Accounts Receivable Manager

Symmetry Energy Solutions is a retail natural gas business that procures, stores, schedules, transports, and delivers natural gas to its industrial, commercial, and residential customers in the volumes, at the price, and in the delivery periods required by those customers. The primary objective of the business is to provide quality customer service in the delivery of natural gas to its end user customers while creating value for its owners in an efficient, safe, and environmentally responsible manner. Symmetry Energy Solutions is headquartered in Houston, Texas, has approximately 250 employees, operates in over 30 states, and serves over 100,000 customers.

Symmetry’s vision is to be a trusted partner who delivers reliable and innovative energy solutions. The Company’s core values are:

• 
  Acting with integrity. Symmetry believes in always doing the right thing for its customers, employees, and community.
• Embracing diversity. Symmetry encourages and supports an inclusive and diverse culture where its employees are valued and empowered.
• Providing quality customer service. Symmetry understands the needs of its customers and is committed to providing dependable quality service.
• Operating as One Team. Symmetry commits to operating as One Team focusing on the needs of its customers and the overall success of the Company as a whole.
• Striving for continuous improvement. Symmetry strives to be better today than it was yesterday.

Energy Capital Partners, founded in 2005, is a North American-focused investor across both equity and credit infrastructure assets, including natural gas power generation, renewables and storage solutions, midstream, environmental infrastructure and opportunistic energy solutions emphasizing the transition to clean energy while avoiding the more volatile energy subsectors like exploration and production. The ECP team, comprised of 61 people with 600 years of collective industry experience, deep expertise, and extensive relationships, has consummated more than 60 transactions over the last 10 years, representing more than $45 billion of enterprise value.

Job Description

As the Accounts Receivable Manager, you are responsible for overseeing and managing the critical Accounts Receivable and Collections department and all related business processes. This role is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the Aging Report, all respective accounts receivable transactions and maximizing cash flow from effectively and efficiently collecting payments from customers. You are responsible for ensuring efficient and effective business processes are in place, including but not limited to overseeing the accuracy of recording cash receipts and adjustments, processing electronic remittances, overseeing the collection efforts, monitoring of delinquent accounts, managing third party collections relationships (as needed), assisting in termination of accounts when appropriate and ensuring team’s work complies with all cash and collections related procedures and financial control policies set by the finance department. A successful candidate will monitor and report to management appropriate metrics of the team and accounts receivable transactions such as unapplied cash position, timeliness and accuracy of cash posting, overall exposure, third party collections status, default notices, default rates, and any other performance metrics required. This position provides the opportunity to gain exposure to the Senior Leadership Team as well as manage a variety of AR functions while working with internal customers from several departments throughout the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Build, implement, and manage cash application, accounts receivable and collections department policies, training, and procedures that are conducive to company goals.

• Develop individual and team performance goals and key reporting metrics.
• Monitor and report on individual and team performance against goals and key reporting metrics.
• Manage and develop effective and efficient business processes that are aligned with company goals.
• Oversee the process for application all daily cash receipts and other cash transactions, including adjustments, as needed.
• Manage Aging Report with daily monitoring to ensure full accuracy of customer accounts.
• Manage the process for all correspondence regarding past-due accounts and collections, identifying delinquent accounts, and contacting delinquent accountholders to request payment.
• Follow up on escalated accounts and partner with the team and management by raising issues, working to understand the root cause, and offering potential solutions.
• Research payment discrepancies to determine correct posting to accounts and work with various teams to resolve discrepancies as needed.

• Manage the write off process of accounts deemed uncollectable and place with a 3rd party collections agency.

• Responsible for the proper maintenance and updates customer files, including name or address changes, mergers, or mailing attentions.
• Perform month end tasks including, but not limited to, daily and monthly account reconciliation, issuing required credit memos, and applying payments to clear.
• Responsible for ensuring proper documentation of bank statements, lockbox details, customer records and other documents.
• Ability to create and perform analysis of accounts and other data.
• Provide excellent customer service for internal and external customers.

• Identify areas of improvements and concerns and accordingly develop action plans.
• Administer appropriate disciplinary and/or corrective action in accordance with company policy.
• Maintain productive and cohesive relationships with supporting operations, departments and staff.
• Ensure that compliance with company policies and federal regulations is maintained.
• Manage performance evaluation, promotion, retention and termination activities.

• Assist with internal and external audits as needed.

• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Capability and Skillset Requirements

• Expert knowledge of accounts receivable process and general ledger work.
• Expert knowledge of collections processes and default procedures.
• Demonstrates curiosity and functions innovatively, including being receptive to new ideas, approaches, and processes.
• Able to be highly organized with an emphasis on accuracy, details, and timeliness.
• Able to motivate self to accomplish daily tasks, projects and achieve goals with minimal supervision, including self-directed learning.
• Able to work with close attention to detail, in a highly accurate manner, to produce complete and timely work.
• Able to effectively multitask and prioritize daily tasks, projects and goals, while meeting regular deadlines.
• Able to create and deliver a clear and effective presentation to management.
• Conducts effective meetings, including setting an effective agenda, facilitating discussion, developing consensus, and securing agreement.
• Applies project management skills to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines.

• Ability to interact on the phone in a professional manner maintaining effective communication, both written and spoken.

• Negotiates skillfully to resolve differences effectively while maintaining relationships.
• Works well with a variety of personality types.
• Fosters and participates successfully in a team-based environment to accomplish assignments and produce results through others while maintaining a high level of morale.
• Demonstrates excellent coaching, mentoring, team building skills.
• Exercises discretion, tact, and good judgment in dealing with co-workers, clients, vendors, and the public.
• Cultivates relationships, collaborates across boundaries, and shares information proactively to achieve goals while being fair to others.
• Adheres to company values, makes informed decisions, follows procedures, and complies with company policies.
• Makes sound decisions and solves problems with logical solutions by applying knowledge, skills, and experience.
• Works with confidential information, materials, and files in an appropriate, professional, and discrete manner.
• Able to make decisions in a timely and effective manner.
• Able to adapt quickly to changing demands and to demonstrate flexibility in the face of change or uncertainty.

• Must be able to engage multiple stakeholders, including the supply, scheduling, sales teams, legal, and finance/risk teams – gaining support for efficient processes and teamwork.

Education, Certification and Experience

• Expert knowledge Requires an associated degree in accounting, finance, or business from an accredited college or university OR a combination of education and experience providing equivalent or related knowledge. (Experience in lieu of education is in addition to the Experience requirement.)
• A minimum of eight (8) years of full-time accounts receivable and collection working experience; experience in natural gas energy preferred.
• A minimum of two (2) years of management experience; experience in accounts receivable and collections preferred.
• Requires strong computer skills and the use of computer software, including Excel spreadsheets, word processing, email, and presentation software.
• Requires knowledge of office practices and procedures of the Fair Debt Credit Reporting Act and Fair Debt Collections Practice Act, as well as collections techniques.

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

• Able to reach, grasp and move items.
• Able to sit, stand or walk for extended periods.
• Able to speak, read and understand the English language.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced office environment with deadlines that may require more than a 40-hour as required.
• Able to work indoors, in an office environment, five days a week, regardless of whether open office, cubicle, or private office.
• Able to travel occasionally, possibly overnight, to attend meetings and/or conferences.

Symmetry Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.