Accounts Receivable Collection Specialist

Description

About Us

Established in 2001, MES is the nation’s largest provider of PPE, fire apparatus, uniforms, and services to first responders. With over 25 locations, MES is the most trusted source of equipment and service for firefighters, law enforcement, and EMTs. Our dedicated team of over 300 sales representatives and certified service technicians allows us to bring unparalleled quality and service to our industry. MES supports its customers with innovative digital commerce solutions and a nationwide warehousing system with three strategically located hubs that carry thousands of products representing the best brands on the market.

MES offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. MES is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

MES will only employ those legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a pre-employment screening.

Job Description

MES is seeking an Accounts Receivable Collections Specialist to manage an assigned portfolio of customer accounts and support the company’s cash-collection objectives. This position is responsible for contacting customers regarding outstanding invoices, securing payment commitments, resolving billing obstacles and maintaining complete collection documentation in NetSuite. The specialist will work closely with customers and MES departments to address disputes involving pricing, quantities, purchase orders, service documentation, customer portals and other issues that delay payment.

The successful candidate will be professional, persistent, organized and comfortable managing a high-volume portfolio that includes municipal, government, public safety, commercial and institutional customers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Collections and Customer Account Management

• Manage an assigned regional or customer portfolio and collect outstanding receivables according to established policies.
• Review the AR aging daily and prioritize past-due accounts based on balance, age, risk and payment history.
• Contact customers by telephone and email to obtain invoice status, payment dates and payment commitments.
• Follow up promptly on missed payment promises and unresolved customer inquiries.
• Send customer statements, invoice copies and support documentation when requested.
• Maintain professional customer relationships while communicating MES payment expectations.
• Identify accounts requiring escalation to management, Sales, Operations or legal collections.
• Recommend account holds, credit-term changes or prepayment requirements based on payment history and risk.
• Notify management promptly when a customer identifies financial distress, fraud concerns or an inability to pay.

Collection Documentation

• Document every material collection contact and customer commitment in NetSuite.
• Maintain accurate AR Problem classifications, collection notes, next-action dates and payment statuses.
• Update customer billing contacts, email addresses, telephone numbers and portal information.
• Ensure collection notes clearly identify the issue, responsible party, action taken and required follow-up.
• Maintain supporting emails, remittance information and customer documentation.
• Keep assigned collection queues current and free of outdated or incomplete information.

Dispute and Problem-Invoice Resolution

• Identify the reason invoices remain unpaid and classify the issue accurately.
• Research disputes involving pricing, quantities, taxes, purchase orders, service documentation and delivery confirmation.
• Coordinate with Sales, Customer Service, Service, Operations and Accounting to resolve customer concerns.
• Monitor assigned problem invoices until the issue is resolved and payment is received.
• Escalate internal requests when information or corrective action is not provided within the required timeframe.
• Obtain customer documentation supporting disputed amounts and requested credits.
• Confirm that approved credit memos are properly applied to customer accounts.
• Avoid requesting payment on disputed invoices until the issue and supporting records have been appropriately reviewed.

Customer Portals and Documentation

• Submit invoices and supporting documents through customer procurement portals when required.
• Monitor portal status and correct rejected or incomplete submissions.
• Assist with customer registration, vendor-record updates and company name-change requirements.
• Obtain missing purchase orders, receiving confirmations, prevailing-wage documents, tax forms and other required documentation.
• Coordinate with internal departments to ensure customers receive the information needed to release payment.

Payment and Cash-Application Support

• Obtain payment method, payment date, amount and confirmation information from customers.
• Request remittance details for ACH, wire and check payments.
• Coordinate with Cash Application personnel to identify and apply customer receipts accurately.
• Research unapplied cash, short payments, overpayments and customer deductions.
• Assist with customer account reconciliations and payment-application questions.
• Confirm receipt and application of payments before requesting release of an account hold.
• Escalate refund and offset requests for review and approval.

Reporting and Team Support

• Participate in regular portfolio and aging-review meetings.
• Provide accurate collection forecasts for assigned customers.
• Report significant risks, delayed payments and unresolved disputes to management.
• Support monthly close activities and customer account reconciliations.
• Assist with collection letters, demand notices and collection-agency documentation.
• Provide coverage for other collection portfolios when needed.
• Participate in process training, cross-training and continuous-improvement initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators

• Cash collected compared with assigned collection goals
• Collection forecast accuracy
• Percentage of assigned receivables past due
• Reduction in balances over 60, 90 and 120 days
• Payment-promise fulfillment rate
• Percentage of accounts with current collection notes
• Dispute and problem-invoice resolution time
• Customer-contact and follow-up completion rate
• Unapplied cash and unidentified-payment resolution
• Customer inquiry response time
• Accuracy of AR Problem classifications and account documentation

Requirements

Requirements

• Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least five years of accounts receivable, commercial collections or customer-account experience.
• Experience managing a high-volume collection portfolio.
• Working knowledge of invoices, credit memos, customer statements and account reconciliations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Outlook.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet established deadlines.
• Ability to discuss delinquent balances professionally and confidently.
• Sound judgment when handling confidential financial and customer information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration or a related field.
• Experience with NetSuite or a comparable enterprise resource planning system.
• Experience collecting from municipal, government, public-safety or institutional customers.
• Experience with customer procurement portals and purchase-order-based billing.
• Knowledge of automated dunning, cash-application and collection-management processes.
• Experience in distribution, manufacturing, service or multi-entity organization.

Core Competencies

• Professional persistence
• Customer-service orientation
• Collection and negotiation skills
• Accountability and follow-through
• Problem-solving and research
• Attention to detail
• Time and portfolio management
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Clear documentation
• Confidentiality and integrity

Work Environment

This position is based in the MES Sandy Hook, CT office. This role requires extended computer use, regular telephone and email communication, and participation in periodic customer and internal meetings.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, generally 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.

Core Requirements:

• 5+ years of commercial/B2B collections or Accounts Receivable experience
• Experience managing a portfolio of customer accounts
• Strong collection and customer-service skills
• Ability to research and resolve invoice disputes, short payments, credits, and billing issues
• Strong Excel skills
• ERP experience: NetSuite experience is strongly preferred but not necessarily required
• Experience working with aging reports and prioritizing past-due accounts
• Strong written and verbal communication skills