Senior Accounts Receivable Lead

Rhenus SE & Co. KG; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Rhenus SE & Co. KG is seeking an Accounts Receivable lead in the UK to oversee the AR Team within our Shared Services Organisation.

You will manage end-to-end AR processes, ensuring timely debt collection and accurate posting of cash while developing the AR team. The role requires hands-on leadership, regular 1:1s and performance reviews, plus close collaboration with Sales, Operations and Customer Service to optimise cash flow and service levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop a hybrid team comprising three UK Market Collectors, one Ireland Market Collector, one Cash Allocation Clerk and one Customer and Vendor Master Data Clerk, conducting regular 1:1s, performance reviews, objective setting, development discussions and team meetings.
• Act as a hands-on leader, providing operational support and cover during annual leave, absence and peak workload periods to ensure service continuity across Collections, Cash Allocation and Master Data activities.
• Manage team resources, workload allocation, wellbeing and hybrid working arrangements to maintain high levels of performance, engagement and customer service.
• Lead collection activities across the UK and Ireland customer portfolios, ensuring cash collection, overdue debt and DSO targets are achieved.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex disputes, payment issues, high-risk accounts, payment plans and customer negotiations, working closely with Sales, Commercial, Operations and Customer Service teams to resolve issues and improve customer outcomes.
• Own legal recovery and insolvency activities, including management of debt collection agencies, solicitors and insolvency practitioners, whilst overseeing claims, proof of debt submissions, recoveries, bad debt exposure and write-off recommendations.
• Oversee the timely and accurate allocation of customer receipts, ensuring unapplied cash is minimised and allocation controls are maintained.
• Oversee customer and vendor master data processes, ensuring data integrity, appropriate approvals, compliance with internal controls and segregation of duties.
• Own the weekly, monthly and ad hoc OTC reporting cycle, ensuring all reports are accurate, quality checked, distributed on time and accompanied by meaningful commentary, analysis, risks and recommended actions.
• Present performance trends, risks, opportunities and corrective actions to the Transactional Finance Manager and other key stakeholders.
• Maintain effective financial controls, documented procedures and audit readiness across the OTC function.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement by identifying opportunities for standardisation, automation, process simplification and operational efficiency.
• Support wider Shared Services, Finance transformation and business change initiatives, together with any other duties appropriate to the role.

Job description

Rhenus SE & Co. KG is seeking an Accounts Receivable lead in the UK to oversee the AR Team within our Shared Services Organisation.

You will manage end-to-end AR processes, ensuring timely debt collection and accurate posting of cash while developing the AR team. The role requires hands-on leadership, regular 1:1s and performance reviews, plus close collaboration with Sales, Operations and Customer Service to optimise cash flow and service levels.