Credit & Collections Specialist

• ON-SITE
• at Lucky's Energy Service, Inc. Credit & Collections Specialist
• ON-SITE
• at Lucky's Energy Service, Inc.

in Algonquin, Illinois Posted in about 24 hours ago.

Type:

full-time Position Summary We are seeking an on-site Credit & Collections Specialist to manage the credit and collections process for our commercial fuel business. This position plays an important role in supporting sales growth while protecting the company from unnecessary credit risk and maintaining a healthy accounts receivable portfolio. The Credit & Collections Specialist will be responsible for reviewing and processing new customer credit applications, evaluating creditworthiness, establishing appropriate credit limits and payment terms, setting up and maintaining customer accounts in our ERP system, monitoring accounts receivable and aging, and actively managing collections. This role also serves as an important checkpoint in the customer onboarding process, ensuring customer information, tax documentation, exemptions, credit information, and other required documents are complete and accurate before accounts are established. We are looking for someone who is organized and detail oriented, but this is not simply an administrative position. The right person will be comfortable making decisions, identifying potential problems before they become larger issues, working independently, and collaborating with sales, operations, accounting, and customers to find practical solutions. Please note, this is an on-site position. Key Responsibilities Credit Management and New Account Setup

• Review and process commercial credit applications for new customers.
• Pull and review business credit reports, trade references, payment histories, financial information, and other available information to evaluate creditworthiness.
• Verify customer legal names, business entities, billing information, ownership information, and other required account information.
• Recommend and establish appropriate credit limits and payment terms based on company guidelines, available credit information, expected purchasing volume, and overall risk.
• Identify applications requiring additional information, guarantees, deposits, alternative payment arrangements, or management review.
• Set up new customers accurately and completely in the ERP system, including payment terms, credit limits, billing requirements, tax status, and other account information.
• Maintain accurate credit files and supporting documentation for new and existing customers. Accounts Receivable and Collections
• Review the accounts receivable aging report regularly and identify past due accounts, developing risks, and accounts requiring immediate attention.
• Contact customers by phone and email regarding past due balances and obtain payment commitments.
• Maintain consistent follow up on outstanding balances until payment or resolution.
• Document collection activity, customer commitments, disputes, and relevant account information in the appropriate systems.
• Research payment discrepancies, short payments, unapplied payments, invoice disputes, and other issues affecting collection.
• Work with customers and internal departments to resolve billing or account issues that are delaying payment.
• Escalate seriously delinquent or high risk accounts when appropriate and recommend changes to credit limits, terms, account status, or collection strategy.
• Assist with decisions regarding credit holds and the release of customer orders based on account status, payment history, and established credit policies. Ongoing Credit Monitoring
• Monitor existing customers for changes in payment behavior, aging, credit exposure, purchasing patterns, or other indicators of increasing credit risk.
• Periodically review customer credit limits and terms to ensure they remain appropriate for current purchasing levels and payment performance.
• Identify customers approaching or exceeding established credit limits and proactively address potential issues.
• Work closely with sales to balance customer needs and commercial opportunities with responsible credit management.
• Communicate significant credit concerns clearly and promptly to management and other appropriate stakeholders.
• Provide aging, collection, credit exposure, and other reporting to management as requested. Customer Documentation and Compliance
• Collect, review, verify, and maintain required customer documentation.
• Maintain current sales tax exemption certificates, resale certificates, fuel tax documentation, and other applicable tax or compliance records.
• Review customer documentation for completeness and accuracy before applying tax exemptions or other special account classifications.
• Monitor expiration dates and missing documentation and follow up with customers or sales as necessary.
• Maintain organized and audit ready customer credit and compliance files.
• Coordinate with accounting, sales, operations, and other departments to ensure customer account information remains accurate and current. Process Improvement and Problem Solving
• Identify recurring credit, collection, billing, or customer setup issues and help develop solutions that improve the process.
• Look for opportunities to improve credit controls, customer onboarding, documentation, reporting, and collection effectiveness.
• Use sound judgment when situations fall outside normal procedures and bring forward recommended solutions rather than simply identifying problems.
• Help maintain and improve credit and collections procedures as the company grows.
• Perform other related credit, accounts receivable, and customer account responsibilities as needed. Qualifications Required
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Previous experience in credit, collections, accounts receivable, accounting, customer account management, or a related business function.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Comfortable communicating directly with commercial customers regarding credit requirements and past due balances.
• Ability to review information, identify inconsistencies or risks, and make sound recommendations.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and follow through on open items without requiring constant supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and other common business applications.
• Ability to learn and work effectively within ERP and accounting systems. Preferred
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
• Two or more years of experience in commercial credit, collections, or accounts receivable.
• Experience evaluating business credit reports and trade references.
• Experience establishing commercial credit limits and payment terms.
• Experience working within an ERP or accounting system.
• Experience in fuel distribution, petroleum, lubricants, transportation, construction, industrial distribution, or another business with significant commercial accounts receivable.
• Familiarity with sales tax exemptions, resale certificates, fuel tax documentation, or similar commercial customer documentation. What We Are Looking For Technical experience is important, but how someone approaches the job matters just as much. We are looking for someone who:
• Takes ownership of their responsibilities and follows issues through to resolution.
• Is dependable, hardworking, and willing to help where needed.
• Works independently and does not need to be continually directed to determine what needs attention.
• Thinks critically rather than simply following a checklist.
• Is comfortable making reasonable decisions within established authority and knows when an issue should be escalated.
• Approaches problems with a solution oriented mindset.
• Communicates professionally and respectfully with customers and coworkers, including during difficult collection conversations.
• Can work effectively with sales while maintaining appropriate credit discipline.
• Understands that good credit management is not simply about collecting money.

It is about helping the company grow responsibly, protecting cash flow, managing risk, and maintaining strong customer relationships. Why This Role Matters Commercial fuel customers can generate significant purchasing volume and accounts receivable exposure in a relatively short period of time. Effective credit management allows the company to grow while maintaining appropriate controls around that exposure. The person in this position will have meaningful responsibility for customer onboarding, credit decisions, collections, documentation, and the overall quality of our accounts receivable portfolio. We are looking for someone who wants to understand the business, take ownership of their area, and become a trusted resource to sales, operations, accounting, and management.