AR Specialist 2

General Purpose & Essential Duties:

The Accounts Receivable Specialist II is responsible for performing advanced accounts receivable activities, including complex billing research, cash application, account reconciliation, customer account adjustments, and resolution of escalated billing discrepancies. This position independently manages specialized transactions and account issues, particularly those involving complex commercial billing arrangements, multiple customer locations, and detailed payment requirements. The AR Specialist II also supports rate increase administration, advance deposit tracking, financial reporting, billing audits, and process improvements. As an experienced member of the AR team, this position provides technical guidance and assists with cross-training while helping ensure accurate customer balances, effective financial controls, and efficient accounts receivable operations.

Advanced Accounts Receivable & Complex Billing

• Independently research and resolve complex customer billing discrepancies, account adjustments, and transaction errors.
• Review and reconcile customer account activity, including invoices, payments, credits, and other billing transactions.
• Manage specialized billing requirements for commercial and multi-location customers, including purchase orders, consolidated billing, and customer-specific invoicing requirements.
• Process and validate complex account adjustments, corrections, debits, and credits within established authorization guidelines.
• Research discrepancies between customer account records, billing information, and supporting documentation.
• Complete specialized accounts receivable processing activities and resolve exceptions requiring advanced analysis.

Cash Application, Reconciliation & Deposit Management

• Research and resolve unapplied or unidentified customer payments, including short payments, overpayments, and misapplied transactions.
• Review customer remittance information, payment records, and open invoices to ensure accurate payment application.
• Investigate complex payment discrepancies involving commercial customers, multiple locations, and consolidated remittances.
• Identify customer payments received in advance of invoicing and coordinate with designated accounting personnel to ensure appropriate classification and tracking.
• Monitor assigned advance deposits and coordinate application to customer invoices as work is completed and billed.
• Audit cash application transactions, identify posting errors, and process authorized corrections in accordance with established financial controls.
• Monitor assigned unapplied cash items and aging, ensuring timely research, follow-up, and escalation.
• Identify recurring cash application errors and recommend improvements to processes and system functionality.

Specialized Billing Administration & Reporting

• Prepare, review, and process customer rate increase data in accordance with approved pricing changes and established procedures.
• Compile rate increase information and supporting documentation for management review.
• Generate and validate recurring accounts receivable, billing, sales, commission, and financial reports as assigned.
• Perform account audits and research variances to ensure accuracy of financial and customer account information.
• Coordinate specialized customer invoice files, billing communications, and related activities with internal teams and external vendors.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation supporting billing, reporting, and reconciliation activities.

Customer Resolution & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Resolve complex customer inquiries involving billing discrepancies, payment applications, account balances, and invoice requirements.
• Collaborate with Finance, Sales, Operations, and Customer Operations to resolve account issues requiring cross-functional coordination.
• Communicate account findings, corrections, and resolutions clearly to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Escalate matters requiring accounting judgment, policy exceptions, or management approval.
• Maintain professionalism, responsiveness, and confidentiality when handling sensitive financial matters.

Process Improvement & Team Support

• Serve as an experienced technical resource to AR Specialist I employees regarding established procedures and complex transactions.
• Assist with cross-training, onboarding, and knowledge sharing.
• Identify recurring billing issues, processing inefficiencies, and opportunities to improve accuracy or productivity.
• Recommend improvements to standard operating procedures, financial controls, and system workflows.
• Participate in testing, implementation, and optimization of ERP enhancements and automation initiatives.
• Maintain proficiency in Guardian's financial and customer management systems.

Required Skills, Abilities, Education & Experience:

• Strong knowledge of accounts receivable, billing, cash application, and account reconciliation processes.
• Ability to independently research and resolve complex customer account and payment discrepancies.
• Understanding of commercial billing requirements, including multi-location accounts, purchase orders, and specialized invoicing.
• Knowledge of unapplied cash management, payment corrections, and advance deposit tracking.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, including financial data review, analysis, and reporting.
• Proficiency with ERP, CRM, and financial transaction systems.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking abilities.
• Excellent attention to detail, organization, and transaction accuracy.
• Ability to interpret customer account histories and financial supporting documentation.
• Sound judgment regarding transaction exceptions, authorization requirements, and escalation.
• Strong communication, customer service, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to support training and share technical knowledge with other employees.
• Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field preferred; equivalent professional experience considered.
• Three or more years of experience in accounts receivable, billing, cash application, or related financial operations.
• Demonstrated experience resolving complex billing discrepancies, payment issues, and account adjustments.
• Experience working with ERP, CRM, or comparable financial transaction systems.
• Experience with commercial billing, account reconciliation, financial reporting, or billing audits preferred.
• Experience researching unapplied cash, customer deposits, or complex multi-location payment transactions preferred.
• Experience supporting process improvements, system enhancements, or cross-training preferred.