, new hires will be assigned a 40-hour scheduled shift during operational hours. Applicants should understand that by submitting their application, they agree to be available for an assigned shift during any of the times below, or at the discretion of CRI, and that the employee may not be able to select their preferred schedule.

Contact Center hours of operation:

• Monday through Friday: 7am – 4pm Central Time
• Monday through Friday: 8am – 5pm Central Time

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Review customer applications for various student loan programs for completion and accuracy.
• Handle processing, reporting, and correspondence requests regarding student loans and perform appropriate account updates/changes.
• Adhere to applicable client requirements, policies, and Federal and State regulations.
• Complete tasks in a highly productive data entry/processing environment while meeting quality assurance and key performance and department procedure expectations.
• Utilize internal and external systems to complete requests received from sources including but not limited to correspondence/documents, internal reports, and file transmissions received from education servicing institutions and credit reporting agencies.
• Properly service borrower accounts through the processing and completion of internal requests via IDQ (intra-department queues) and e-mail requests from internal departments and Customer Service Representatives.
• Ensure the highest levels of privacy and security to protect our customers and business partners while providing exceptional customer service.
• Assist with borrower program concerns, client requests, operational requests, account adjustment needs, or other compliance concerns.
• Report any compliance issues to leadership.
• Participate in continuing education programs to stay abreast of changes in federal and state laws and regulations.
• Demonstrate reliability through attendance and promptness.

Qualifications

• High School diploma required.
• 12 months experience in administrative support.
• 12 months computer experience in a business environment.
• Possess the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance (Federal 5C).

Requirements

• Must NOT be in default on any Federal Student Loans or defaulted loans that are guaranteed by the federal government (typically 270 days past due).
• Must be a US Citizen.
• Felonies or misdemeanors within the last 7 years could cause an issue in obtaining a security clearance.
• Applicants who have monies in non-medical Collections exceeding $7,500 could also cause an issue in obtaining the required security clearance.
• Qualified applicants must reside within a 75-mile radius of Hendersonville, TN or Lowell, AR.
• Current CRI employees or employees of subcontractors are not eligible to apply.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree.
• 12 months of experience working on a student loan contract.
• 12 months of experience working in a Call Center.
• 12 months of experience with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and OneNote).
• Experience reviewing contracts and application documents for completion and accuracy.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Work independently in a remote environment.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Outstanding attendance and punctuality.
• Detail-oriented and capable of multitasking with excellent time management.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Proficiency in using customer support software and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong computer skills (basic troubleshooting, fast and accurate typing, and using web browsers).
• Reliable high-speed internet via a hard-wired ethernet connection.
• Access to reliable transportation throughout the tenure of your employment to our location in Hendersonville, TN or Lowell, AR to complete the onboarding and security processes, in case of internet or power failure, or additional professional situations not listed.
• Ability to adjust quickly to changing business needs.
• To qualify, an applicant must pass an online customer service assessment test.
• Must possess reliable high-speed internet using a hard-wired ethernet connection.
• Must possess reliable transportation to the CRI facility in Hendersonville, TN or Lowell, AR throughout the course of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Equal Opportunity Employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Know Your Rights Poster can be found here .

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. It is intended to describe the general nature and work responsibilities of the position. This job description and the duties of this position are subject to change, modification, and addition as deemed necessary by the Company.

We are currently unable to consider applicants residing in California, New York, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, and the city of Philadelphia. Thank you for your understanding.