Manager, Order to Cash

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Reporting to the Senior Director, Finance, Accounting and Retail, the Manager, Order to Cash leads the team that owns the financial integrity of the end‑to‑end order‑to‑cash cycle from order receipt through invoicing, deductions and trade funding settlement, cash application, and collections. This role is accountable for accounts receivable health, deduction and chargeback resolution, trade funding validation and reconciliation, and the working capital outcomes (DSO, past‑due AR, unresolved deduction balances) that the OTC process drives. The role also serves as the functional business owner of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) operations across customers, retailers, distributors, and third‑party partners. EDI accuracy is managed as a financial control: clean transactions mean clean invoices, fewer deductions, and faster cash. The position acts as the primary liaison between Finance, Accounting, Customer Service, Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, IT, and external trading partners to ensure efficient order execution, data integrity, revenue accuracy, and customer satisfaction. It is important to understand that this role is based in South Pittsburg, TN and in the office 3 days a week with 2 remote days. The Ideal Candidate The ideal candidate for Manager, Order to Cash has experience leading teams and managing Order to Cash (OTC) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) processes. They are a collaborative and people‑focused leader who thrives in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment. They possess strong change management skills and a proven ability to coach, develop, and empower team members while fostering accountability and growth. With high emotional intelligence and exceptional communication skills, they build strong cross‑functional relationships and effectively partner with stakeholders across the organization. This individual proactively identifies process improvement opportunities, partners with others to develop practical solutions, and delivers feedback in a constructive and meaningful way. They are adaptable, solution‑oriented, and energized by driving continuous improvement while leading teams through change and operational excellence. Key Responsibilities Order to Cash Lead daily OTC operations, ensuring accurate and timely order management from order receipt through cash application. Own accounts receivable outcomes across the cycle, including invoice accuracy, credit memo integrity, cash application timeliness, and collections performance. Monitor order processing activities to ensure service level agreements and customer requirements are consistently achieved. Partner with Customer Service and Supply Chain teams to resolve order holds, allocation issues, pricing discrepancies, and fulfillment challenges. Support invoice generation, customer deductions management, chargeback resolution, and collections processes. Identify process bottlenecks and implement solutions to improve order cycle times, DSO, cash flow, and customer experience. Ensure adherence to company policies, customer agreements, and financial controls throughout the OTC process, including support for month‑end close activities, AR reconciliations, and audit requests related to revenue, receivables, and deductions. Trade Funding, Deductions & Settlement Manage the validation, disposition, and settlement of customer deductions, including trade promotions, allowances, co‑op/MDF programs, markdowns, freight, compliance chargebacks, and shortage claims. Partner with Sales and Finance to reconcile trade funding accruals against customer claims, ensuring deductions are matched to authorized programs and unauthorized claims are disputed and recovered. Manage post‑audit claim review and response, retailer deduction portal workflows, and documentation standards required to support dispute and recovery activity. Analyze deduction root causes (pricing, compliance, shipping, EDI/data) and drive corrective action upstream to prevent recurrence. Report on deduction aging, recovery rates, trade spend leakage, and open claim exposure to Finance leadership. EDI Operations Serve as the primary business lead for all EDI transactions, including but not limited to 850, 855, 856, 810, 820, 846, 940, and 945 documents. Manage EDI onboarding, testing, implementation, and maintenance for new customers, distributors, retailers, and third‑party logistics providers. Monitor EDI transaction health and proactively identify, troubleshoot, and resolve exceptions, failures, and data discrepancies — with particular focus on failures that create invoice errors, deductions, or payment delays. Partner with IT, integration providers, and external trading partners to maintain system stability and compliance. Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for EDI‑related issues impacting customer orders, shipments, invoices, or payments. Maintain EDI documentation, mapping specifications, process flows, and standard operating procedures. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance automation, transaction accuracy, and customer compliance. Leadership, Reporting & Development Act as a subject matter expert for OTC, trade funding/deductions, and EDI processes across the organization. Build strong relationships with key customers, retailers, distributors, and internal stakeholders. Support customer compliance initiatives and retailer scorecard improvement efforts. Participate in customer onboarding projects, system upgrades, ERP implementations, and process transformation initiatives. Provide operational support and guidance during peak business periods and critical customer events. Develop and maintain KPI dashboards for OTC, AR, deduction, and EDI performance metrics (DSO, cash application rate, deduction aging and recovery, order accuracy, EDI failure rates). Analyze trends related to order accuracy, EDI failures, chargebacks, deductions, invoice disputes, and customer compliance. Lead process improvement projects utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies. Recommend and implement automation opportunities that improve efficiency and reduce manual intervention. Directly manage, coach, and develop OTC, Customer Service, and EDI team members, including goal setting, performance management, and professional development. Manage staffing, workload allocation, and resource planning to ensure OTC and EDI service levels are met across peak and standard business periods. Establish best practices and promote a culture of accountability, customer focus, and operational excellence. Support training initiatives and knowledge sharing across departments. Qualifications Required Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field. 7+ years of progressive experience in Order‑to‑Cash, Accounts Receivable, Credit & Collections, Deductions/Trade Funding management, or Revenue Operations, preferably in consumer products, wholesale, or retail‑supplier environments. Direct experience managing customer deductions, chargebacks, and trade funding settlement with major retailers or distributors. 2+ years of direct people management or team leadership experience. Working knowledge of EDI transaction sets, integration processes, and retailer/customer compliance requirements, and how transaction failures translate into financial exposure. Understanding of AR accounting fundamentals: cash application, credit memos, accruals, reserves, and month‑end close support. Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and project management skills. Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and reporting tools. Preferred Experience with retailer deduction and compliance portals (e.g., Walmart APIS/Retail Link, Target Synergy/Partners Online, Amazon Vendor Central dispute workflows). Experience with trade promotion management (TPM) systems and trade accrual reconciliation. Experience with ERP order‑to‑cash and AR modules (Sage or similar). Exposure to post‑audit claim firms and recovery processes. Lean/Six Sigma certification or demonstrated continuous improvement leadership. Employee Benefits Competitive Pay Generous Paid Time Off Insurance Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription, Life, and Short‑Term Disability) On‑Site Clinic and Fitness Center 401K Match and Deferred Profit‑Sharing Program Quarterly Profit Sharing Employee Assistance Program Scholarship Opportunity and Tuition Reimbursement Employee Discount at Lodge Factory Store and Big Bad Breakfast #J-18808-Ljbffr Lodge Cast Iron