Customer Finance Speciailist

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Customer Finance Specialist to join our dynamic finance team. In this pivotal role, you will serve as the primary liaison between our organization, customers, and internal departments such as Sales, Trade Marketing, and Finance. Your responsibilities will encompass managing customer accounts, resolving financial discrepancies, and ensuring the accurate reconciliation of balances to optimize cash flow and maintain strong customer relationships. This position requires a blend of analytical precision, strategic problem-solving, and exceptional communication skills to drive efficiency in trade-related financial processes.

Key Responsibilities

The Customer Finance Specialist will play a critical role in maintaining the financial health of our customer portfolio by executing the following core duties:

• Accounts Receivable & Collections:

  Monitor customer accounts and aging reports to proactively identify overdue balances. Engage with customers to follow up on outstanding invoices, negotiate payment plans, and escalate high-risk accounts to senior management. Your efforts will directly contribute to reducing Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and improving cash collections.

• Customer Reconciliation:

  Conduct thorough and timely reconciliations of customer accounts, including invoices, payments, deductions, and credit notes. Investigate and resolve discrepancies by collaborating with internal teams and customers to ensure alignment between our records and customer statements. Maintain meticulous documentation to support audit trails and financial integrity.

• Claims & Deductions Management:

  Review and validate customer deductions related to trade promotions, rebates, or marketing activities. Coordinate with Trade Marketing and Sales teams to verify the legitimacy of claims and supporting documentation. Track the status of claims to ensure timely processing and issuance of credit notes, while maintaining clear records for compliance and reporting purposes.

• Customer Engagement & Onsite Visits:

  Build and nurture strong professional relationships with customer finance teams through regular communication and periodic onsite visits. Conduct account reviews, resolve disputes, and facilitate financial reconciliations to foster transparency and trust. Your ability to engage effectively with customers will be instrumental in accelerating dispute resolution and improving collections.

• Cross-Functional Coordination:

  Act as a bridge between Customer Finance, Sales, Trade Marketing, and Customer Service to resolve financial discrepancies and ensure that commercial agreements are accurately reflected in financial records. Support the alignment of trade activities and promotional agreements with financial postings to maintain consistency and compliance.

• Reporting & Analysis:

  Prepare detailed customer aging reports, reconciliation summaries, and trend analyses on deductions, disputes, and claims. Provide actionable insights to management to address recurring issues and enhance the efficiency of accounts receivable processes. Your analytical contributions will support data-driven decision-making and process improvements.

• Compliance & Process Discipline:

  Ensure strict adherence to internal credit policies, approval workflows, and financial controls. Maintain organized and accessible records of customer reconciliations, claims documentation, and communications. Contribute to initiatives aimed at streamlining AR processes, enhancing claims management, and improving reporting accuracy.

Qualifications & Skills

To excel in this role, you will possess the following qualifications and competencies:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field. Progress toward or completion of professional finance certifications (e.g., CMA, CPA, CFA) is highly advantageous.
• Experience: Minimum of 3 years in Accounts Receivable, Customer Finance, or Credit Control, with a proven track record in customer reconciliations, trade claims, and deduction management.
• Technical Proficiency: Strong working knowledge of ERP systems, preferably SAP, and advanced Excel skills for data analysis and reporting.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Exceptional attention to detail and the ability to analyze complex financial data to identify trends, discrepancies, and root causes of issues.
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication abilities to liaise with internal stakeholders and external customers. Comfort with conducting professional meetings and onsite visits to resolve financial disputes.
• Organizational & Time Management: Capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced commercial environment while maintaining accuracy and efficiency.