Accounts Receivable Specialist - Cash Application and Collections

About the role

The Accounts Receivable Specialist performs both cash application and collection responsibilities to ensure accurate customer payment processing while supporting timely collection of outstanding receivables. This role requires exceptional attention to detail, strong analytical skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a changing environment.

Responsibilities

This role monitors outstanding receivables, follows up on overdue accounts, and ensures compliance with accounting policies and internal controls. The specialist will also perform timely and accurate posting of customer payments within the ERP and support process improvements initiatives.

Cash Application responsibilities include:

• Process customer payments daily
• Apply ACH, wire, lockbox, checks and credit card payments
• Interpret customer remittances
• Research unidentified deposits
• Resolve unapplied cash
• Maintain payment accuracy within the ERP
• Balance daily cash receipts
• Understand customer banking relationships
• Ensure payments are posted according to customer instructions
• Research short pays and overpayments

Collections Management responsibilities include:

• Prioritize daily collection activities based on aging, and collection strategy
• Manage an assigned portfolio of customer accounts
• Perform collection calls and email follow-up on past due invoices
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with customers to encourage timely payment
• Maintain accurate expected payment dates within the ERP system
• Accurately identify root cause nonpayment issues, documenting the ERP system with established past due reason codes
• Export ageing reports and identify accounts not worked within established collection process timelines or past due for follow-up
• Document all customer communications and collection activities
• Escalate high-risk accounts and collection issues to management
• Coordinate collection strategies with branch management and Collection Manager

Administrative Support & Other Duties include:

• Maintain accurate customer account documentation (i.e. customer remittances and other supporting documents)
• Support month-end close
• Assist internal and external audits
• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve collection effectiveness, recommend process improvements to increase efficiency, and support continuous improvement initiatives

Qualifications and Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required. Associate's or bachelor's degree in a related field preferred. 1+ year of construction industry experience preferred. 1–2 years of customer service experience required. 3+ years of B2B collections experience or cash application experience required.

Required skills include:

• Strong written and verbal communication
• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to interpret customer remittances and understand banking relationships
• Knowledge of mechanic's lien laws, retainage requirements, and AIA billing processes preferred

Skills and Abilities

Required skills and abilities include:

• Positive safety attitude and personal integrity
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (including Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams)
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability and creativity to reason and think logically in problem solving

Physical Requirements

Office environment, requiring sitting and standing and extended amounts of time using a computer/keyboard at a single workstation.