AR Accountant

SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance, and sustainability.

SGS is looking for an AR Accountant with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, Business Administration, or a related field and 5- 8 years of relevant experience in Accounts Receivable, Collections, or Finance Operations, with knowledge of customer payments, cash allocation, invoice reconciliation, AR aging, ERP systems, and Microsoft Excel, supporting timely collections and accurate customer account management.

Purpose of the Role

The AR Accountant / Credit Controller is responsible for protecting company cash flow, minimizing credit risk exposure, ensuring timely collection of accounts receivable, enforcing company credit policies, and maintaining accurate customer account records. The role supports the achievement of Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), overdue receivables, bad debt, and cash collection targets while ensuring compliance with credit control, collection, and credit risk management procedures.

Key Responsibilities

1. Cash Allocation and Receipt Processing

• Review daily bank statements and identify incoming customer payments.

• Accurately allocate customer receipts against outstanding invoices within the ERP system.

• Investigate unidentified receipts and coordinate with customers and internal stakeholders to ensure timely allocation.

• Reconcile unapplied cash, advance payments, and customer account balances.

• Maintain accurate and fully reconciled customer ledgers.

2. Collections Management

• Conduct proactive collection activities through telephone, email, customer portals, and customer meetings.

• Contact customers before invoice due dates to secure timely payments.

• Follow up on overdue invoices according to collection procedures.

• Obtain firm payment commitments and track expected collection dates.

• Negotiate payment plans within delegated authority while maintaining customer relationships.

• Support the recovery of long-outstanding balances and high-risk receivables.

3. Accounts Receivable Monitoring

• Review AR aging reports and identify overdue, disputed, and high-risk accounts.

• Monitor customer balances against approved credit limits and payment terms.

• Identify customers approaching or exceeding credit limits and escalate concerns promptly.

• Review customer payment trends and highlight deteriorating payment behavior.

• Support monthly DSO and overdue reduction targets.

4. Collection Documentation and System Updates

• Maintain accurate records of collection activities in ERP and collection tracking systems.

• Record customer discussions, payment promises, disputes, escalation actions, and collection outcomes.

• Maintain complete audit trails and supporting documentation for management reviews and audits.

5. Customer Communication and Dunning

• Issue statements of account to customers regularly.

• Send payment reminders, follow-up notices, and overdue collection letters in line with company procedures.

• Escalate communications through formal dunning stages where required.

• Maintain professional communication and engage customers to resolve payment delays.

6. Dispute Resolution and Internal Coordination

• Coordinate with Operations, Accounts Receivable, Billing, Customer Service, Sales, and Finance teams to resolve invoice disputes.

• Follow up on service reports, certificates, purchase orders, contracts, and supporting documents affecting invoice collection.

• Track customer disputes and ensure resolution within agreed timelines.

• Identify recurring payment delays and drive accountability across relevant business functions.

7. Credit Hold and Escalation Management

• Identify customers meeting credit-hold criteria, including overdue balances, credit-limit breaches, unresolved disputes, dishonored payments, or non-compliance with agreed terms.

• Recommend credit holds in accordance with company policy.

• Escalate missed payment commitments, high-risk accounts, and collection concerns to the relevant management team.

• Monitor credit-hold accounts and support release only after approved requirements are met.

8. Cash Flow Reporting and Month-End Support

• Prepare weekly and monthly collection forecasts based on customer commitments.

• Update expected cash inflows, overdue balances, disputed invoices, and collection status reports.

• Provide management commentary on key overdue accounts and collection risks.

• Support month-end accounts receivable activities and cash-flow reporting.

9. Compliance and Internal Controls

• Comply with company Credit Control Policy, collection procedures, credit risk management requirements, and internal control standards.

• Follow approved credit terms, collection workflows, and escalation procedures.

• Maintain segregation of duties and proper documentation for audit requirements.

10. Continuous Improvement

• Support initiatives to reduce overdue debt and bad debt exposure.

• Recommend improvements to collection efficiency and cash conversion.

• Identify recurring collection issues and operational bottlenecks.

• Contribute to improved cash-flow forecasting and customer payment performance.

• Support finance transformation and Order-to-Cash (OTC) improvement projects when required.

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Commerce, or a related field.

• 5-8 years of relevant experience in Collections, Accounts Receivable, Credit Control, Customer Service, or Finance Operations.

• Good understanding of customer account follow-up, aging reports, payment commitments, dispute resolution, and collection processes.

• Experience with ERP systems such as Oracle, SUN Systems, SAP, or similar finance platforms is highly desirable.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with customer statements, aging schedules, and collection trackers.

• Exposure to Power BI, automated collection tools, and banking platforms is an added advantage.