Accounts Receivable Manager (AR/Collections)

Job Description

Job Description

Arkansas Talent Group is partnering with a well-established mid- to large-sized company in Central Arkansas to help them find an Accounts Receivable Manager. This role will oversee the full accounts receivable lifecycle; including credit risk management, collections, cash application, and team leadership — while managing a team of 5–10 AR/collections professionals. This is a highly collaborative, cross-functional position that interacts with multiple lines of business internally and serves as a key point of contact for clients and vendors externally. It is an excellent opportunity for an experienced AR leader to make a visible impact on working capital, process improvement, and team development in a large, complex corporate environment.

Key responsibilities:

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of 5–10 Accounts Receivable Specialists, Collections Analysts, and Cash Application personnel, including goal-setting, performance reviews, workload distribution, and cross-training.
• Oversee the end-to-end AR process, including customer invoicing, payment posting, cash application, deductions, and unapplied cash resolution.

• Manage cash application across all payment channels (lockbox, ACH, wire, check) and ensure accurate, timely posting and research of unresolved items.
• Evaluate customer creditworthiness, establish and adjust credit limits, and manage credit holds in accordance with company policy.
• Lead collections strategy across the full aging spectrum, driving outreach on past-due accounts, negotiating payment plans, and escalating to legal or third-party collections when necessary.
• Monitor and report on key AR metrics, including DSO, CEI, aging trends, unapplied cash, and bad debt exposure.
• Manage month-end AR close processes, including reconciliations, journal entries, and reporting.
• Work closely with multiple internal lines of business — including Sales, Operations, Billing, Treasury, and Customer Service — to resolve billing disputes, deductions, and process breakdowns.
• Serve as a client-facing and vendor-facing representative of the AR function, building and maintaining professional relationships with key customer accounts and suppliers.
• Partner with the Accounting Controller and CFO on cash forecasting and banking relationships related to receipts and lockbox operations.
• Collaborate with IT and shared services on ERP system enhancements, automation initiatives, and integrations affecting the AR function
• Develop, document, and maintain AR policies, procedures, and internal control documentation.
• Identify and implement process improvements to increase efficiency, accuracy, and automation across the AR lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, GAAP, and internal audit requirements, and support external audit requests related to AR, allowance for doubtful accounts, and revenue tie-outs

Requirements:  

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field preferred, but not required.
• 5+ years of management experience leading accounts receivable, collections, or credit teams in a mid-to-large organization.
• Demonstrated experience managing a team of 5 or more direct reports.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, data validation, large dataset manipulation; macros/VBA a plus).
• Hands-on experience with cash application processes, including lockbox, ACH, wire, and check postings.
• Strong understanding of credit risk assessment, credit policy development, and collections best practices.
• Experience working across multiple internal lines of business in a complex, multi-entity corporate environment.
• Client-facing and vendor-facing communication experience with the ability to represent the finance function professionally.
• Working knowledge of GAAP and internal controls (SOX experience preferred).
• ERP system experience (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, or comparable).
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain a high level of accuracy
• Ideal candidate profile:
• Currently serving in an Accounts Receivable Manager, Credit and Collections Manager, or similar AR leadership role.
• Strong people leader who builds, develops, and retains high-performing teams and leads by example.
• Comfortable engaging with executives, customers, and cross-functional partners with professionalism and executive presence.
• Analytical thinker who can dig into large volumes of data, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Solutions-oriented problem solver who resolves billing disputes, unapplied cash, and process gaps with a hands-on approach.
• Exercises sound judgment on credit risk decisions, write-offs, and escalations.
• Thrives in a dynamic, multi-business-unit environment with shifting priorities.
• Interested in owning and improving processes and creating long-term AR stability and scalability.

Perks:

• Strong base salary, Depends on experience/qualifications, but total comp in the 75-95k range. 
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• PTO and paid holidays.
• 401k match.
• Clear long-term growth potential.
• Hybrid Flexibility!

Please reach out to Stephanie Shine, Laura Slay, or any of your ATG recruiters to inquire further. 

Arkansas Talent Group is an Executive Permanent Placement Recruitment Firm, and all considerations will be held confidential.