Accounts Receivable/ Pay Applications Specialist

Construction Accounts Receivable/ Pay Applications Specialist Red Cedar Construction Services is seeking a detail-oriented, organized, and proactive Construction Accounts Receivable / Pay Applications Specialist to join our finance and accounting team. This position will be responsible for managing the accounts receivable process from the preparation and submission of pay applications through payment collection. The role will work closely with Construction Managers, project leadership, clients, investors, and internal accounting team members to ensure billings are accurate, complete, submitted on time, and actively followed through to collection. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with construction billing, pay applications, change orders, accounts receivable, and collections. This person must be comfortable taking ownership of outstanding receivables, building productive client relationships, identifying payment obstacles, and driving timely resolution with minimal direction. Success in this role will be measured by the accuracy and timeliness of pay applications, the quality of supporting documentation, consistent follow-up on outstanding receivables, improved collection timelines, and the ability to maintain clear visibility into the status of every outstanding invoice. Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Pay Applications and Construction Billing Prepare and submit accurate, complete, and timely pay applications for assigned construction projects. Work directly with Construction Managers and project leadership to obtain the information required to complete each billing cycle. Independently determine appropriate billing periods and bill-through dates based on project activity, contractual requirements, and supporting documentation. Review project contracts, schedules of values, approved change orders, and billing requirements before preparing pay applications. Ensure each pay application includes the documentation required by the client, lender, investor, or contract. Track pay application deadlines and proactively follow up with internal team members to avoid delays. Identify missing, incomplete, or inconsistent billing information and resolve issues before submission. Maintain organized and complete billing files, including pay applications, invoices, approvals, change orders, lien waivers, and supporting documentation. Prepare, issue, and track change orders promptly and accurately. Confirm approved change orders are incorporated into the appropriate billing cycle and accounts receivable records. Monitor the status of submitted pay applications and promptly address client questions, requested revisions, or rejected documentation. Accounts Receivable and Collections Own the accounts receivable process from initial billing through collection and payment application. Record accounts receivable invoices accurately and timely in the applicable accounting system. Monitor outstanding receivables, aging reports, funding status, retainage, and expected payment dates. Contact clients by telephone and email to obtain payment updates and resolve outstanding balances. Build professional working relationships with client accounting teams, project contacts, investors, and other payment stakeholders. Develop and maintain a consistent collections follow-up process for current and delinquent receivables. Identify issues delaying payment and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to resolve them. Take proactive steps to shorten the time between pay application submission, approval, funding, and receipt. Escalate collection concerns, disputed balances, documentation deficiencies, or material payment delays to management. Maintain clear notes regarding collection activity, client commitments, disputed items, and next steps. Establish and maintain reporting that provides management with visibility into outstanding receivables and collection status. Prepare accounts receivable aging and collection status reports for leadership. Analyze collection trends, payment timelines, and recurring obstacles and recommend process improvements. Record cash receipts and apply payments to the appropriate client, project, invoice, and entity. Confirm transactions cleared through company bank accounts are legitimate and properly recorded. Monitor shared accounts receivable inboxes and respond to internal and external inquiries promptly and professionally. Research and resolve payment discrepancies, unapplied cash, short payments, and disputed balances. Coordinate the collection and release of retainage when contract and project requirements have been satisfied. Accounts Payable and General Accounting Support Review vendor and trade partner invoices for accuracy, appropriate documentation, coding, and approval before payment. Record approved invoices in the accounts payable subledger. Prepare accounts payable aging reports and identify amounts due for payment. Receive, review, and obtain approval for internal ACH and payment requests. Process approved payments from the appropriate legal entity. Maintain relationships with vendors and trade partners and respond to payment inquiries in a timely manner. Research and resolve vendor statement discrepancies and outstanding invoice issues. Process non-invoice and purchase-order transactions and perform standard subledger maintenance. Assist with monthly accrued expenses, deferred revenue, account reconciliations, and recurring account rollovers. Support month-end closing by reviewing assigned accounts, researching discrepancies, and ensuring transactions are complete and accurate. Provide information needed for payment applications, investor capital calls, cash planning, and other accounting processes. Maintain effective communication between accounting, construction, project management, and company leadership regarding billing and payment status. Support other accounting and finance team members as needed. Identify and recommend improvements to billing, collections, accounts receivable, accounts payable, documentation, and reporting processes. Exercise integrity, discretion, and confidentiality when handling company, client, vendor, and financial information. Perform other duties as assigned. Required Skills & Qualifications: Minimum of three years of experience in accounts receivable, construction billing, bookkeeping, or a related accounting role. Hands-on experience preparing construction pay applications with limited direction. Experience with schedules of values, change orders, retainage, lien waivers, bill-through dates, and supporting billing documentation. Demonstrated experience managing accounts receivable and collections from invoice preparation through final payment. Ability to proactively follow up on outstanding balances, resolve discrepancies, and help reduce payment timelines. Construction industry experience required; general contracting, homebuilding, multifamily, or Build-to-Rent experience preferred. Strong understanding of accounts receivable, accounts payable, bookkeeping, and basic GAAP principles. Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain accurate and complete billing documentation. Excellent communication and relationship-building skills when working with clients, Construction Managers, vendors, and trade partners. Strong attention to detail, follow-through, problem-solving ability, and personal accountability. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with QuickBooks Online or a comparable accounting system. Experience with Procore, Smartsheet, AIA-style billing, or construction billing portals preferred. Ability to manage multiple deadlines, work independently, and take ownership in a fast-paced environment. Associate's or bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field preferred; relevant experience may be considered in place of a degree. What Success Looks Like : The successful candidate will be expected to: Submit complete and accurate pay applications by established deadlines. Maintain organized and complete supporting documentation. Proactively identify and resolve issues before they delay billing or payment. Maintain consistent and documented follow-up on all outstanding receivables. Provide accurate and current reporting regarding billing and collection status. Build productive relationships with internal project teams and external client contacts. Reduce preventable delays between billing, approval, funding, and collection. Take ownership of assigned receivables through final payment. Schedule: Monday-Friday, standard daytime hours; 8 am - 5 pm Job Type: Full-time position, averaging 40 hours per week Compensation: $ 40,000-65,000 annually based on experience Benefits: 100% Medical, Dental, & Vision insurance covered to the employee and their children 401k with a Safe Harbor match formula of 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of their compensation, then 50% matching contribution of the next 2% of employee's compensation Company-paid holidays