Free collection specialist job description templates for small business, medical, and B2B, with FLSA non-exempt and FDCPA notes built in. Download DOCX.
6 templates for small business, medical, B2B, and AR/billing roles, with the FLSA non-exempt classification and FDCPA notes built in. Download as DOCX.
The collection specialist job description has two gaps that almost every template online misses. The first is pay: this is an hourly, non-exempt role, and getting that wrong is a real wage-and-hour risk. The second is compliance: whether debt-collection law even applies to you depends on a nuance no generic template explains.
At FirstHR, we build the templates with both built in, including a version no competitor offers: one written for the small business hiring its first collector, with no HR department. The six templates below cover that small-business version plus standard, medical, commercial, AR/billing, and senior. Pick the one that fits, fill in the brackets, and post, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Six free templates: Small Business / First Hire, Standard, Medical, Commercial / B2B, AR / Billing Hybrid, and Senior. A collection specialist recovers past-due payments and is almost always non-exempt (hourly, overtime-eligible). The FDCPA usually does not cover a business collecting its own debts under its own name, but exceptions and state rules apply. In federal data the role falls under bill and account collectors (SOC 43-3011), median $46,040 (May 2024).
What Does a Collection Specialist Do?
A collection specialist recovers overdue payments for a business by contacting past-due accounts, negotiating payment plans, resolving disputes, and keeping accurate records. The work also includes skip tracing to find updated contacts and reporting on unpaid accounts. It is a phone-and-records role that rewards persistence and clear communication, and it is almost always hourly and non-exempt.
In federal data, the role falls under bill and account collectors (SOC 43-3011) rather than a separate collection-specialist category. The setting shapes the rest: a medical specialist works patient balances and insurance follow-up, a commercial specialist collects from other businesses, and an AR or billing-and-collections specialist often owns the full receivables cycle. The templates split along those lines.
Collection Specialist Duties and Responsibilities
A collection specialist's duties cluster into contact and negotiation, account management, records and reporting, and compliance. The mix shifts by setting, but these areas hold across roles.
Contact and negotiation
Contact past-due accounts by phone, email, and mail
Negotiate payment plans and settlements
Perform skip tracing to locate contacts
Account management
Manage a portfolio of delinquent accounts
Investigate and resolve billing disputes
Follow up to resolution
Records and reporting
Document all account activity accurately
Prepare aging and collection reports
Reconcile accounts as needed
Compliance
Follow applicable debt-collection laws
Handle account data appropriately
Apply company collection policies
The compliance cluster carries more weight here than in most administrative roles, because collections is regulated, and it is covered in detail below. For a structured way to scope any role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by your setting and your volume. The small-business version is written for a first hire without HR; the medical, commercial, and AR/billing versions match the most common small-business contexts. Use this guide to choose.
Small Business / First Hire
No HR department
The owned version no competitor offers: written for a small business hiring its first collector, with the FLSA non-exempt classification and the FDCPA first-party note built in.
Standard
Most hirers
The universal base: manage a portfolio of past-due accounts, negotiate payment, resolve disputes, and keep records. The starting point if no other version fits.
Medical / Healthcare
Practices and clinics
For a medical practice: patient balances and insurance follow-up, with HIPAA handling built in. The most common small-business hirer of this role.
Commercial / B2B
Business customers
For collecting from other businesses: commercial accounts, disputes and deductions, and credit coordination. B2B debts sit outside the FDCPA.
AR / Billing Hybrid
One person, full cycle
For the common small-company reality where one person both bills and collects: invoice, apply payments, and recover past-due, owning the whole AR cycle.
Senior / Lead
Complex accounts
For a senior hire on high-value and escalated accounts who also mentors junior collectors and helps run the process, while still carrying a portfolio.
Match the Template to Your Situation
First collector at a small business without HR: Small Business / First Hire. A medical practice: Medical. Collecting from other businesses: Commercial / B2B. One person to both bill and collect: AR / Billing Hybrid. A senior hire for complex accounts: Senior. Anything else, or to start broad: Standard. Whichever you pick, classify the role non-exempt and confirm which collection rules apply to you.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company or practice summary, position summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, FLSA and compliance notes, an EEO statement, and pay. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Templates
Small business, standard, medical, commercial, AR/billing, and senior. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Small Business / First Collections Hire
The owned version no competitor offers: a small business hiring its first collector, with the FLSA non-exempt classification and the FDCPA first-party note built in.
Collection Specialist Job Description (Small Business / First Hire, No HR)
COLLECTION SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL BUSINESS / FIRST HIRE)
[Company Name] is a [#]-person business in [City, State]. We do not
have a dedicated HR department, and we are hiring our first collection
specialist to recover past-due accounts and keep our cash flow healthy.
POSITION SUMMARY
We are hiring a Collection Specialist to recover overdue payments from
our customers. You will contact accounts that are past due, work out
payment arrangements, resolve billing disputes, and keep clear records.
As our first hire in this role, you will help shape how we handle
collections, working directly with the owner.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Contact past-due accounts by phone, email, and mail
•Negotiate and set up realistic payment arrangements
•Research and resolve billing disputes and discrepancies
•Track and follow up on unpaid accounts to resolution
•Keep accurate, detailed records of every contact
•Report on aging accounts and collection progress
•Follow all applicable debt-collection laws and our policies
•Coordinate with billing and accounting on account status
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Clear, professional phone and written communication
•Comfortable with difficult conversations and negotiation
•Strong attention to detail and record-keeping
•Basic spreadsheet and accounting-software skills
•[1+ year in collections, AR, or customer service preferred]
CLASSIFICATION AND COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
This role is non-exempt: pay hourly and pay overtime at 1.5x for hours
over 40 per week. If you collect your own debts under your own name,
the federal FDCPA usually does not apply to you, but it can if you use
another name suggesting a third party, and several states extend
collection rules to original creditors. Confirm your obligations;
this is general information, not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable
accommodations are available for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $______ per hour [+ bonus]
To apply, email __.
Template 2: Standard Collection Specialist
The universal base: manage a portfolio of past-due accounts, negotiate payment, resolve disputes, and keep records. The starting point if no other version fits.
Collection Specialist Job Description (Standard)
COLLECTION SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION (STANDARD)
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: [Collections Manager / Accounting Manager]
[Company Name] is hiring a Commercial Collections Specialist to manage
past-due business accounts. You will work with our business customers
to resolve outstanding invoices, negotiate payment, and protect cash
flow while preserving the customer relationship.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Manage a portfolio of past-due commercial (B2B) accounts
•Contact accounts payable contacts to resolve invoices
•Negotiate payment arrangements within credit policy
•Investigate disputes, short payments, and deductions
•Coordinate with sales and credit on account holds
•Maintain accurate records and aging reports
•Recommend accounts for escalation or outside collection
•Support credit decisions on new and existing customers
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•B2B or commercial collections experience preferred
•Strong negotiation and relationship-management skills
•Familiarity with AR, aging, and ERP or accounting systems
•Attention to detail and professional communication
•[Knowledge of commercial credit and liens a plus]
CLASSIFICATION NOTE
Commercial (business-to-business) debts are generally outside the
FDCPA, which covers consumer debts. The role is still typically
non-exempt: pay hourly with overtime over 40 hours per week. Confirm
classification by duties and pay. This is not legal advice.
EEO STATEMENT
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable
accommodations are available for the essential functions of this role.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $______ per hour [+ benefits]
To apply, email __.
Template 5: AR / Billing and Collections Specialist
For the common small-company reality where one person both bills and collects: invoice, apply payments, and recover past-due, owning the whole AR cycle.
Accounts Receivable / Billing and Collections Specialist Job Description
AR / BILLING AND COLLECTIONS SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION
Two compliance questions decide whether you write this job description correctly: how to classify the pay, and which collection laws apply to you. Both are missing from generic templates.
On pay, a collection specialist is non-exempt: hourly, with overtime over 40 hours a week. The role does not meet the Department of Labor's duties test for the executive, administrative, or professional exemptions, and market pay sits below the levels exempt status expects. For how the tests work, see the guides to exempt versus non-exempt and the Fair Labor Standards Act.
When the FDCPA Applies (CFPB)
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act primarily governs third-party collectors. The CFPB states it does not generally cover collection by the original creditor or business you owed money to. So a business collecting its own debts under its own name is usually outside the FDCPA, with exceptions for using another name or buying defaulted debt, and several states extend protections to original creditors (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).
The practical rule: confirm which rules apply to your specific business, since consumer collections also fall under general unfair-and-deceptive-practices rules even outside the FDCPA, while commercial debts sit outside it entirely. Because collectors learn these rules on the job, plan to train a new hire before they contact any account. This is general information, not legal advice.
Collection Specialist vs AR Specialist vs Billing Specialist
These roles overlap and often merge at small companies, but they emphasize different ends of the receivables cycle. Match the title to where your real need is.
Role
Focus
Best when
Billing specialist
Front of cycle: invoicing, payment posting
Invoices need to go out accurately and on time
Collection specialist
Back of cycle: recovering past-due payment
Unpaid invoices are piling up
AR specialist
Whole cycle: invoicing through follow-up
You want receivables owned end to end
AR / billing hybrid
All of the above, one person
A small company needs one person to do it all
If your problem is unpaid invoices, lead with collections; if it is getting invoices out, lead with billing; if you need the whole cycle, use the hybrid. The billing specialist and bookkeeper templates cover the adjacent roles.
Requirements and Qualifications
This is a skills-and-temperament role more than a credentials one. A high school diploma is the typical baseline; the qualities that matter most are communication, negotiation, persistence, and attention to detail.
Requirement
What to know
Education
High school diploma or equivalent; no degree required
Experience
Collections, AR, or customer service helpful, not always required
Collection or accounting software and aging reports
Medical version
Insurance, EOBs, billing codes, and HIPAA awareness
Compliance
FDCPA and state rules, usually trained on the job
Name the must-have qualifications precisely and keep the bar realistic, since collectors learn debt-collection law on the job. The background check process fits alongside hiring for a role that handles account and payment information.
Pay and Hiring Outlook
Collection specialist pay is an hourly, mid-range wage, and the occupation is contracting as collections automation grows, though steady replacement openings remain.
Collector Pay and Outlook (BLS, May 2024)
The role falls under bill and account collectors (SOC 43-3011), with a median annual wage of $46,040 as of May 2024 (lowest 10% under $33,960, highest 10% over $65,830). Employment is projected to decline 10% from 2024 to 2034 as automation grows, but about 13,700 openings are projected each year to replace workers who leave (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Anchor your hourly range to your industry, market, and experience level, and remember that because the role is non-exempt, overtime is paid on top of the base rate for hours over 40 in a week. Medical and commercial collections and senior roles tend to pay toward the higher end, and some roles add a bonus tied to amounts recovered.
Hiring a Collection Specialist for a Small Business
The small-business hirer is usually a medical practice or a B2B company, often without HR, that still has to get the pay classification and the collection rules right. Here are the three realities to nail.
The small-business hirer is usually a medical practice or a B2B company, and no competitor writes for it
The collection specialist a small business actually hires is rarely a third-party agency collector. It is a medical practice chasing patient balances and insurance follow-up, a wholesaler or contractor collecting on unpaid invoices from other businesses, or a small company where one person handles both billing and collections. These employers usually have no dedicated HR department, and the owner or office manager is also the compliance lead. The generic templates online are written for a faceless employer and skip what these hirers actually need: the correct pay classification, the debt-collection rules that apply to them, and an industry fit. The small-business, medical, commercial, and AR/billing templates on this page are written for that reality.
This role is non-exempt and hourly, and almost no template says so
A collection specialist is a non-exempt role. The Department of Labor's exemptions cover executive, administrative, and professional employees who meet both a salary test and a duties test, and a typical collector, with a high school education and operational, non-managerial duties, does not meet the duties test. The market confirms it: this is an hourly job paid below the levels exempt classification expects. In practice that means you pay by the hour and pay overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for any hours over 40 in a week, and you track those hours accurately. Misclassifying a collector as a salaried exempt employee to avoid overtime is a common and expensive wage-and-hour mistake. Every template on this page states the non-exempt classification up front so you get it right.
Whether debt-collection law applies to you depends on a nuance no template explains
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is the federal law most people associate with collections, but it primarily governs third-party debt collectors. A business collecting its own debts under its own name is generally not covered by the FDCPA. There are real exceptions: if you collect under a different name that suggests a third party is involved, or buy debts already in default, you can fall under it, and a number of states extend FDCPA-style protections to original creditors collecting their own debts. On top of that, consumer collections are also subject to general unfair-and-deceptive-practices rules even when the FDCPA does not apply, and commercial (business-to-business) debts sit outside the FDCPA entirely. This is exactly the kind of distinction a small business gets wrong, and it is why training a new collector on the rules that apply to you, before they pick up the phone, matters. This is general information, not legal advice.
After You Hire: Onboarding a Collection Specialist
Onboarding a collector is more than standard paperwork, because of the compliance training the role requires. Send the offer stating the hourly rate and non-exempt status, collect the signed offer, and complete Form I-9 and tax forms as part of the new hire paperwork.
Then handle the collections-specific steps, which are the core of this hire.
Offer and paperwork
Send the offer stating the hourly rate and non-exempt status, collect the signed offer, and complete Form I-9 and the W-4 and any state tax forms in the first days.
FDCPA and state training
Collectors learn debt-collection law on the job. Deliver and document training on the FDCPA, your state's rules, and your own collection procedures before they start contacting accounts.
System and access
Grant access to your collection software, accounting system, and account records, and walk through your scripts, dispute process, and escalation path.
Overtime tracking
Because the role is non-exempt, set up accurate time tracking from day one so hours over 40 in a week are paid at the overtime rate.
FirstHR fits this hire directly: e-signature for the offer and policy acknowledgments, document management for signed records, training modules to deliver and document the FDCPA and state-rules training this role needs before a collector contacts any account, and onboarding workflows to gate system access on completed steps. Because pricing is flat rather than per seat, a small business pays one rate as it grows. FirstHR does not run payroll, administer benefits, or provide collection software or legal advice, so pair it with your payroll, billing, and legal resources. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A collection specialist recovers past-due payments through contact, negotiation, dispute resolution, and record-keeping.
Match the template to your setting: small business, standard, medical, commercial, AR/billing, or senior.
The role is almost always non-exempt: hourly, with overtime over 40 hours a week. Classifying it as salaried exempt is a common mistake.
The FDCPA usually does not cover a business collecting its own debts under its own name, but exceptions and state rules apply.
Collectors learn debt-collection law on the job, so train a new hire on the rules that apply to you before they contact accounts.
In federal data the role falls under bill and account collectors (SOC 43-3011), median $46,040 (May 2024).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a collection specialist do?
A collection specialist recovers overdue payments on behalf of a business. The core work is contacting past-due accounts by phone, email, and mail, negotiating payment plans and settlements, investigating and resolving billing disputes, and keeping accurate records of every contact and arrangement. Specialists also perform skip tracing to find updated contact information, prepare aging reports on unpaid accounts, and escalate accounts that cannot be resolved. The setting shapes the rest: a medical collections specialist works patient balances and insurance follow-up, a commercial specialist collects from other businesses, and an AR or billing-and-collections specialist often owns the full receivables cycle from invoice to payment. In federal data the role falls under bill and account collectors (SOC 43-3011) rather than a separate collection-specialist category, so the title is an operational one for that occupation. It is a phone-and-records job that rewards persistence, clear communication, and comfort with difficult conversations, and it is almost always an hourly, non-exempt position.
Is a collection specialist exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A collection specialist is almost always non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which means the role is paid hourly and is entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The Department of Labor's white-collar exemptions cover executive, administrative, and professional employees who meet both a salary-basis test and a duties test. A typical collection specialist does not meet the duties test: the job requires only a high school education, the work is operational rather than managerial or requiring advanced professional knowledge, and market pay sits below the levels exempt classification expects. Treating a collector as a salaried exempt employee to avoid paying overtime is a common wage-and-hour misclassification that can lead to back-pay liability. The main place to look more carefully is a true collections lead or manager who primarily supervises other collectors, where the executive exemption might apply, but that decision should rest on the actual duties and pay, not the title. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm classification with an employment professional.
Does the FDCPA apply to a small business collecting its own debts?
Usually not, but it is not that simple. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act primarily regulates third-party debt collectors, such as collection agencies, debt buyers, and collection attorneys. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is clear that the FDCPA does not generally cover a business collecting its own debts under its own name, so a small business with its own employee collecting its own consumer accounts is usually outside the FDCPA. There are important exceptions. If the business collects under a different name that suggests a third party is involved, it can fall under the FDCPA, and if it buys debts that are already in default, it can be treated as a collector. Several states extend FDCPA-style protections to original creditors collecting their own debts. Separately, even when the FDCPA does not apply, consumer collection practices are still subject to general prohibitions on unfair and deceptive acts. Commercial, business-to-business debts sit outside the FDCPA entirely because it covers consumer debts. The practical takeaway is to confirm which rules apply to your specific situation and train your collector accordingly. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a collection specialist make?
Collection specialist pay is an hourly, mid-range wage that varies by industry, experience, and region. Because the role falls under bill and account collectors (SOC 43-3011) in federal data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is the best benchmark: bill and account collectors had a median annual wage of $46,040 as of May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $33,960 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $65,830. That works out to roughly the high teens to low twenties per hour for most collectors, which market hourly data supports. Pay tends to run higher for medical and commercial collections and for senior collectors handling complex, high-value accounts, and some roles add a bonus or commission tied to amounts recovered. For your posting, anchor the hourly range to your industry, your local market, and the experience level you need, and remember that because the role is non-exempt, overtime is paid on top of the base rate for hours over 40 in a week.
What is the difference between a collection specialist, an AR specialist, and a billing specialist?
These roles overlap and are often combined at small companies, but they emphasize different parts of the receivables cycle. A billing specialist focuses on the front of the cycle: creating and sending accurate invoices, applying payments, and keeping billing records clean. A collection specialist focuses on the back of the cycle: recovering payment on invoices that are past due, through contact, negotiation, and dispute resolution. An accounts receivable (AR) specialist sits across the whole cycle, managing invoicing, payment application, and follow-up on outstanding balances together. At a small business, one person frequently does all three, which is why the AR or billing-and-collections hybrid template on this page exists. When you write the posting, decide where your real need is: if your problem is unpaid invoices piling up, you want collections emphasis; if it is getting invoices out accurately and on time, you want billing emphasis; if you need the whole cycle owned by one person, use the hybrid version and say so clearly.
Does a small business really hire a full-time collection specialist?
It depends on volume. A business with a steady, ongoing flow of past-due accounts, such as a busy medical practice, a wholesaler, or a contractor that bills other businesses, often does justify a dedicated full-time or part-time collector, and frequently it is the first and only person in that function. When the collection workload is irregular or light, small businesses commonly handle it differently: folding collections into an existing billing, AR, or office role, hiring part-time, or using an outside collection agency for accounts that age past a certain point. For companies in the five to fifty employee range, the most common reality is a hybrid role where one person handles billing and collections together, rather than a standalone collector. The decision comes down to how much past-due volume you carry and whether it is steady enough to keep one person busy. If you are not sure, the AR/billing hybrid template lets you hire one person who can grow into a dedicated collections focus as the volume grows.
What qualifications should a collection specialist have?
A collection specialist typically needs a high school diploma or equivalent rather than a degree, which makes this a role where skills and temperament matter more than formal credentials. The most important qualifications are clear and professional phone and written communication, comfort with difficult conversations and negotiation, persistence, and strong attention to detail and record-keeping. Practical experience in collections, accounts receivable, or customer service is valuable, along with familiarity with collection or accounting software and aging reports. For specialized versions, add the relevant context: a medical collections specialist should understand insurance, explanation-of-benefits statements, billing codes, and HIPAA; a commercial specialist benefits from knowledge of commercial credit; and a senior collector should have a track record on complex accounts and working knowledge of the FDCPA and state rules. Because collectors learn debt-collection law largely on the job, you do not need a candidate who already knows every rule, but you do need to plan to train them on the rules that apply to your business before they start contacting accounts.
What happens after I hire a collection specialist?
Run a structured onboarding that covers standard employment paperwork plus the items specific to a collections role. Start with the basics: send the offer stating the hourly rate and the non-exempt classification, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 within the first days, and gather the W-4 and any state tax forms. Then handle the collections-specific steps. Because collectors learn debt-collection law on the job, deliver and document training on the FDCPA, your state's rules, and your own collection procedures and scripts before the specialist contacts any account. Grant access to your collection software, accounting system, and account records, and walk through your dispute and escalation process. Because the role is non-exempt, set up accurate time tracking from day one so overtime is paid correctly. For a small business without HR, this whole sequence needs a system rather than a folder of paper. FirstHR handles the onboarding layer: e-signature for the offer and policy acknowledgments, document management for signed records, training modules to deliver and document the compliance training this role requires, and onboarding workflows that can gate system access on completed steps. FirstHR does not run payroll, administer benefits, or provide collection software or legal advice, so pair it with your payroll, billing, and legal resources. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
