Position Summary 

The Accounts Receivable Specialist will play a pivotal role in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of our financial records and reports. This position requires strong analytical skills, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate will contribute to the overall success of the finance/accounting department by providing accurate financial information and assisting with financial processes. This position also delivers on our core focus of:

• The answer is yes. Be a solutions provider 

While building on our core values of:  

• Help 1^st 
• Take ownership 
• Do the right thing 
• Expect excellence 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Customer credit management
• Record and reconcile customer payments and apply them to outstanding invoices
• Prepare and send customer statements
• Call and email to collect from customers on overdue invoices, while notating those collections attempts
• Customer billings and credit notes
• New customer vetting and setup
• Identify potential issues with current policies and procedures and recommend appropriate changes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including sales, finance, and management to address and resolve issues
• Assist with internal and external audits, providing documentation and explanations as required
• Ability to work in excess of 40 hours, as business needs arise
• Regular and reliable attendance
• Any other task or duty that is deemed necessary by management

Cultural Competencies  

Help First means being a reliable team member serving everyone, internally and externally. At Akers, we believe and exhibit a “roll up your sleeves and get the job done” mentality and behavior. No job is unimportant, and no person is above any job. We demonstrate this through:

• Able communicator—good clarity, balanced talker, and listener
• Has energy and enthusiasm
• Solution vs. blame oriented

Take Ownership means that you think and act like an owner. No matter the role, everyone is empowered to be a good steward of the organization. Each person has the autonomy to make recommendations for improvement to their work and the organization. We demonstrate this through:

• Patient
• Effectively assertive and able to handle conflict and confrontational situations
• Advocate for continuous improvement
• Mixture of firmness and flexibility
• Has energy and enthusiasm
• Holds self and others accountable
• Takes calculated risks

Do the Right Thing means that do what’s right regardless of its popularity. Having high moral standards is paramount and is the compass that keeps us on track. We demonstrate this through:

• Systematic trainer, willing and able to develop people
• Good work ethic, task focused and willing to extend extra effort
• Able to follow structure where it exists and create structure where it does not

Expect Excellence means that you do it right the first time. At Akers, we expect excellence in all we do. We demonstrate this through:

• Resilient—able to deal with the unexpected, not easily flustered
• Has sense of urgency
• Follows up to ensure quality task completion 

Work Environment / Physical Demands 

Fast paced environment, requiring adaptation to continuous changes in Company, Customer and People needs.

• Ability to frequently sit, stand, walk, reach with hands and arm’s length, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, and crouch.
• Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time at desk in traditional office environment. 
• Ability to work on site to facilitate collaboration with production facility. 

Systems Usage  

• MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams) 
• Microsoft Dynamics Business Central
• Kiwiplan
• ADP Workforce Now
• Utilize accounting software and systems for data entry, reporting, and analysis.
• Recommend improvements and enhancements to streamline accounting processes.

Qualifications 

Education & Experience 

• Proven experience as an Accounting Specialist or in a similar role.
• In-depth knowledge of accounting principles and practices.
• Proficiency in accounting software and Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.

Preferred Qualifications  

• Experience in corrugated strongly preferred.
• Experience with systems mentioned above. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong organizational and time management abilities.
• Accounting degree.