Purpose
The Manager of Credit & Collections leads the company's commercial credit and collections functions, directing teams responsible for credit risk, customer onboarding, past-due collections, dispute resolution, and recovery. The role accelerates collections, minimizes bad-debt exposure, and supports profitable growth while maintaining strong customer relationships.
Responsibilities
- Credit Management
- Lead credit review and approval processes for new and existing customers, including shippers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs).
- Evaluate customer financial strength using credit reports, industry data, payment history, and other risk indicators.
- Establish and maintain credit approvals, payment terms, and account restrictions based on risk assessments; review contract credit provisions as needed.
- Monitor delinquency, credit exposure, and signs of financial distress (bankruptcies, liens, legal notices); mitigate bad-debt and fraud risk.
- Maintain credit policies, procedures, documentation standards, and internal controls.
- Collections Management
- Lead and develop the team responsible for collecting past-due freight and logistics invoices.
- Establish collection strategies and priorities to reduce delinquency, improve cash flow, and minimize bad debt; monitor aging reports and collection performance.
- Manage or direct collection efforts for high-risk, strategic, and complex accounts, and resolve escalated matters involving large balances, disputed invoices, bankruptcies, and distressed customers.
- Partner with Sales, Billing, Pricing, Operations, and Customer Service to resolve invoice disputes that delay payment.
- Oversee placement of delinquent accounts with outside agencies or attorneys and coordinate legal collection activity, including demand letters, litigation referrals, bankruptcy and preference claims, and settlements.
- Ensure collection activities comply with applicable laws, contractual requirements, and company policies.
- Leadership & Team Development
- Hire, coach, develop, and evaluate Credit and Collections personnel; set performance goals, service expectations, and accountability measures.
- Develop staff capabilities in commercial credit analysis, collection techniques, negotiation, dispute resolution, and bankruptcy administration.
- Manage workload, staffing, cross-training, and process-improvement priorities; promote a culture of customer service, accountability, continuous improvement, and teamwork.
- Reporting & Analytics
- Monitor key performance indicators, including Days Beyond Terms (DBT), Open Beyond Terms (OBT), aging trends, Collection Effectiveness Index (CEI), bad-debt expense, recovery rates, and credit exposure.
- Prepare and present reports to senior leadership regarding credit risk, collection performance, delinquency trends, cash-flow impact, and bad-debt exposure.
- Partner with Business Analysts and Process Improvement Specialists to implement company-approved tools, including AI-enabled solutions and automation, that streamline credit and collections processes and reporting. Lead team adoption while safeguarding confidential financial and customer information.
Other Duties
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
- Provide backup support for critical Credit and Collections functions when needed.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Transportation Management, or a related field preferred. Equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
- Experience
- Five to ten years of progressive experience in commercial credit, collections, risk management, or related financial operations.
- Three or more years of leadership experience managing Credit or Collections teams; transportation industry experience preferred.
- Experience with commercial credit analysis, collections strategy, and high-volume collection operations; experience with outside agencies, bankruptcy matters, and legal counsel preferred.
- Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong knowledge of commercial credit practices, risk assessment, financial statement analysis, collection practices, bankruptcy processes, and legal recovery procedures.
- Knowledge of freight billing, transportation pricing, accessorial charges, claims, and deductions, and experience evaluating the creditworthiness of shippers, brokers, and 3PLs, preferred.
- Strong leadership, coaching, negotiation, analytical, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to make timely, well-supported decisions in a fast-paced environment.
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel; experience with transportation management, credit reporting, collections, and customer account systems preferred.
- Ability to handle confidential financial and customer information with discretion.
Working Conditions/Physical Requirements
- Fast-paced, indoor office environment with primarily sedentary computer and telephone work and regular interaction across departments and with customers.
- Primarily sedentary work. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. May be occasionally required to exert up to 15 pounds of force and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects including the human body. Walking and standing are only required occasionally.
- The general office environment is generally favorable. Lighting and temperature are adequate, and there are minimal hazardous or unpleasant conditions caused by noise, dust, etc. Environment includes co-workers talking on the phone within close proximity.
- Subject to inside environmental conditions and protected for weather conditions and extreme temperature change.
- Visual Acuity including regular use of items including a computer screen or monitor.
- Manual dexterity is regularly required including fingering, grasping, and typing; manual dexterity includes repetitive motion of the wrists, hands, and fingers.
- Talking and hearing required to communication with and listen to others to share or receive information. May be occasionally exposed to noise including telephone, office machinery, and conversations of others.
