Accounts Receivable Accountant

Confidential appears to be involved in sales operations and technology, with roles spanning internal sales coordination, external sales, AI engineering, and operational management.

Job Title: AR Accountant – Commercial Function: Finance Business Unit: Commercial Operations Location: Egypt Reports To: Commercial Accounting Manager Purpose of the Role The AR Accountant – Commercial is responsible for managing day-to-day accounts receivable activities across assigned branches and customer accounts, ensuring accurate customer records, timely cash application, effective collection follow-up, and proper reconciliation of receivables. The role supports customer credit management, commercial accounting, cash control, and financial reporting while ensuring compliance with company policies, applicable accounting standards, and internal controls. It works closely with sales, distribution, and finance teams to resolve discrepancies, minimize overdue balances, and support effective working capital management. Operating Context The role operates within a dynamic FMCG environment characterized by high-volume commercial transactions, multiple distribution channels, a broad customer base, and varying customer payment terms. It requires strong attention to detail, effective collection follow-up, accurate financial record keeping, and close coordination with commercial and finance teams to maintain receivables accuracy, support cash flow, and ensure consistent financial controls across assigned locations. Key Responsibilities Accounts Receivable & Collections Monitor customer outstanding balances and follow up on collections across assigned branches and customer accounts. Prepare and maintain accounts receivable aging reports, identifying overdue balances and escalating collection risks to the line manager. Reconcile customer accounts and investigate discrepancies to ensure accurate financial records. Coordinate with sales teams and customers to resolve disputed invoices, short payments, deductions, and other collection issues. Maintain collection follow-up records, including customer payment commitments, and monitor adherence to agreed payment dates. Ensure customer receipts, including cash, cheques, and bank transfers, are accurately allocated to customer accounts within agreed timelines. Investigate and clear unapplied cash and suspense balances promptly. Support collection planning and provide regular updates on overdue accounts and collection performance. Customer Credit Management Ensure customer transactions comply with approved credit limits, payment terms, and company credit policies. Support new customer account setups and updates to customer master data, ensuring required documentation and approvals are obtained. Monitor customer credit utilization and overdue balances, reporting exceptions and potential credit risks to the line manager. Support the implementation of credit blocks and releases in accordance with approved procedures. Maintain customer credit documentation, including approved credit limits, payment terms, and available securities. Assist with periodic customer credit reviews and provide relevant payment history and outstanding balance information. AR Reconciliation, Provisioning & Reporting Prepare regular reconciliations of customer accounts and support monthly reconciliation of the accounts receivable subledger to the general ledger. Issue customer statements of account and follow up on outstanding confirmations and discrepancies. Prepare supporting schedules for expected credit loss (ECL) and doubtful debt provisions in accordance with applicable accounting standards and company policies. Provide supporting documentation for proposed bad debt write-offs and other receivables adjustments. Prepare periodic receivables reports, including aging, days sales outstanding (DSO), overdue percentages, and collection performance. Identify discrepancies, aged balances, and potential bad debt risks, escalating significant issues to the line manager. Maintain complete supporting documentation for customer balances, receipts, adjustments, and reconciliations. Commercial Accounting & Sales Transactions Record and verify sales-related financial transactions, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and appropriate supporting documentation. Review sales invoices, discounts, credit notes, sales returns, rebates, and trade promotion settlements in accordance with established procedures. Ensure customer credit notes and adjustments have the required approvals before processing. Support the review and recording of commercial and marketing expenditure transactions where applicable. Investigate discrepancies between sales records, invoices, customer accounts, and receipts. Coordinate with sales and other relevant departments to resolve transaction-related issues promptly. Cash, Bank & Payables Support Perform assigned cash and bank reconciliation activities and investigate outstanding reconciling items. Support petty cash reconciliation and ensure transactions are properly documented and approved. Verify supporting documentation for supplier invoices and other assigned financial transactions before processing. Ensure cash receipts and related documentation are recorded accurately and submitted in accordance with established procedures. Report cash discrepancies, irregularities, and control weaknesses to the line manager promptly. Financial Reporting & Periodic Close Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly financial reports relating to assigned customer accounts and commercial transactions. Support month-end closing activities by preparing reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, and supporting schedules as required. Investigate discrepancies and assist with the preparation of variance analysis and financial reporting. Ensure all assigned financial records are complete, accurate, and submitted within established reporting deadlines. Coordinate with other finance team members to resolve outstanding accounting items and support timely financial reporting. Finished Goods Inventory & Stock Control Support finished goods inventory reporting and reconciliation across assigned branches, where applicable. Participate in physical stock counts and ensure count records are accurately documented. Reconcile stock count results with accounting records and investigate discrepancies. Prepare supporting documentation for inventory adjustments and ensure appropriate approvals are obtained. Coordinate with warehouse, distribution, and relevant operational teams to resolve inventory-related discrepancies. Compliance, Internal Controls & Audit Support Comply with company accounting policies, financial procedures, internal controls, and applicable Egyptian statutory requirements. Maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready financial documentation. Provide supporting schedules, reconciliations, and transaction records for internal and external audits. Ensure all transactions are supported by appropriate documentation and approvals. Identify and report discrepancies, irregularities, and potential control weaknesses to the line manager. Support the implementation of corrective actions and improvements to accounting processes. Coordination & Stakeholder Management Coordinate with sales, distribution, customer service, and finance teams to resolve customer account and transaction discrepancies. Follow up with customers and internal stakeholders regarding outstanding balances, payment commitments, and disputed invoices. Respond to routine accounting queries and provide accurate information on customer balances and payment status. Maintain effective working relationships with relevant stakeholders to support timely collections and accurate financial reporting. Qualifications & Experience Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field is mandatory. Professional accounting qualification or certification is an advantage. Minimum 3–5 years of relevant experience in accounting or finance, preferably in accounts receivable, credit control, or collections. Hands-on experience managing customer accounts, collections, reconciliations, and cash application in a high-volume environment. Experience in FMCG, retail, distribution, or a similar commercial environment is preferred. Experience working with multiple customers, branches, or distribution channels is an advantage. Experience using ERP systems is required, with exposure to receivables and credit management modules such as SAP or Microsoft Dynamics preferred. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial reporting tools is essential. Required Skills & Competencies Good knowledge of accounts receivable, customer reconciliations, credit control, and collections. Understanding of the order-to-cash (O2C) cycle and commercial accounting processes. Knowledge of accounting principles, financial controls, and reconciliation procedures. Basic understanding of IFRS 9 and expected credit loss provisioning is an advantage. Strong numerical, analytical, and problem-solving skills. High attention to detail and commitment to financial accuracy. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including lookup functions, pivot tables, and reconciliation techniques. Good communication and follow-up skills when dealing with customers and internal stakeholders. Ability to organize workloads, prioritize outstanding items, and meet reporting deadlines. High integrity, accountability, and commitment to company policies and procedures. Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced commercial environment. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Collection Performance: Achievement of assigned collection targets and timely follow-up on outstanding balances. Overdue Receivables: Maintenance of overdue balances within agreed targets and timely escalation of overdue accounts. Cash Application: Customer receipts allocated within one business day, with no unapplied cash outstanding for more than five business days. Account Reconciliation: Customer accounts reconciled accurately and discrepancies resolved within agreed timelines. Reporting Timeliness: Accurate and timely submission of receivables reports and supporting schedules. Month-End Closing: Completion of assigned reconciliations and closing activities within the established closing calendar. Credit Control: Compliance with approved customer credit limits and payment terms, with unauthorized exceptions promptly reported. Documentation & Compliance: Complete supporting documentation for transactions, reconciliations, and customer adjustments. Cash & Bank Controls: Assigned reconciliations completed on time and discrepancies investigated promptly. Audit Readiness: Accurate and accessible financial records, with audit requests supported within agreed timelines. Issue Resolution: Timely resolution or escalation of customer disputes, unapplied cash, and reconciliation differences. Show more

An Accounts Receivable Accountant manages customer accounts and ensures accurate recording of payments. The role involves data entry, preparing statements, and generating aging reports to support financial processes.