Collections Specialist

Collections Specialist - B2B Great culture and work / life balance Company in growth mode Base salary plus OT This is a soft collections role seeking individuals who are aware of the importance of customers and value that relationship with the client

We are looking for a Collections Specialist to join our team in Oak Brook, Illinois. This position focuses on managing commercial accounts receivable, partnering with internal teams and customers to resolve payment delays, and ensuring timely follow-up on outstanding balances. The ideal candidate brings strong customer service skills, sound judgment, and the ability to balance collection efforts with effective issue resolution in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:

• Review aging reports each day, prioritize delinquent accounts, and take timely action to reduce outstanding receivables while maintaining accurate account notes.
• Build productive relationships with customers across an assigned accounts receivable portfolio to encourage prompt payment and support ongoing account health.
• Investigate overdue balances by reconciling account activity and coordinating with customers, sales partners, and internal stakeholders to resolve discrepancies.
• Address disputed charges, unapplied cash, and other account issues to clear open items and improve payment flow.
• Partner with internal departments and external contacts to remove obstacles affecting collections and keep workflows aligned with service expectations.
• Evaluate customer situations and provide recommendations regarding payment arrangements, credit holds, third-party collection placement, or bad debt treatment when appropriate.
• Review credit hold status and support order release decisions in accordance with company policies and established guidelines.
• Organize account data, communicate findings clearly, and contribute to special projects or additional collections-related assignments as needed.

Benefits include insurance, 401K, vacation, holiday pay and more

• At least 3 years of experience in collections, credit, accounts receivable, or a customer-facing finance-related role.
• Associate degree in business or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered in place of formal education.
• Working knowledge of commercial collections practices, billing follow-up, dispute resolution, and deduction management.
• Solid understanding of basic accounting principles and standard bookkeeping concepts.
• Ability to analyze account activity, identify root causes of payment issues, and drive resolution through completion.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with customers and internal teams at multiple levels.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, and work effectively both independently and collaboratively.
• Experience using transactional systems such as AS400 or similar platforms, with strong attention to detail and a customer service focus.