Accounts Receivable Asst II

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:

Responsible for all accounts receivable duties that pertain to the collection, cash applications, and research into customer claims.

• Contacts customers on all past due items such as invoices, claims, billings, etc. Documents all correspondence with customers, whether by phone, e-mail, video, related to payment for open items.
• Identifies, researches, and validates all customer deductions, i.e., claims or short pays, taken on payments.
• Assist in gathering documents related to billing data (PODs, POs, Invoice copies, etc.) and route to proper owners of the information when unavailable.
• Claims commonly researched are for shortages, pricing discrepancies, promotional allowances, return of resalable merchandise, return of defective merchandise, and various violations.
• Generates cash batches in the system to facilitate the application of incoming cash receipts.
• Utilize tools such as Dunning process, SAP, ESKER to collect receivables.
• Verifies the accuracy of the payments that have been keyed by the lockbox for all payments.
• Retrieves any payment remittance information not forwarded by the lock boxes.
• Researches the individual payments and deductions on each remittance for appropriate coding, value, and accuracy.
• Processes customer payments received via credit card by submitting confidential information for payment through the banking system.
• Matches customer debit memos with the incoming claims and then appropriately codes based on the description noted on the claim.
• Ensures accurate follow-up with the Customer Service Department, IT Department, Distribution Centers, Sales Field Personnel, Sales Representatives, Freight Carriers, and customers.
• Processes valid claims for crediting and pursues invalid deductions for repayment.
• Provides the customer with documentation to help them verify and validate their open balances with prAna or SAP, in addition to electronic statements that are sent monthly.
• Provides information such as open aging reports, invoice copies, Bills of Ladings, proofs of delivery, and credit memos.
• Reconciles accounts by reviewing aging reports for matching invoices, credit memos, payments, debit memos, etc.
• Works in conjunction with the Customer Service or Sales Departments for the creation of outstanding account receivable items, billings/credit memos to accurate the account receivable for any errors in those departments, or in the field.

Skills needed to be successful in this role:

• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Able to articulate and understand persuasive writing to perform the minimum standards of their duties.
• Confirmed understanding of shipping, receiving, order production, credit, collections, cash receipts and applications, claims investigation, promotions, and compliance issues.
• Able to work in a high volume and results oriented environment.
• Able to meet multiple deadlines while ensuring minimal errors.
• Requires communication with all levels of personnel at the corporate level, the customer base level, and with Sales Representatives.
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation
• Organizational Skills: Filing, Faxing, Copying, Data Entry, Document Control
• Software: MS Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), Windows, Acrobat, Snag It, WinZip
• Accounts Receivable: Invoicing, Collections, Trial Balance

Interpersonal Contacts:

Incumbents have regular contact with others, both inside and outside the organization. Position interacts with all levels in the organization including interaction with key executives throughout the business in the US and Canada.

Specific Job Skills:

• Possess strong negotiation, influencing, and business partnering skills.
• Possess an understanding of financial statement analysis in addition to accounting practices, including accrual accounting methods
• Ability to analyze accounting and/or credit documents for accuracy & challenge questionable data.
• Possess an advanced level of computer skills including MS Office
• Possess excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to manage, lead and motivate direct reports.
• Ability to collaborate remotely with the manager and work remotely from other key inter-company business contacts.
• Must have excellent organizational skills, the ability to prioritize projects, and attention to detail.
• Extremely well-developed ability to read, write, and speak English

Education and/or Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree in Business or relevant educational background

Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in an accounts receivable environment with increasingly higher levels of responsibility including management level experience.  Preference for credit experience selling to retailers in the footwear, apparel, or outdoor industry.
 

Strong analytical skills with an ability to interpret root cause issues throughout the process.

Proficiency in an ERP system, preferably in SAP

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This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.