Accounts Receivable Specialist

Job Description

The Accounts Receivable Specialist manages a large portfolio of customer accounts, ensuring timely collection of outstanding invoices, accurate cash application, and strong collaboration with internal teams. This role focuses on reducing past-due balances, improving Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), and supporting the transition to more standardized and automated accounts receivable processes within a global organization.

Responsibilities

• Manage an assigned portfolio of over 200 customer accounts, ensuring timely collection of outstanding invoices and reduction of past-due balances.

• Review accounts receivable aging reports regularly, identify collection priorities, and follow established collection strategies to drive results.

• Support initiatives to improve Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and optimize working capital by proactively managing collections and cash application activities.

• Process and apply customer payments accurately and promptly, including ACH, wire transfers, lockbox receipts, checks, and credit card payments.

• Research and resolve unapplied cash, payment discrepancies, short payments, overpayments, and remittance issues by working directly with customers and internal stakeholders.

• Perform daily cash application activities while maintaining strong internal controls and ensuring accurate posting within SAP.

• Perform account reconciliations and resolve billing discrepancies in collaboration with Sales, Customer Service, Operations, and Finance.

• Monitor customer accounts and communicate potential credit or collection risks to leadership in a timely manner.

• Maintain accurate customer account records, notes, and collection documentation to ensure clear audit trails and visibility.

• Partner with Sales, Customer Service, Operations, and Finance to resolve billing and payment issues and to ensure a positive customer experience.

• Support customer inquiries and collection escalations in a professional, solutions-focused manner, primarily through email with some phone contact.

• Assist with new customer onboarding by helping ensure accurate billing setup, customer information, and portal access.

• Collaborate with third-party collection partners and internal teams to support effective accounts receivable and collection processes.

• Contribute to process improvement and automation initiatives that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and standardization of accounts receivable operations.

• Work extensively within customer portals and EDI processes to retrieve remittance information, submit invoices, and manage payment status, adapting to different portal formats and requirements.

• Take ownership of customer portals previously managed by customer service, ensuring they receive consistent attention and follow-up.

• Send customer account statements and other communications to clarify what has been paid and what remains outstanding, especially where customers may not have been contacted recently.

• Partner closely with internal business units to resolve situations where payments may have been misapplied or directed to other business units.

• Use Excel, including VLOOKUPs, to analyze data, reconcile accounts, and support manual processes as the company develops and refines standard operating procedures.

• Support the development and adoption of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the accounts receivable function as metrics are established.

• Balance responsibilities across collections, portals, and cash application, ensuring each area receives appropriate focus and follow-through.

Essential Skills

• At least 2 years of accounts receivable experience managing customer accounts.

• Hands-on experience with collections, including prioritizing accounts and following structured collection strategies.

• Demonstrated cash application experience, including processing ACH, wire transfers, lockbox receipts, checks, and credit card payments.

• Experience managing large portfolios of customer accounts, including high-volume, multi-customer environments.

• Proficiency with SAP or similar ERP systems, including posting payments and performing account reconciliations.

• Ability to read and interpret aging reports and use them to guide collection activities.

• Strong customer service skills, with the ability to communicate professionally and clearly with customers and internal stakeholders.

• Experience working with customer portals and EDI processes to obtain remittance information and manage payments.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including VLOOKUPs, for data analysis and reconciliation.

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in cash application, account maintenance, and documentation.

• Ability to work effectively in a manual, evolving process environment while maintaining strong internal controls.

• Comfort with primarily email-based communication (approximately 80% email and 20% phone) for collections and customer inquiries.

• Strong organizational and time management skills to handle a large number of accounts and competing priorities.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting process improvement and automation initiatives within accounts receivable or related functions.

• Background working in a global organization with cross-functional teams across multiple locations.

• Familiarity with developing or working with key performance indicators (KPIs) in a finance or collections environment.

• Experience partnering with third-party collection partners and multiple internal business units.

• Ability to approach customers with professionalism and ease, especially in situations where they may not have been contacted recently.

• Patience and adaptability when working with multiple customer portals, each with different requirements and workflows.

• Comfort working in an environment transitioning from more manual to more automated and standardized processes.

• Strong collaboration skills and a team-oriented mindset when working with colleagues in collections and cash application.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Burnsville, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $35.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Burnsville,MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 21, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io (%View email address on click.appcast.io) for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.