AR Specialist

The AR Specialist will take ownership of a critical finance function focused on resolving mounting accounts receivable challenges within a dynamic, remote working environment. This role exists to tackle growing payment application difficulties and ageing receivables that have placed increasing pressure on financial operations following a recent ERP migration to NetSuite. Within this role, precise cash application and diligent collections will directly impact the organisation’s cash flow efficiency while supporting ongoing efforts to integrate tax calculation updates through Avalara, ensuring accuracy in sales tax handling across multiple states.

Day-to-day responsibilities for the AR Specialist centre on applying incoming payments correctly and managing the associated accounts with attention to detail and accuracy. A core focus will be to ensure single payments are appropriately allocated across multiple invoices linked to individual sales orders—an area that currently requires improvement. This role helps streamline cash application processes by addressing unresolved payments that sit on customer accounts, aiding in the reduction of AR ageing and mitigating risks of customer frustration caused by operational disruptions.

The AR Specialist will use NetSuite extensively, leveraging strong hands-on experience to navigate payment processing intricacies and resolve complex issues such as short payments relating to multi-state sales tax application. Since the website currently only charges sales tax to California customers while legally registered in all states, many payments appear short-paid, necessitating the creation of credit memos to reconcile these differences. This unique challenge underlines the importance of the AR Specialist’s role in maintaining accurate financial records and supporting the temporary absorption of tax cost discrepancies until full website updates are implemented.

Collections activity will be equally important, with a soft, relationship-focused approach targeted at a customer base unaccustomed to the current partial shipment processes that have impacted payment patterns. This role requires a tactful balance of persistence and diplomacy to effectively manage overdue accounts and maintain positive customer interactions, all while working remotely within Pacific Time hours.

The role is contract-based, set for 6 to 8 weeks, with full remote working at 40 hours per week, allowing flexibility and the opportunity to support the finance function from anywhere. No travel is involved, making this role suited for candidates comfortable with remote collaboration and independently managing their workload.

Technical competencies vital for success include strong NetSuite experience in cash and payment application, with familiarity in credit card processors such as Authorize.Net or similar platforms, which process a significant volume of online payments. Additional knowledge of sales tax complexities and credit memo generation is essential to handle billing reconciliations and maintain compliance with tax registrations. Experience with Avalara or a similar tax automation solution is advantageous and would contribute to smoother integration as the automation project advances.

The ideal AR Specialist will bring proven expertise in accounts receivable functions within systems migration contexts or high-pressure financial environments. A methodical and accurate approach to applying payments and managing AR ageing is critical, alongside the ability to work independently and prioritise tasks in a remote setting. Communication skills also play a role since managing customer relationships during collections requires sensitivity to customer concerns and clear explanations of account status.

In summary, this position is pivotal to the ongoing stabilisation and improvement of the accounts receivable process post-ERP implementation, with an emphasis on applying payments correctly, managing credit adjustments related to sales tax, and reducing aged receivables through effective collections. This role combines operational delivery with specialist AR expertise, utilising NetSuite as the core technology and operating entirely remotely.

The assignment falls within the healthcare provider sector, specifically supporting financial functions related to this industry’s operational requirements and client payment behaviours.