Assistant Accounts Receivable Manager

1. Overview:

The Assistant Manager is responsible for the hands‑on operational management of the national Debtors ledger, with a primary focus on reducing aged debt (60+ days) and ensuring collections are completed within agreed payment terms. The role directly manages a team of 7–8 Accounts Receivable Officers, with line management responsibility for one AR Team Leader and one Senior AR Officer, ensuring daily workflow efficiency, adherence to processes, and consistent application of collections practices.

The position works closely with the Accounts Receivable Manager to execute agreed collections strategies and methodologies, resolve complex or escalated accounts, and support the implementation of centralised processes and procedures. The Assistant Manager plays a critical role in maintaining cash flow stability, supporting KPI achievement, and embedding disciplined BAU operations across the Debtors function.

The role reports directly to the AR Head in Australia and will manage and act as the head of AR operations in Metro Manila.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Leadership & Team Management: As an Assistant AR Manager you will be asked to supervise and lead a team of AR officers including another AR Team leader - providing guidance, support, and training as needed which will include but not limited to:

A. People Leadership & Development
Lead, coach, and motivate a team of AR Officers to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes.
Mentor and guide a peer AR Team Leader to build leadership capability, structure, and accountability.
Conduct weekly 1:1 coaching sessions and monthly performance reviews using formal documentation (Coaching Logs and RCA framework).
Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and results orientation across the AR team.

B. Performance Monitoring & Coaching
Monitor team performance against collection targets, providing regular feedback and implementing strategies to improve results as well ensuring that each AR officers have the right resources (reports and system) to successfully fulfill their daily tasks.
a. Attendance
o Monitor daily attendance and punctuality.
o Act as the first point of contact for all leave requests.
b. Coaching and Meetings
o Conduct weekly one-on-one coaching sessions with AR Officers to provide performance feedback and address immediate concerns.
o Complete monthly documented and signed coaching forms outlining individual performance progress.
o Facilitate fortnightly team meetings to discuss performance outcomes, challenges, and priorities.
o Conduct daily or weekly catchups with the Debt Collection Manager for alignment on team goals and escalations.
c. Call Monitoring
o Perform weekly call monitoring assessments and calibration sessions to ensure communication quality, compliance, and tone consistency.

d. Performance Dashboard
o Oversee daily management of the team's performance dashboard and ensure KPI visibility and achievement tracking.
Oversee daily and monthly team performance against DSO, collection targets, and outbound activity metrics.
Review attendance, adherence, and queue participation to maintain team discipline.
Conduct weekly call monitoring and provide feedback on tone, negotiation, and compliance.
Lead fortnightly team huddles to discuss updates, priorities, and challenges.

C. Process Leadership & Compliance

Oversee inbound/outbound queue management, ensuring timely response to customer calls and emails.
Maintain compliance with privacy laws, ACCC guidelines, and company credit policies.
Ensure all debt recovery actions are ethical, transparent, and aligned with business values.
Continuously refine and optimise AR processes to improve accuracy, cash flow, and efficiency.
a. Email, Phone and Compliance Adherence
o Daily supervision of the group email inbox
o Daily Monitoring of the Phone and Chat Dashboard ensuring that there are enough AR officers in the queue.
o Monitoring the AR officer's adherence in the phone system (Log in/Log out)
b. Admin Tasks
o Ensuring that the team are up to date with their Admin task as described above.
c. Second-in-Command
o Serve as the acting AR Manager in their absence, ensuring business continuity and decision-making consistency.

2. Operational and Strategic Management: As an Assistant AR Manager you will be asked to be hands on and manage your own ledger which encompasses the below responsibilities:
A. Portfolio & Collection Oversight: Contact individuals or businesses with overdue debts to facilitate payment.
Identify and follow up on overdue accounts to facilitate prompt payment.
Drive proactive outbound customer contact through calls and emails in line with company collection policies.
Respond to inbound calls related to debt enquiries, ensuring professionalism and resolution focus.
Provide guidance to debtors on repayment terms and offer tailored support to achieve resolution.

I. Own Ledger Management & Individual Performance Accountability

In addition to team leadership responsibilities, the Assistant AR Manager is required to personally manage an assigned Accounts Receivable portfolio, performing at the same operational standard as an Accounts Receivable Officer.
Key accountabilities include:
End to end ownership of an allocated debtor ledger, in line with Supagas credit policy, collections framework, and compliance requirements.
Execution of daily proactive outbound collection activities (calls, emails, written follow ups) to recover overdue balances.
Active management of aged debt, with particular focus on 60+ day balances, dispute resolution, and disciplined follow up on payment commitments.
Negotiation of payment arrangements and resolutions that protect cash flow while maintaining customer outcomes.
Accurate and timely documentation of all debtor interactions, payment arrangements, disputes, and escalation outcomes within the system.
Management of invoice copies, statements, credit allocations, unapplied cash, and banking queries relating to own portfolio.
Escalation of complex or high-risk accounts where required, while retaining accountability for end-to-end resolution.

II. Individual KPIs & Targets (In Addition to Team KPIs)
The Assistant AR Manager is accountable for achieving individual performance targets consistent with Accounts Receivable Officer benchmarks, reinforcing a hands on leadership approach and performance credibility.
Individual KPIs include, but are not limited to:
Overdue Percentage: Maintain overdue balances below 5% of Total Due on assigned ledger.
Days Sales Outstanding (DSO): Achieve and sustain DSO below 40 days.
Outbound Activity: Minimum 20 proactive outbound calls per day, subject to inbound demand.
Quality & Compliance: Full adherence to call quality standards, documentation accuracy, system usage, and regulatory obligations.
Scorecard Contribution: Individual results form part of the overall AR scorecard, alongside aggregated team performance.

B. Dispute Resolution & Stakeholder Collaboration: Facilitate or resolve disputes or issues related to outstanding debts by working closely with both internal and external stakeholder which includes but not limited to:

Resolve complex account issues by working closely with internal and external stakeholders.
Perform detailed account and invoice reconciliations to identify discrepancies.
Manage stop-supply decisions and reinstatements were appropriate.
Collaborate with branch teams to coordinate dehire processes or asset retrievals.
Raise and process credits where justified and escalate unresolved issues to Branch or Sales Managers.
Liaise with the Banking Team for payment misallocations and adjustments.
Maintain open communication with all relevant departments to ensure timely, customer-focused resolution of AR issues

C. Negotiation: Employ assertive yet respectful communication skills to facilitate repayment discussions and agreements.

Negotiate payment plans or settlements that are feasible for debtors while ensuring the company's interests are met.
Aim to recover as much owed money as possible while adhering to company policies and regulations.
Provide clear and concise explanations of debts, payment options, and consequences of non-payment.
Understanding of PPSR leveraging its use with aged debt collections

D. Documentation: Maintain accurate records of all communication and payment agreements made with debtors.

Ensure that all customer debt related interactions and touchpoints are properly documented via the notes in the system.

E. Monthly Business Reviews & Reporting
Prepare and present monthly AR performance reports, highlighting collection trends, overdue performance, and key risk accounts.
Maintaining Collection Performance Dashboard for visibility
Facilitate finalization on Monthly Scorecards and KPIs
Prepare regular reports on team performance, aging summaries, and collection activities such as:
o ATB Report
o Unallocated Cash
o Unapplied Credits
Identify root causes impacting cash flow and recommend corrective actions.
Partner with the AR Manager in business reviews with Finance and Operations leadership.

F. KPI's and Target Achievement: Ensuring that KPI's and Targets are consistently met every month.

Individual Targets:

Overdue % should always be below 5% of the Total Due
DSO should be less than 40 days.

Minimum of 20 proactive outbound calls daily
Minimum of 20 calls per day depending on volume of incoming calls

Scorecard Calculation:

Scorecard will be calculated as average of individual target achievement inclusive of the team that the Supervisor is managing

G. Administrative Responsibilities: Ensuring ad hoc tasks are done on timely manner to ensure efficient management of the ledger, which includes but not limited to:
Clearing unapplied Cash to reduce debt.
Allocating open credits to clear debt
Searching for missing payment
Run the daily milk run reports to aid collection efficiencies.
Complying with the work roster to ensure that there are enough people in the queue to answer and respond to incoming enquires (Phones, chat, and emails)
Sending of invoice copies, PODs upon request of the customer
Uploading invoices to certain platforms such as Coupa, Ariba, Tulia to facilitate payment.
Simultaneously managing the group email inbox
PPSR Email Management
National Voicemail Inbox Management
CW Risk Alerts
Sending of Invoice Statement via post upon demand
One on One weekly coaching with direct reports

H. Escalation Handling: Address escalated cases, resolve complex issues, and liaise with other departments, such as branch or sales team, as necessary.
Will be the first point of escalation when collectors need assistance in managing queries of complex nature.
Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders regarding AR matters
I. DCA and Bad Debt Write off: Reducing Write off % by means of exhausting due diligence which includes 3rd party DCA referral when necessary.
DCA and BDW approval that is less than $2000 of overall value
Able to assess account ABN status via ASIC and/or Creditor Watch
Timely completion and submission of the DCA & Bad debt write off forms on or before the cut-off date.
Liaise with the Corporate Legal Team regarding DCA and BDW enquiries.
Lodge Proof of Debt forms for accounts that have filed for administration, liquidation, or bankruptcy.

3. Process Improvement & Training:

A. Operational Excellence
Identify process gaps and implement improvements to streamline collections workflow.
Drive automation, efficiency, and system optimisation (e.g., Pronto, ARIBA, Coupa, Tulia).
Maintain process documentation, SOPs, and training materials.
B. Training & Onboarding
Lead the onboarding and training of new AR officers and ensure structured transition plans.
Drive and conduct extensive training and onboarding the newly hired Accounts Receivable Officers
Conduct refresher sessions on system processes, customer engagement, and compliance standards.
C. Continuous Improvement
Actively challenge the status quo and promote innovation in AR collection practices.
Participate in strategic projects and cross-functional initiatives that enhance AR performance and customer experience.

4. Leadership Presence and Culture:

Act as a role model of integrity, accountability, and professionalism.
Uphold the Yes We Can ethos — proactive, solution-oriented, and service-driven.
Promote a safety-first and people-first culture.
Build engagement through empathy, recognition, and transparent communication.
Represent Supagas positively, ensuring full compliance with company policies and Australian laws.
Collaborate with the Debt Collection Manager to refine systems and inform strategic direction.
Actively contribute to business improvement initiatives and ad hoc projects as required.