Account Settlement Specialist - Atlanta, GA

Post move-out collections is one of the more technically demanding back-office functions in multifamily operations. It sits at the intersection of lease interpretation, fair debt compliance, payment reconciliation, and resident communication, and when it's done well, it directly improves NOI by converting delinquent balances into recovered cash rather than write-offs. Cortland, one of the largest vertically integrated multifamily owners and operators in the country, is hiring an Account Settlement Specialist in Atlanta to own this function across an assigned portfolio of closed accounts.

What This Role Actually Involves

Your daily work centers on former resident accounts after move-out. You'll contact ex-residents to resolve outstanding balances, work through disputes by reviewing lease terms and documentation, and negotiate settlements or payment plans within established guidelines. Payment processing is a real part of the job: you'll post payments in OneSite, process credit card and ACH transactions, and reconcile daily collections activity against cash reports. On the compliance side, you'll maintain Final Account Statements, complete surety bond claims through programs like Jetty when applicable, and document every resident and third-party communication thoroughly. When accounts hit the threshold for external placement, you'll coordinate the transition to third-party collection agencies and support placement readiness. Complex disputes or legal concerns get escalated through a defined workflow, so knowing when to escalate is as important as knowing how to resolve.

Collaboration matters here. You'll work regularly with onsite teams, Revenue Recovery, and Accounting to untangle account discrepancies. The role is centralized, but the accounts you manage touch properties across a large portfolio, so clear communication with site staff is part of making resolutions stick.

Skills This Role Requires vs. Skills It Builds

Coming in, Cortland expects you to bring at least two years of experience in collections, property management, or a closely related customer service field. You need strong negotiation instincts, comfort with payment processing, solid written and verbal communication, and the organizational discipline to manage a high volume of accounts without letting documentation slip. OneSite experience is a plus. PCI compliance and Fair Debt Collection practices are not things you'll learn from scratch here; familiarity with both is expected.

What the role builds is more nuanced. Working inside a vertically integrated operation at Cortland's scale gives you exposure to how post move-out recovery connects to property-level financial reporting and portfolio-wide write-off trends. You'll develop sharper lease interpretation skills, a deeper understanding of guarantor and surety bond programs, and the kind of compliance fluency that transfers directly to roles in property accounting, revenue management, or collections leadership. Specialists who perform well here often move into senior recovery roles or transition into broader accounting and compliance functions within large multifamily organizations.

• High school diploma required; some college preferred
• 2+ years in collections, property management, or related customer service
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; OneSite or collections software experience preferred
• Strong negotiation, documentation, and analytical skills
• Familiarity with Fair Debt Collection practices and PCI compliance protocols
• Ability to manage independent workload while coordinating across internal teams