RESPONSIBILITIES

Handles a portfolio of customer accounts from invoice through payment. The work covers collections, cash application, and deduction research. This person is the day to day accounts receivable contact for those customers, and for the internal departments whose activity affects the balance. Most of the workload is deduction driven. When a customer takes money off an invoice, this person traces the claim back to the shipping and billing documents, decides whether it holds up, and then either credits it or files a dispute with the customer. Collect on an assigned portfolio of retail, wholesale, and distributor accounts. Contact customers on past due balances, work out payment arrangements, and escalate when a customer does not follow through. Apply customer payments and remittances. Research and clear unapplied cash and short payments. Research customer deductions and chargebacks by matching debit memos and remittance detail to purchase orders, bills of lading, proof of delivery, invoices, and promotional agreements. Decide whether a deduction is valid. Issue credit memos with the correct general ledger coding when it is and put together a documented dispute when it is not. File disputes through customer portals and vendor compliance systems. Track filing deadlines and follow up until each claim is closed out. Keep deduction trackers and reconciliation files current for assigned accounts so nothing sits open without a next step. Request supporting documents from Shipping, Logistics, Sales, and Quality on shortage, compliance, and return claims. Reconcile assigned accounts and clear old open items, including aged credits and unmatched balances. Support month end close by getting deductions researched and coded inside the close calendar. Add notes to the weekly aging report on assigned accounts and bring problem balances to the Accounts Receivable Manager. Keep customer records accurate, including terms, contacts, and account documentation. Follow department procedures and suggest updates when a process changes. Working knowledge of the order to cash cycle and of accounts receivable practice, including credits, debits, and account reconciliation. Able to read and interpret purchase orders, bills of lading, proof of delivery, remittance advice, and debit memos. Intermediate Excel, including sorting, filtering, lookups, and pivot tables. Experience with an ERP or accounting system. QuickBooks, Fishbowl, or something comparable preferred. Comfortable working in customer web portals and vendor systems. Clear writing and speaking, including the ability to send a professional collection or dispute email to an outside customer. Careful with detail and able to reconcile to the penny. Organized enough to carry a high volume of open items with deadlines running at the same time. Works independently on assigned accounts and speaks up early when something does not tie out.

QUALIFICATIONS

Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field. Bachelor's degree preferred. Relevant work experience may be considered in place of a degree. 1-2 years in accounts receivable, collections, or general accounting. Experience in food, consumer packaged goods, or another industry that deals with retail customer deductions and chargebacks is strongly preferred.

Pay:

$60,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Paid sick time

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Paterson, NJ 07501