Accounts Receivable Officer

Title: Accounts Receivable Officer

Employing Entity: Directed Electronics Australia

Reporting to: Finance Manager

Team: Finance & Admin

Team size: 4

No. of Direct reports: 0

Key contacts/stakeholders

Internal:

• Accounts Receivable Manager
• Finance Manager
• General Manager
• Sales team
• Service
• Customer Service
• DC

External:

• Insurers
• Customer/Debtors
• Freight Companies

Get to know the team

Our Accounts Receivable team is a key team with Finance & Admin who strives to enable customer success and are focused on our ability to manage all account needs, collaborating with the sales team, customer service and the DC to bring this together. With combined experience from the AR department, Sales and customer service teams, this is a highly motivated, fun and supportive role that helps cement our strong relationships and help in the company’s growth.

Role objective and areas of focus

The primary objective of the Accounts Receivable Officer is to achieve debtor payment targets and a clean ledger through providing exceptional support to our retail customers and building trusted relationships with all stake holders.  This ensures the success of our sales and BDMs to drive sales of our products in store.  Acting as the voice of the customer, the Accounts Receivable Officer will focus on the following areas:  

•Reconciliation

•Debtor Planning

•AR Key Functions 

Key responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Accounts Receivable Officer will include but are not limited to:

Reconciliation

·       Develop and foster great customer & business relationships.

·       Maintaining a clean ledger, following up claims and overdue accounts across related systems.

·       Attend regular internal meetings with BDMs to ensure accounts are accurate to the sales targets.

·       Provide regular updates to Finance Managers and BDM’s should the need arise.

·       Contributing to the development of new processes.

Debtor planning

·       Liaising with BDM’s, DC and customer service to achieve goals to all work towards.

·       Working on cashflow forecasts for decision making.

·       Assist the Finance Manager with any projects, assist team in managing peak periods and end of month tasks.

AR Key Functions  

·       Manage all enquires and inboxes.

·       Assist in closing and opening new accounts in SAP.

·       Reconciliation of all group (including eCommerce) accounts to maintain up to date ledgers and figures.

·       Ensuring accounts are set up correctly and updated on PPSR and insurance for complete coverage.

·       Processing of claims/credits assigned to the department.

·       Creating new debtors.

·       Uploading of Debtor financing each week and reconciling month end.

·       End of month processes.

How success in the role is defined

Success in the role will be measured by the Accounts Receivable Officer achieving:

• Low debtor payment days
• Accurate processing and reconciliations of all payment gateways and SAP system
• Following up on all claim deductions and enquires to resolve to ensures that relationships can be built between customers and the company.

The role in action

A typical day

• Clear inboxes of emails and enquires.
• Take any inbound calls and enquiries – managing till resolution.
• Banking and reconciliations of accounts.
• Chasing payments resolution for any outstanding debts from any local and overseas customers.
• Opening and updating accounts.
• Discussions with BDM's and customer service to provide the best support and service for the customer.
• Processing claims and rebates as required.

A typical week

• Calling customers and emailing follow ups as needed.
• Stop supply letters or Final Demand if required.
• Reviewing customer credit limits and payment history to update to the requirements of the business.
• Debtor Financing.
• Reconciling debtors.
• Assist in opening and closing new accounts.

A typical month

• Complete month end process.
• Balance debtor financing.
• Chase up any payments not yet received.
• Attend Sales/AR meeting to discuss requirements from both departments.

Skills, interests, and experience required to succeed

A successful Accounts Receivable Officer will demonstrate:

Previous Experience

• Minimum 10+ years’ experience in an Accounts Receivable role ideally with a product-based industry.
• Reconciling payments against invoices with multiple product/purchase lines.
• Proactively managing AR with national retailers at both a company and proprietor/owner level.
• Success in reducing outstanding debt.
• Bank payment reconciliation in a role with 100’s of weekly payments. 
• Ability to prioritise and multitask.
• Support and work closely with other departments.
• Ability to thrive in high volume and fast-paced environment ensuring a high level of skill.

Technical Skills

• Working knowledge of SAP (desirable)
• Sound knowledge of Microsoft Office programs

Behaviours

• Exceptional communication skills to engage with customers, BDMs and internal departments.
• Proactive – being a planner and connecting with manager to plan and prioritise.
• Being a team player who collaborates; sharing ideas and learning from your colleagues.
• Debtor focused.
• Ability to adapt to change in a fast-paced environment.
• Attention to detail and accuracy a must.
• Energetic with exception time management skills

Motivation and interests

• Developing interests in the company for learning and growth

Join the A-Team and experience the A-Life!