Finance Analyst – Accounts Receivable & Credit Control

This is an excellent opportunity for a recent Finance or Accounting graduate, or Accounts Receivable Clerk, to join a busy finance team and gain valuable hands-on experience. The role will focus on Accounts Receivable (AR), Credit Control, and Debt Recovery, providing the successful candidate with the opportunity to develop their skills while making a meaningful contribution to the wider finance function.

The primary focus during the initial phase of the contract will be to identify, investigate, and recover aged debt balances between 1 and 5 years old, working closely with customers and internal stakeholders to resolve historical issues preventing collection. This recovery activity will directly contribute to improving cash flow, reducing bad debt exposure, and strengthening the overall health of the Accounts Receivable portfolio.

The successful candidate will work closely with internal stakeholders and external customers to resolve payment issues, retrieve data for analysis, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and ensure the development of positive customer relationships.

Key Responsibilities

Accounts Receivable Management

• Monitor customer accounts to ensure invoices are paid within agreed payment terms.

• Maintain accurate customer account records and payment histories.

• Investigate and resolve invoice, billing, and payment queries.

• Reconcile customer accounts and identify discrepancies.

Legacy Debt Recovery

• Take ownership of a portfolio of aged debt balances, with an initial focus on accounts outstanding for 2-5 years.

• Investigate historical customer balances and identify barriers to collection, including disputes, missing documentation, incorrect billing, or account ownership changes.

• Liaise with customers and internal departments to resolve longstanding issues and facilitate payment.

• Develop and execute recovery plans for aged and high-risk debt accounts.

• Maintain accurate records of recovery activity, customer communications, and outcomes.

• Escalate accounts where legal action, write-off, or alternative collection strategies may be appropriate.

Relationship Management

• Build and maintain professional relationships with customers.

• Act as a key point of contact for accounts receivable and payment issues.

• Work collaboratively with Sales, Customer Service, Operations, and Finance teams to resolve disputes.

• Support positive customer experiences whilst ensuring company debts are recovered.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Retrieve, compile, and analyse AR and debt collection data.

• Produce reports on aged debt, collection performance, and cash recovery.

• Identify trends and recommend actions to improve collection effectiveness.

• Support month-end reporting activities.

Stakeholder Management

• Liaise with internal departments to resolve customer queries quickly.

• Communicate account status and collection risks to management.

• Assist in implementing process improvements within the AR function.

Continuous Improvement & Projects

• Identify opportunities to improve AR processes and controls.

• Support finance transformation and business improvement initiatives.

• Take part in additional finance projects as business needs require.

Core Competencies

Customer Focus

• Ability to build strong customer relationships while maintaining professionalism and accountability.

Communication Skills

• Confident verbal and written communication skills.

• Comfortable discussing outstanding payments and resolving disputes.

Relationship Building

• Develop trust and credibility with customers and internal stakeholders.

Results Orientation

• Driven to achieve collection targets and improve business outcomes.

• Demonstrates resilience and persistence when managing challenging situations.

Analytical Thinking

• Ability to interpret financial data and identify trends.

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

Problem Solving

• Investigates issues thoroughly and implements practical solutions.

Stakeholder Management

• Works effectively across departments and manages multiple priorities.

Organisation & Time Management

• Manages workload effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Prioritises tasks to meet deadlines.

Qualifications

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Finance and Accounting, or a related discipline or looking to complete a placement as part of degree studies.

• Experience in a customer-facing role such as retail, hospitality, bar work, customer service, or similar.

• Strong Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office skills.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong numerical and analytical capability.

Desirable

• Understanding of Accounts Receivable or Credit Control principles.

Azenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This company considers candidates regardless of race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.