Collections Specialist (Contract)

Job Summary

Liaison to customer accounts for billing inquiries and focal point for cash applications and collections related activities. Reconcile accounts receivables, perform collection management processes, and post payments. Communicates and maintains customer focused, collaborative rapport with assigned accounts.

Responsibilities

• Handle & process daily cash receipts.
• Apply incoming customer payments to their respective accounts and invoices.
• Manage discrepancies, deductions and/or adjustments.
• Performs collection related tasks for accounts with past due receivable balances.
• Responsible for monitoring and maintaining assigned accounts portfolio.
• Identifies bad debt and/or financial exposure risk.
• Communicate with customers regarding billing and other general inquiries.
• Accountable for reducing accounts receivable aging/delinquency, for assigned accounts.
• Maintain accurate records pertaining to accounts receivable, credit, discrepancies, issue resolution, etc.
• Weekly and/or monthly reporting.
• Reviews and processes pending orders, and account adjustments within the department policy guidelines.
• Interact directly with customers and internal partners to analyze and resolve disputed items according to company policies and department procedures.
• Enlists the support of sales and management, when necessary, to expedite the collections and/or issue resolution processes.
• Aids in the financial analysis, credit underwriting and approval process for new accounts.
• Collaborates with the Sales and Marketing departments in support of customer related inquiries, new program launches and other initiatives.
• Recommends and prepares severely delinquent accounts for external collection proceedings.
• May be required to participate on special projects in support of the Accounts Receivable dept. and/or Finance organization.

Qualifications

• Degree in accounting, business or related area is preferred.
• A combination of experience and education resulting in a moderate understanding of cash applications & collections is required.
• Minimum of 1 year previous experience with; Accounts Receivable, cash applications, collections, customer relations required.
• Experience with Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and other ERP/business applications is beneficial.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Proficiency with data entry accuracy, produces highly accurate output.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Friendly and collaborative; team oriented.
• Excellent customer service, research, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to make sound judgments, based on data analysis.
• Organized with excellent time management skills.
• Ability to multi-task and focus, in a fast-paced work environment.
• Possesses a moderate understanding of accounts receivable and general accounting.
• Ability to perceive unfavorable conditions and employ critical thinking skills to proactively initiate alternatives to circumvent the problem.
• Flexible; easily adapts to change in systems and/or process.
• Microsoft Office / Excel skills.

Work Environment

This position requires full-time onsite work (5 days per week) in Victor, NY and is not eligible for relocation assistance. Standard office environment. Sedentary to light physical effort necessary to perform the job. Extensive telephone use and computer work.