Accounts Receivable & Credit Manager

Accounts Receivable & Credit Manager

Location: Hybrid/Remote Agawam, MA; or North Aurora, IL Preferred Reports To: Shared Services Manager

Catalyst Acoustics Group (CAG) is a leading designer and manufacturer of engineered acoustical solutions serving architectural, industrial, medical, commercial, and infrastructure markets. Through a portfolio of industry-leading brands, CAG operates a multi-entity manufacturing platform supported by a centralized Shared Services organization focused on operational excellence, continuous improvement, and scalable growth.

The Accounts Receivable & Credit Manager leads the end-to-end Order-to-Cash process across a multi-entity manufacturing platform. This role is responsible for billing oversight, collections, cash application, customer credit, dispute resolution, customer account management, and working capital performance. This is a hands-on player/coach leadership role responsible for developing a high-performing team while actively managing complex customer accounts, resolving escalated issues, and driving continuous improvement throughout the Order-to-Cash process. The successful candidate is a builder who thrives in a fast-paced, private equity-backed environment. They are comfortable creating structure where little exists, standardizing processes across multiple business units and ERP systems, using data to drive decisions, and partnering cross-functionally to eliminate the root causes of customer issuesnot simply treating the symptoms.

1. Accounts Receivable Operations

• Lead the daily Accounts Receivable function, including collections, cash application oversight, account reconciliations, deductions, credit management, billing support, dispute resolution, write-offs, refunds, and customer account maintenance.
• Manage a personal portfolio of strategic and high-risk customer accounts while coaching and supporting the Accounts Receivable team.
• Ensure customer accounts remain accurate through timely application of cash, credits, adjustments, write-offs, refunds, and reconciliations.
• Monitor customer aging and proactively drive collection efforts to improve DSO, reduce past-due receivables, and strengthen working capital.
• Ensure collection activities are documented consistently and follow established escalation procedures.

2. Billing & Order-to-Cash Management

• Oversee billing activities to ensure invoices are accurate, complete, and issued timely.
• Partner with Customer Service, Sales, Operations, Shipping, and Finance to resolve billing issues.
• Identify recurring billing issues and implement sustainable process improvements.
• Drive standardization of billing practices across multiple business units and acquired companies.

3. Credit & Customer Risk Management

• Oversee customer credit evaluations, credit limits, payment terms, and ongoing account monitoring.
• Evaluate customer payment behavior and financial risk.
• Manage collection escalations including payment plans, lien filings, collection agencies, legal referrals, account holds, and write-off recommendations.
• Partner with Sales to balance customer relationships with appropriate financial risk management.

4. Root Cause Resolution & Continuous Improvement

• Analyze recurring customer disputes, deductions, pricing discrepancies, PO issues, shipping errors, tax questions, and order entry errors to identify root causes.
• Partner cross-functionally to eliminate recurring issues.
• Develop standardized policies, procedures, workflows, collection strategies, escalation paths, and KPIs.
• Drive automation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead integration of acquired businesses into standardized Order-to-Cash processes.

5. Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, develop, and motivate the Accounts Receivable team while remaining hands-on.
• Establish clear expectations and foster accountability and continuous improvement.
• Support hiring, onboarding, training, cross-training, succession planning, and development.
• Provide hands-on support during peak workloads, close, and business integrations.

6. Financial Reporting & Analytics

• Manage AR month-end close responsibilities including aging reviews, bad debt analysis, reconciliations, reserves, and write-offs.
• Develop KPIs for DSO, collections, disputes, unapplied cash, billing quality, deductions, and working capital.
• Analyze operational and financial data to prioritize work and support decisions.
• Support audits and compliance.

7. Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with Sales, Customer Service, Operations, Shipping, Treasury, Finance, IT, and executive leadership.
• Drive accountability across departments to resolve customer issues.
• Balance strong collection discipline with excellent customer service.
• Support standardized Shared Services processes across the organization.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 710+ years of progressive experience in Accounts Receivable, Credit, Collections, or Order-to-Cash leadership.
• Experience in multi-entity manufacturing or distribution; PE-backed experience preferred.
• Demonstrated success improving DSO, cash collections, and working capital.
• Experience building standardized processes, controls, KPIs, and reporting.
• Strong knowledge of collections, billing, credit, cash application, disputes, GL accounting, and month-end close.
• Advanced Excel and ERP reporting skills.
• Experience with multiple ERP systems and process standardization.