Payment Specialist

About the job

Celebrating 40 years in business, Rewards Network has helped restaurants increase their revenue, traffic, and customer engagement through our innovative financial, marketing services, and premier dining rewards programs. We connect diners to fantastic restaurant experiences by offering unique card-linked offers.  Our offers leverage advanced technology and powerful data analytics, providing value to our restaurants, diners, and strategic partners' loyalty programs.

Our Culture 

At Rewards Network, you will find a passionate and diverse group of professionals that enjoy working collaboratively, solving problems, and taking ownership of not only their own careers and success, but the success and continued growth of the organization. We take pride in partnering with the world's most powerful loyalty programs to bring full price paying customers and better ways to access working capital options to local restaurants. We offer a challenging and rewarding environment where you can maximize your potential.

Job Overview

This role serves a critical function in ensuring the health of our client relationships. The Payments Specialist works closely with internal and external parties to ensure that all payments are processed correctly, and all balance inquiries are reconciled quickly and efficiently.  The Payments Specialist also serves as the liaison with external collections vendors and assists as needed with bankruptcy and litigation files.  This role is responsible for entering and maintaining payment plans and ensuring that our client accounts are up to date and in good standing. This role also participates in weekly/monthly internal audits, annual external financial audits, and plays a key role in maintaining a productive and healthy relationship with our banking partner.

What you’ll bring to the table: (Responsibilities) 

•    Customer Communication: Engage in daily inbound/outbound communications (emails, phone calls, and text messages) with our clients to process and reconcile payments.  
•    Payment Collection: Monitor/receive incoming payments and ensure they are accurately recorded.
•    Account Reconciliation: Reconcile accounts receivable records with bank statements and other financial documents as provided by the customer.
•    Data Entry: Enter payment and billing information into accounting software or systems.
•    Organization and Audit: Participate in audits and maintain multiple queues within our CRM and approve/reject case transfers as applicable.  Review weekly audit reports to ensure we maintain a healthy book of business.
•    Financial Reporting: Prepare and maintain reports on accounts receivable status, including aging reports.
•    Record Keeping: Maintain organized records of all transactions, invoices, and payment histories within our systems for auditing and reference purposes.
•    Teamwork: Work collaboratively and cross-functionally with internal stakeholders to reach positive outcomes
•    Meetings: Attend daily team standups and weekly meetings.  Lead discussions at these meetings on a semi-regular basis
•    Other duties as assigned.

Do you have the right mix of ingredients: (Requirements)

• HS Diploma or equivalency required 
• College degree in business, finance, or related field a plus
• 3-5 years of experience in a bookkeeping, accounting, payments, or similar role required
• Excellent interpersonal skills and great communication habits
• Excellent organizational skills/habits; demonstrated success with managing multiple workstreams or priorities
• An affinity for numbers and a desire to get things “right”; proven ability to provide error-free work
• Experience using a CRM Platform (such as Salesforce), AS400, Microsoft Office, and telephone systems
• Ability and willingness to learn new skills and take on new tasks
• Ownership mentality

What you’ll love about us: 

Comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

• Competitive Paid Time Off and company holidays
• Generous dining reimbursement when you dine with our restaurant clients 
• 401(k) plan with a company match
• Two medical plan options- Standard PPO or High Deductible Health Plan (HSA with company match for HDHP participants)
• Partnership with Rx n Go, offering certain prescriptions for free
• Dental plan options and a vision plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts and a pre-tax commuter benefit program
• Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance Plans
• Short Term and Long Term disability 
• Company-paid life insurance and AD&D insurance, supplemental employee, spouse, and child life insurance 
• Employee Life Assistance Program
• Hybrid working space in our state of the art office downtown located by the Metra and Ogilvie train stations

Rewards Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We encourage and strongly support workplace diversity.