Manager Credit & Collections at North American Corporation of Illinois in Glenview, Illinois

Job Description:

North American is a recognized leader in distribution, supply chain synchronization, and integrated business solutions. Founded in 1919, North American has built an innovative and highly specialized business practice helping companies improve supply systems that have grown inefficient, non-customer-centric and costly.

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Position Overview

This position will lead, coach, manage and support the Cash Applications and Collections Specialists who apply cash received, credits on accounts and contact North American customers with past due receivable balances.

Responsibilities Include:

• Prioritize customer receivables and develop weekly targets for each Collections Specialist to effectively collect past due balances to meet key performance metrics.


• Evaluate and maintain customer master file for accuracy related to credit limits, collector codes and customer payment terms.


• Evaluate Collection Specialist activities to determine effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.


• Make outbound contact by phone, email or letter notification to customers on an as-needed-basis for high priority customers.


• Review rate disputes and compare to tariffs to assist the billing department to resolve any open issues.


• Manage the collection activities related to 3rd Party vendors and integrate into the daily Collection Specialist daily activities.


• Administer payment portal access and usage by Collection Specialists to ensure exceptions are quickly identified and corrected for continued payment process.


• Manage external vendor activities and contracts by holding monthly performance meetings, identify service improvements, evaluate cost-benefits to the collection and cash application activities, as well as identify areas for additional training.


• Provide feedback to specialist through one-on-one coaching sessions and reviews of performance


• Issue Corrective Action, Performance/Attendance Disciplinary and Performance Improvement Plan when warranted following Company Policy.


• Support Cash Application Specialists through the management of the Exception Report, invoicing activities, as well as identifying areas to improve overall effectiveness.


• Foster and enhance relationships with the Customer Service, Billing Department, Sales organization, executive leadership and other internal business groups to aid in resolving past due balances and expand customer relationships.


• Proactively participate in company efforts to achieve both departmental and company goals including, but not limited to, reduction of DSO and increasing daily cash collections.


• Develop, implement and maintain formal cash application and collection policies, procedures and systems ensuring related business activities are executed with a strong discipline surrounding internal controls.


• Support Division Controller with key performance metrics including cash collection forecasts, applied cash and adhoc analysis.


• Evaluate cash application and collection systems to ensure cash application and collection activities are appropriately translated to the company financials according to GAAP, Sarbanes-Oxley and Internal Audit controls.


• Effectively communicate significant customer collections, bankruptcies, cash application or other material issues affecting the company’s financials.


• Perform credit review through Dun & Bradstreet for new and existing customer accounts to identify credit limits and customer payment terms.


• Ability to work independently and operate within department/company policies using independent judgment in achieving assigned objectives. 

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting or Finance.  NACM accreditation preferred.


• 8-10 years of related Accounting, Credit, Cash Application and/or Collections experience


• Prior management experience with excellent leadership and supervisory skills managing employees across multiple teams


• Demonstrated management skills with the ability to motivate and supervise multiple groups, interact with all levels, meet deadlines, and provide strategic direction to the team


• Highly motivated, self-driven individual accustomed to working within high-paced environment with specific target-oriented goals/Key-Performance Indicators


• Strong written and verbal communication skills required.


• Ability to read and write instructions, short correspondence and memos to effectively communicate information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients and internal employees.


• Proficient personal computer skills including MS Outlook and MS Office applications.


• Preferred knowledge of AS/400 and Microsoft Office, GETPAID Collection tool


• Prior leadership experience of two years preferred


• Strong analytical skills and ability to problem resolve complex situations. 


• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. 


• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.


• Handle multiple tasks simultaneously.


• Prioritize, organize and delegate assignments.


• Coach/Mentor specialists for continuous improvement of KPIs. 

This position offers a competitive starting salary and comprehensive benefits program. 

We are an equal opportunity employer.  We do not discriminate with regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, handicap or disability, age, veteran status, pregnancy or medical condition(s) related to pregnancy or childbirth, marital status or any legally other protected category in regard to any employment decisions.  We also provide reasonable accommodations to employees who are disabled (including medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth).

See Job Description