Accounts Receivable Analyst

Job Overview

The Accounts Receivable (AR) Analyst is responsible for managing the organization's accounts receivable processes, ensuring timely and accurate invoicing, and maintaining positive relationships with customers. The AR Analyst monitors receivables to ensure customers are paying their accounts on time, investigates and resolves discrepancies, and performs reporting and analysis to support cash flow management.

This role is essential to maintaining healthy cash flow and mitigating credit risk, while also collaborating closely with internal teams such as sales and treasury.

Key Responsibilities

Accounts Receivable Management

Customer Invoicing:

• Generate and issue accurate and timely invoices based on customer orders or contracts.
• Ensure all invoices comply with company policies and legal requirements.
• Track and monitor customer payment terms and ensure invoices are sent in a timely manner.

Collections:

• Proactively follow up with customers on overdue payments via phone calls, emails, or written communication.
• Develop and maintain a systematic process for managing overdue accounts, escalating issues where necessary.
• Negotiate payment arrangements with customers when needed and monitor their compliance with the agreed terms.

Cash Application:

• Post customer payments (e.g., checks, electronic payments, credit cards) to the appropriate accounts, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Investigate and resolve any discrepancies between payments and invoices, such as short payments or overpayments.
• Perform daily cash reconciliations between bank statements and the AR ledger.

• Research and resolve customer disputes or discrepancies related to invoices, pricing, discounts, or payment terms.
• Collaborate with internal teams such as Sales, Treasury, and Operations to resolve customer issues efficiently.
• Document and track all disputes, ensuring proper communication and follow-up until resolution.

Credit Risk Management

Credit Evaluation:

• Assist in the evaluation of customer creditworthiness by reviewing financial statements, credit reports, and payment history.
• Make recommendations for credit limits and payment terms based on customer analysis.
• Regularly review and adjust customer credit limits as necessary to reflect changes in their financial condition or payment behavior.

Risk Mitigation:

• Monitor high-risk accounts and ensure appropriate measures are in place to minimize the risk of bad debt.
• Recommend customers for escalation to external collection agencies or legal action if necessary.
• Prepare reports on overdue accounts and potential write-offs for management review.

Reporting and Analysis

Aging Reports:

• Generate and review accounts receivable aging reports regularly, identifying overdue invoices and analyzing trends in collections.
• Present aging reports to senior management and discuss strategies for improving collections and reducing outstanding balances.
• Cash Flow Forecasting

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 1+ years of relevant experience in accounts receivable, credit, or collections.
• Experience with Accounts Receivable processes: You should have hands-on experience with managing invoicing, collections, aging reports, and cash applications.
• Previous experience working in senior or lead roles might be beneficial, as you may be expected to mentor junior team members.