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Debtors / Accounts Receivable Administrator

  • Glenwood, Durban
POSITION: Debtors / Accounts Receivable Administrator (3-month probationary period)
LOCATION:Glenwood, Durban
REPORTING TO: Financial Accountant/ Financial Director

Role Overview
We are seeking a competent, detail-oriented, and proactive Debtors / Accounts Receivable Administrator
to join our Finance team. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining accurate customer
accounts, preparing and issuing customer statements, allocating receipts, performing account and bank reconciliations,
resolving customer account queries and supporting the overall management of the Accounts Receivable function.
We supply in local and international owned vessels; therefore, the role involves transactions in multiple currencies,
primarily South African Rand, US Dollar and Euro. The successful candidate should therefore be comfortable working
with foreign currency transactions and understanding the impact of exchange rates and foreign exchange gains and losses.
The position requires someone who takes ownership of their responsibilities, works well under pressure, and is prepared to
take initiative to ensure deadlines and Finance Department objectives are achieved.

Tasks and Responsibilities:
Accounts Receivable & Customer Statements
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date customer accounts on Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
  • Prepare, review and distribute customer statements accurately and timeously.
  • Ensure customer invoices, credit notes, payments, and other account transactions are correctly reflected on customer accounts.
  • Perform regular customer account reconciliations.
  • Investigate and resolve billing discrepancies, unmatched transactions and account differences.
  • Follow up on outstanding reconciling items and ensure they are cleared promptly.
  • Respond to customer account and statement queries professionally and timeously.
  • Assist with the resolution of customer disputes in conjunction with the relevant operational and management teams.
  • Cash Receipts & Payment Allocations
  • Ensure customer receipts and payment allocations are processed daily.
  • Check payment allocation batches for accuracy and completeness before they are signed off and posted.
  • Allocate receipts against the correct customer accounts and invoices.
  • Investigate unidentified and incorrectly referenced customer deposits.
  • Review and actively reduce unallocated bank deposits.
  • Ensure outstanding allocations and reconciling items are followed up and cleared promptly.
  • Maintain adequate supporting documentation and audit trails for payment allocations.
  • Foreign Currency Transactions
  • Process and reconcile customer transactions denominated in ZAR, USD and EUR.
  • Calculate the ZAR equivalent of foreign currency invoices and customer payments using the appropriate exchange rates for management reports.
  • Understand the accounting impact of exchange-rate movements on customer accounts.
  • Identify and assist with the reconciliation of realised and unrealised foreign exchange gains and losses.
  • Investigate foreign currency differences arising between invoicing, receipt and settlement dates.
  • Ensure foreign currency receipts are correctly allocated and accounted for in Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Customer Master Data
  • Assist with the onboarding and creation of new customer accounts on Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
  • Process approved amendments to existing customer master data.
  • Maintain accurate customer information, payment terms, currencies, billing details and other relevant account information.

Commissions & Rebates
  • Assist with the preparation and reconciliation of customer commission and rebate calculations.
  • Verify supporting sales and customer information used in commission and rebate calculations.
  • Investigate discrepancies and ensure calculations agree to the underlying accounting records.
  • Maintain supporting schedules and documentation for review and audit purposes.

Credit Control & Bad Debts
  • Identify potentially problematic or high-risk accounts and escalate these to management.
  • Assist with the management and reporting of bad and doubtful debts.
  • Liaise with management regarding long-outstanding accounts, disputed balances and potential write-offs.
  • Maintain appropriate supporting schedules relating to doubtful debts and bad-debt provisions.

Bank & General Reconciliations
  • Assist with and perform bank reconciliations as required.
  • Investigate unidentified deposits, reconciling items and discrepancies between bank transactions and accounting records.
  • Ensure outstanding bank reconciliation items are investigated and cleared promptly.
  • Assist with other Balance Sheet and customer-related reconciliations as required

Monthly Reporting may include:
  • Debtors ageing analysis.
  • Outstanding customer balances.
  • Unallocated customer receipts and bank deposits.
  • Customer account reconciliation status.
  • Overdue and high-risk accounts.
  • Customer disputes and unresolved queries.
  • Bad and doubtful debt exposure.
  • Foreign currency balances and reconciling items.
  • Commission and rebate schedules.
  • Other Accounts Receivable KPIs and management information as required.

Audit & Compliance
  • Assist with internal and external audit requirements relating to Accounts Receivable, banking and customer accounts.
  • Prepare supporting schedules, reconciliations and documentation requested by auditors.

Skills & Competencies
  • Strong Accounts Receivable / Debtors administration experience.
  • Excellent account reconciliation skills.
  • Strong numerical and analytical ability.
  • Good understanding of accounting principles relating to debtors and cash receipts.
  • Experience working with multiple currencies, particularly ZAR, USD and EUR. (highly advantageous)
  • Understanding of foreign exchange gains and losses would be highly advantageous.
  • Ability to calculate ZAR equivalents of foreign currency invoices and payments.
  • Strong Microsoft Excel and general computer skills.
  • Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
  • Ability to identify and investigate discrepancies rather than simply process transactions.
  • Strong organisational and time-management skills.
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
  • Good written and verbal communication skills.
  • Professional approach when dealing with customers and internal stakeholders.
  • Ability to work independently while remaining a strong team player.
  • Willingness to assist other members of the Finance team when required.

Personal Attributes
  • Takes ownership and accountability for their work.
  • Is proactive and takes initiative without requiring constant supervision.
  • Has a strong sense of urgency.
  • Is dependable and consistent.
  • Pays close attention to detail at all times.
  • Is comfortable investigating problems and following them through to resolution.
  • Communicates clearly and professionally.
  • Is willing to learn and develop within the Finance function.
  • Works collaboratively and readily assists colleagues when required.

Minimum Requirements
Matric / Grade 12.
  • Relevant qualification in Accounting, Finance, Bookkeeping or a related field would be advantageous.
  • Previous experience in a Debtors / Accounts Receivable / Finance Administration position.
  • Practical experience performing customer account reconciliations.
  • Experience with payment allocations, customer statements and debtor queries.
  • Good Microsoft Excel skills.

Preference may be given to candidates with experience in:
  • Foreign currency accounting.
  • Foreign exchange gains and losses.
  • USD and EUR customer accounts.
  • Commissions and rebates.
  • Bad-debt management.
  • Customer master-data maintenance.