Analyst - Accounts Receivable

Position SummaryThe Accounts Receivable Analyst is responsible for analyzing and managing customer receivables, including cash application, collections, account reconciliation, billing change support, invoice submission, and accounts receivable reporting. The position monitors customer balances and aging trends, investigates account discrepancies, supports month-end close and control activities, and provides actionable analysis to improve cash flow and receivables performance. The AR Analyst works closely with customers and internal teams, including Sales, Operations, Accounting, Treasury, Tax, and Customer Service. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Accounts Receivable Analysis and Reporting· Analyze customer aging, open items, payment behavior, deductions, and past-due trends.· Prepare and maintain AR aging, collections, unapplied cash, deduction, and performance reports.· Monitor key receivables measures, including Days Sales Outstanding, aging concentrations, collection effectiveness, and unapplied cash.· Identify material account risks, recurring issues, and opportunities for process improvement.· Provide clear account commentary, status updates, and supporting analysis to management. Cash Application and Account Reconciliation· Review bank, lockbox, ACH, wire, and check activity and apply receipts to the appropriate customer accounts and invoices.· Research and resolve unapplied cash, short payments, overpayments, payment differences, and clearing issues.· Perform customer account reconciliations and investigate discrepancies between customer records and the AR subledger.· Prepare supporting documentation for cash posting, adjustments, refunds, and account clearing.· Coordinate with Treasury, customers, and internal stakeholders to obtain remittance details and resolve payment issues. Collections and Customer Account Management· Monitor assigned customer portfolios and conduct timely follow-up on overdue balances.· Communicate with customers regarding invoice status, payment commitments, disputes, and account discrepancies.· Document collection activity, customer contacts, commitments, and escalation status.· Partner with Sales, Operations, Customer Service, and management to resolve issues delaying payment.· Escalate significant collection risks, broken payment commitments, and unresolved disputes in accordance with department procedures. Billing, Deductions, and Dispute Support· Support invoice submission and billing change activities for assigned customers.· Research deductions, chargebacks, credit balances, billing errors, and customer claims.· Coordinate corrective actions, credit memos, rebills, adjustments, refunds, and approved write-offs.· Confirm supporting documentation and required approvals are complete before processing account adjustments.· Maintain accurate customer account notes and supporting records. Month-End Close, Controls, and Audit Support· Assist with month-end AR close readiness, reconciliations, reporting, and variance analysis.· Support periodic aging reviews, bad debt analysis, and allowance-related documentation.· Follow established accounting policies, approval requirements, segregation of duties, and internal controls.· Provide documentation and account support for internal, external, customer, and SOX audits.· Participate in testing, implementation, and continuous improvement of AR processes and systems. Systems and Process Improvement· Use SAP S/4HANA and related receivables tools to monitor open items, customer balances, cash application, collections activity, and reporting.· Create and maintain accurate process documentation, work instructions, and reporting support.· Participate in business requirements, testing, training, and implementation activities for system or process changes.· Identify root causes of recurring AR issues and recommend practical corrective actions.Education and/or Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. The requirements for this position are listed below:· Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant experience may be considered.· Three or more years of Accounts Receivable, cash application, collections, billing, or financial analysis experience preferred.· Experience analyzing customer accounts, aging, reconciliations, payment differences, and deductions.· Experience with SAP S/4HANA, SAP Fiori, Serrala, or a comparable ERP and cash application environment preferred.· Experience with customer billing portals such as OpenInvoice, Ariba, or similar platforms is beneficial.Required experience is commensurate with the selected job level:· The Specialist/Analyst level requires a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and 2-5 years of relevant job related experience· The Senior Specialist/Analyst level requires a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and 5-8 years of relevant job related experience· The Lead Specialist/Analyst level requires a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and 8+ years of relevant job related experienceKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities· Strong knowledge of Accounts Receivable, cash application, collections, and account reconciliation processes.· Ability to analyze detailed account activity, identify root causes, and communicate conclusions clearly.· Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including filtering, lookups, pivot tables, reconciliations, and data analysis.· Working knowledge of ERP reporting, customer subledger activity, and general ledger interfaces.· High attention to detail, sound judgment, and commitment to accurate documentation.· Effective written and verbal communication skills with a professional customer-focused approach.· Ability to organize competing priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently in a high-volume environment.· Ability to collaborate across Accounting, Treasury, Sales, Operations, Tax, and Customer Service.Key Performance Indicators· Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)· Aging over 60 and 90 days· Collection Effectiveness Index (CEI)· Cash application accuracy and timeliness· Unapplied cash and payment difference balances· Customer account reconciliation accuracy· Dispute and deduction resolution cycle time· Invoice submission timeliness· Month-end close accuracy and completionWorking Relationships· Internal: Accounts Receivable, Accounting, Treasury, Sales, Operations, Customer Service, Tax, and management.· External: Customers, customer accounts payable teams, banking partners, auditors, and billing portal providers.Working Conditions:The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Usually, normal office working conditions.Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time due to prolonged periods of sitting or standing.Occasional overnight travel may be required.