Senior Credit Manager

Essential Functions

This position is responsible for:

• Approaching work with a Continuous Improvement (CI) mindset and serving as an example of living our Shehadey Family Foods Core Values & Purpose.


• Always ensuring the integrity of the accounts receivable and cash collection processes and controls, including segregation of duties.


• Demonstrating, promoting, and ensuring an outstanding level of service to internal and external customers.


• Owning collection performance across all divisions and ensuring accounts receivable balances are recovered within terms.


• Monitoring the financial position and payment behavior of established accounts across all divisions and acting on irregularities as they arise.


• Establishing the standard receivable reporting used across the company, including aging, days sales outstanding, and past-due trend reporting, and distributing it to division and executive leadership on a defined cadence.


• Leading recurring receivable reviews with division leadership and sales management to resolve past-due accounts and align on collection strategy.


• Partnering with key stakeholders at every division to secure timely recovery of accounts receivable balances. These stakeholders include the General Managers, the VP of Sales, General Sales Managers, branch managers, and the divisional controllers.


• Investigating and verifying the financial status of prospective customers applying for credit and preparing documents to substantiate findings so that a determination may be made.


• Assessing the credit risk of prospective and marginal accounts, refreshing the analysis on existing customers, and approving credit sales, terms, and credit limits within delegated authority.


• Supervising, training, and developing the accounts receivable team, including assigning and balancing account portfolios, setting performance expectations, and managing performance.


• Managing the company’s relationships with commercial credit reporting and trade credit agencies, including submitting company receivable data and using agency reporting to support credit decisions.


• Communicating actively with the sales and distribution functions at each division to prevent and resolve customer invoice and receivable disputes.


• Overseeing the accounts receivable team to ensure timely cash posting, cash reconciliation, and regular balancing of customer accounts, and providing documented oversight of all account adjustments and write-offs within approved authority thresholds to confirm appropriate collection due diligence has occurred.


• Ensuring cash application and cash reconciliation are completed accurately and on time across the divisions, and providing hands-on support when volume or absence requires it.


• Maintaining strong internal communication within the finance organization, working closely with the Route and Systems Manager, the divisional controllers, the VP Corporate Controller, and the CFO.


• Maintaining strong external customer communication to ensure accurate and timely resolution of customer questions.


• Developing, documenting, and maintaining a single credit and accounts receivable policy applied consistently across all divisions, covering credit application and approval, customer credit set-up, terms, credit holds, payment arrangements, adjustments, and write-off authority.


• Overseeing the resolution of returned and dishonored payments, including recovery, fees, and any resulting change to customer terms.


• Approving, monitoring, and periodically reviewing customer payment arrangements and payment plans.


• Working closely with the CFO and General Counsel on matters that require third-party collection and litigation involvement.


• Identifying system improvement opportunities, including SOPs, essential documentation, implementation, and the training associated with these changes.


• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Mandatory Job Requirements

To be eligible for this position, an individual must possess the following requirements to perform the essential job functions:

• Must be able to sit and work at a computer workstation for extended periods.


• Must possess intermediate mathematics skills sufficient to analyze aging, account balances, and credit exposure.


• Must possess strong reading comprehension for credit reports, financial statements, contracts, and lien and UCC documentation.


• Must be able to communicate clearly by telephone, in writing, and in person with customers and with internal stakeholders in every division.


• Must be able to lift and carry up to 10 lbs. and fulfill the other physical requirements of the position detailed in the “Physical Requirements” section.


• Must hold a valid driver’s license and be able to travel to customer sites and to Company locations across all divisions.


• Must be able to work overtime as demanded by the business cycle, including month-end and period-end close.


• Must be able to contribute to a safe work environment.

Minimum — Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or other related field, or equivalent experience.


• 5+ years progressive experience in Credit Management, Sales, Pricing, and/or Customer Service.


• 2+ years of direct supervisory experience leading a credit, collections, or accounting team.


• Strong ability to effectively communicate, both written and verbal.


• Exceptional analytical skills coupled with the ability to translate findings into actionable items.


• Forensic mindset to investigate and resolve complex account activity.


• Critical thinking skills with ability to problem solve and negotiate.


• Self-directed and committed to building a supportive, positive, and high-performance culture.


• Professional demeanor and strong business acumen.


• Strong working knowledge of commercial credit reporting and trade credit agencies and how to apply their reporting to credit decisions.


• Results oriented and focused on continuous process improvement.


• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure.


• Must possess a customer-centric mindset along with the ability to build strong relationships.


• Strong computer skills — proficient in the use of MS Office Suite required.


• Ability to work effectively with multiple divisions, business models, and customer bases simultaneously.

Preferred — Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Experience with credit scoring systems.


• Knowledge of the different types of liens.


• Experience with Numeric Computer Systems.


• Prior experience with UCC filings, personal guarantees, and bankruptcy processes.


• Prior experience managing credit across multiple divisions or operating companies.