Collections Specialist

Location
Peabody
Workplace
On-site

About this role

The Collections Specialist owns the day-to-day recovery of a high-volume portfolio of past-due receivables. This role combines disciplined account management, confident customer communication, thoughtful problem-solving, and timely escalation. Success means reducing aged exposure, improving payment behavior, resolving barriers to payment, and maintaining a complete, audit-ready account record while protecting the customer relationship and Access's reputation.

What You'll Own

Portfolio Strategy & Recovery

  • Manage an assigned portfolio of past-due accounts, prioritizing activity by age, value, risk, dispute status, commitment status, and customer impact.
  • Maintain a consistent, multi-channel outreach cadence and engage the billing contacts, decision-makers, account executives, and other stakeholders needed to move the account forward.
  • Use aging reports, dashboards, customer history, and approved research tools to build an account strategy and define the next best action.
  • Meet established engagement and follow-up standards so every account has a current status, clear owner, and documented next step.

Customer Resolution & Cross-Functional Partnership

  • Lead professional, direct conversations to understand the cause of nonpayment, secure payment commitments, and reset expectations when agreed terms are not met.
  • Investigate and coordinate the resolution of disputes, invoice questions, missing documentation, unapplied cash, pending credits, and account setup issues.
  • Partner with Billing, Cash Application, Client Care, Sales, Operations, and Finance to remove barriers to payment without creating unsupported exceptions.
  • Negotiate payment arrangements within established guidelines, obtain required approval, confirm terms in writing, and follow up promptly on every commitment.

Risk, Escalation & Account Protection

  • Execute approved demand-letter and service-hold processes accurately, consistently, and within established timelines.
  • Identify high-risk or no-progress accounts early and prepare complete, decision-ready documentation for management review.
  • Route qualified accounts to third-party collections or Legal in accordance with current escalation criteria, and support a clean handoff through final disposition.
  • Escalate settlement, termination, bankruptcy, or other material risk matters with the required financial, operational, and customer documentation.

Systems, Controls & Reporting

  • Document collection activity, contacts, commitments, disputes, correspondence, and status changes accurately in NetSuite as the system of record.
  • Maintain reliable contact and account information across NetSuite and Salesforce, including parent/child account relationships where applicable.
  • Participate in recurring portfolio reviews and communicate risks, blockers, requested support, and recommended next actions clearly.
  • Follow confidentiality, security, approval, and documentation controls; identify process gaps and contribute to continuous improvement.

What Success Looks Like

PAST-DUE REDUCTION

Aged exposure trends down through collection, resolution, or appropriate escalation.

PORTFOLIO CONTROL

Every assigned account has a current status, next step, and follow-up date.

COMMITMENT FOLLOW-THROUGH

Promises are documented, monitored, and escalated quickly when missed.

ISSUE RESOLUTION

Disputes and payment barriers move to the right owner and are driven to closure.

ESCALATION READINESS

Referred accounts are complete, accurate, and ready for timely action.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Communication is firm, respectful, solution-oriented, and well documented.

What You Bring

Required

  • 2+ years of experience in business-to-business collections, accounts receivable, billing, or a related finance role.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage a large portfolio, prioritize competing demands, and follow through on time-sensitive commitments.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including negotiation, de-escalation, and confident handling of sensitive financial conversations.
  • Experience using an ERP, CRM, or collections platform; working proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard reporting tools.
  • High attention to detail, sound judgment, and comfort working within structured policies, checklists, and approval controls.

Preferred

  • Experience with NetSuite, Salesforce, third-party collection agencies, legal referrals, demand letters, or service-hold processes.
  • Experience working with complex or multi-entity customers, including parent/child account structures.
  • Exposure to technology-enabled research or approved AI tools used for account investigation and contact discovery.
  • Associate or bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field; relevant experience may be considered in place of a degree.

How We Work at Access
Our R.E.A.C.H. values shape how we serve customers and work with one another:
Respectful Empowered Accountable Collaborative Honest

Physical & Work Environment

Ability to sit and stand for extended periods, routinely lift up to 10 pounds, and work in a typical indoor office environment.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. EEO/AA/Minorities/Females/Disabled/Vets.

Tired of cold applications?

Sign up with Clera and we'll reach out the moment a role actually fits you — no more spraying applications into the void.

Know someone who'd be great for this?