Accounting Associate - Accounts Receivable

Position summary:

Accounting Associate - Accounts Receivable

Reports to Assistant Controller

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Accounting Associate – Accounts Receivable position is a detail-oriented and proactive member of the finance team. This role is responsible for managing incoming payments, maintaining accurate customer accounts, managing collections efforts, and contributing to process improvements. The ideal candidate is analytical, customer-focused, technologically proficient, and comfortable communicating with clients and internal team members.

This position plays a key role in supporting the company’s financial health by ensuring timely cash flow, maintaining accurate records, and fostering positive customer relationships. The Accounting Associate will collaborate closely with internal departments to resolve account matters efficiently while continuously seeking opportunities to improve processes, leverage technology, and enhance operational effectiveness.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

·       Payment Processing: Manage and process incoming payments from various sources, ensuring payments are accurately recorded in the accounting software.

·       Customer Account Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for billing-related inquiries, explaining billing processes and account activity, resolving payment issues and credit discrepancies, and addressing outstanding invoices as needed.

·       Invoice Management: Prepare and send customer invoices/statements, ensuring timely billing and follow-up on outstanding payments.

·       Collections: Own the end-to-end collections process, ensuring timely follow-up on overdue accounts and coordinating escalation to external collections agencies when appropriate.

·       Record Keeping: Maintain accurate records of all financial transactions and ensure compliance with accounting policies and procedures.

·       Reporting: Generate reports on accounts receivable status, including aging reports and collection metrics, to provide insights to management.

·       Phone Support & Inquiry Routing: Serve as primary coverage for the company’s main phone line on a scheduled weekly basis, professionally answer incoming phone calls and directing inquiries to the appropriate team member or department.

·       AI & Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to incorporate AI tools and automation techniques to improve efficiency, streamline workflows, and enhance accuracy in accounts receivable processes.

·       Miscellaneous: Ability to tackle any additional duties assigned.

Competencies:

To perform the job successfully, the individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

·       Problem-Solving Skills - Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to address customer account issues and discrepancies.

·       Attention to Detail - Strong attention to detail and accuracy in financial reporting, data entry, and email vetting.

·       Adaptability—the individual adapts to changes in the work environment, manages competing demands and is able to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events.

·       Dependability—the individual is consistently at work and on time, follows instructions, responds to management direction and solicits feedback to improve performance.

·       Communication Skills - Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

·       Phone Support & Inquiry Routing - Comfortable handling phone conversations, confidently directing calls, and routing inquiries to the correct person.

·       Teamwork - Strong team player with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.

Physical or Special Demands:

This role requires walking, sitting, standing, reaching and bending in an office environment with moderate noise levels. Close vision and the ability to adjust focus are required.

Education and/or Experience and Technical Requirements

·       Associate degree in accounting or equivalent experience preferred.

·       3-5 years work experience within Accounts Receivable or in a similar role.

·       Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.

·       Familiarity with ERP/accounting software (SAGE 100) is preferred.

      Fidlar is an EEO Employer.