Manager, Credit & Collections - CooperVision, Inc

CooperVision, a division of CooperCompanies (NASDAQ: COO), is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of soft contact lenses. The Company produces a full array of daily disposable, two-week and monthly contact lenses, all featuring advanced materials and optics. CooperVision has a strong heritage of solving the toughest vision challenges such as astigmatism, presbyopia and childhood myopia; and offers the most complete collection of spherical, tori and multifocal products available. Through a combination of innovative products and focused practitioner support, the company brings a refreshing perspective to the marketplace, creating real advantages for customers and wearers. For more information, visit www.coopervision.com.

Job Summary:

The Manager of Accounts Receivable will be responsible to formulate and maintain effective collection policies, procedures, and standards. The selected candidate will ensure the timely collection of outstanding invoices due to the company and manage the cash applications process to make certain all cash receipts are applied properly. This role requires the applicant to have the upmost attention to detail, be self-driven, and a desire to grow professionally. This position requires a thorough understanding of industry practices, the organization's needs, and general business conditions.

Essential Functions & Accountabilities:

• Develops strong long-lasting relationships with all internal and external customers
• Studies and develops policies and procedures to be used for investigating, granting and controlling credit and in collecting accounts due.
• Supervises the daily routine of the Credit Department including phone collections, the posting of all incoming cash to the company, inputting sales and adjustment changes, as well as credits to accounts.
• Interfaces with all departments related to the credit function such as I.T., Customer Service, and Marketing to assure harmonious and effective interdepartmental communications and information sharing.
• Investigates the credit standing of potentially large accounts, chain and distributor accounts either through obtaining a credit report or requesting auditing financial statements.
• Approves special payment plans for slow paying accounts as recommended by subordinate staff persons consistent with policies.
• Makes final decisions, based on information supplied by Credit Department representatives, on accounts to be referred to Collection agencies or written off as bad debts.
• Prepares monthly (KPI’s) to monitor the strengths and weaknesses of the team and see where improvement may be needed.
• Determines amounts of credit to be extended and recommends amount of working capital necessary to finance accounts receivable and to provide reserves against bad debts.
• Represents the company in customer bankruptcy actions.
• Supervises the adjustment of customer claims and based on the recommendations of subordinate staff and consistent with policy, directs specific adjustments to be made.
• Leads and/or participates in projects, tasks and initiatives to support current and future business operations and strategies
• May assist in the training of sales representatives in the company regarding credit policies, practices and resources for the potential customers to obtain financial assistance where appropriate.
• Interacts and finalizes the audits reports needed for the internal and external auditors for quarterly and annual SOX compliance and financial audits.
• Supervises delinquent account collection. Interacts with third party collection agencies and legal counsel. 
• Prepares monthly Cash forecast report for the America’s and sharing results with America’s controller to discuss with Treasury.
• Prepares monthly cash forecast for upcoming month.
• Ensures the department is PCI compliant.
• Recommends and drives process/systems improvements and optimizations on a continual basis (e.g., forms; processes; procedures; software utilization)

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to digest complex information and communicate to others in a logical and actionable manner
• Ability to organize, lead and/or drive projects to completion.
• Ability to treat customers as Partners, not just accounts that owe us money
• Ability to lead, manage and motivate others to support objectives and mission and to achieve goals set out (even if not direct reports)
• Ability to analyze financial statements and draw sound conclusions to determine credit line
• Knowledge of accounting a must 
• Understanding of commercial law 
• Understanding of Bankruptcy laws, UCC filings
• Knowledge of PCI compliance
• Read and interrupt Credit reports.

Work Environment:

• Normal office environment.
• Sedentary to light physical effort necessary to perform the job.
• Telephone use and computer work.

Experience:

• 5+ years of credit and collection experience in large firm.
• 5+ years supervising or managing an accounts receivable/collections department.
• Experience leading and/or managing projects
• Experience working in a Shared Services Center business model.
• Familiarity with accounting a must
• Working in a Sox environment a must

Education:

• Requires bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or business related field

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran

For U.S. locations that require disclosure of compensation, the starting base pay for this role is between $36.19 and $51.70 an hour and may include cost of living adjustments. The actual base pay includes many factors and is subject to change and modification in the future.  This position may also be eligible for other types of compensation and benefits.

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