Collections Specialist

Hearst Magazines; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

Hearst Magazines in Dallas is seeking a Collections Specialist to drive timely accounts receivable collections in a SaaS and services-based revenue model, ensuring ASC 606 compliance and strong internal controls.

This role emphasizes execution excellence—managing assigned customer accounts, resolving payment issues, and partnering cross-functionally to optimize working capital while preserving customer relationships.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of experience in collections, accounts receivable, or customer billing environments.
• Experience in SaaS, subscription, or services-based businesses strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of collections best practices and customer account management.

Responsibilities

• Manage an assigned portfolio of customer accounts to ensure timely payment of invoices and optimize cash collections.
• Execute collection activities, including outreach, negotiations, payment plan coordination, and escalation as needed.
• Proactively contact customers regarding balances to maintain positive relationships.
• Track collection activity and follow-up actions to ensure timely resolution.
• Investigate and coordinate resolution of payment disputes related to pricing, invoicing, or service delivery.
• Partner with Billing, AR, Revenue, and other stakeholders to resolve customer issues efficiently.
• Support AR remediation, unapplied cash investigations, and reconciliation between subledgers and the general ledger.

Skills

Collections management

Customer negotiations

Cross-functional collaboration

Process improvement

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's / Associate in Accounting or Finance

Tools

Zuora

Oracle ERP

Job description

Location: Dallas, TX (Hybrid)

Reports to: Accounting Manager

Department: Finance & Accounting

Position Summary

The Collections Specialist is responsible for the timely and effective collection of customer receivables within a SaaS and services-based revenue model, supporting strong cash flow, accurate AR aging, and customer account resolution in compliance with ASC 606 and internal control standards.

This role focuses on execution excellence—proactively managing assigned customer accounts, resolving payment issues, and partnering cross-functionally to ensure disputes are addressed quickly and professionally. The Collections Specialist plays a critical role in working capital optimization while preserving customer relationships and supporting audit-ready processes.

Key Responsibilities

Collections Execution & Account Management

• Manage an assigned portfolio of customer accounts to ensure timely payment of invoices and optimize cash collections.
• Execute strategic collection activities, including proactive outreach, executive-level customer negotiations, payment plan coordination, and appropriate escalation of delinquent accounts.
• Proactively contact customers regarding upcoming and past-due balances via email and phone while maintaining positive customer relationships.
• Track collection activity, payment commitments, and follow-up actions to ensure timely resolution.
• Escalate delinquent accounts in accordance with established AR policies and coordinate legal escalations when necessary to support contract enforcement.

SaaS Billing & ASC 606 Alignment

• Understand contract terms, billing schedules, and payment obligations within a SaaS environment.
• Partner with Billing, AR, and Revenue teams to ensure collections activity aligns with invoiced amounts, contractual terms, and revenue recognition requirements.
• Identify billing or contract issues impacting collections and collaborate with the Billing and Revenue Manager to drive timely resolution.
• Recognize when billing or contract issues—not payment intent—are driving delinquency and route appropriately.
• Maintain awareness of ASC 606 considerations to ensure collections activities support revenue recognition compliance.

Dispute Resolution & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Investigate and coordinate resolution of payment disputes related to pricing, invoicing, or service delivery.
• Support AR remediation efforts by coordinating billing dispute resolution, credit balance resolution, and unapplied cash investigations.
• Partner with Billing, AR Manager, Revenue, RCS, Customer Success, and other stakeholders to resolve customer issues efficiently.
• Build strong relationships with customer stakeholders, including executive-level contacts when necessary, while preserving positive customer relationships and enforcing payment terms.

Cash Application & Reconciliation Support

• Partner with AR and Accounting to ensure payments are applied accurately and timely.
• Assist in identifying unapplied cash, short payments, offsets, and credit balances requiring investigation and resolution.
• Provide documentation and context to support reconciliation between the AR subledger and general ledger.

Reporting, Controls & Documentation

• Maintain accurate records of collection activity, correspondence, and dispute resolution.
• Support AR reporting, including aging schedules and collection status updates.
• Ensure collection activities comply with internal controls, documented SOPs, and audit requirements.

Continuous Improvement & Process Support

• Identify recurring collection issues and recommend process improvements to strengthen collections effectiveness and customer experience.
• Analyze collection trends, identify risks impacting cash flow, and proactively recommend opportunities for automation and process optimization.
• Support AR remediation initiatives, including legacy aging cleanup and continuous improvement of collections workflows.
• Contribute to initiatives focused on reducing Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), minimizing aged receivables, and improving overall working capital performance.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of experience in collections, accounts receivable, or customer billing environments.
• Experience in SaaS, subscription, or services-based businesses strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of collections best practices and customer account management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to ASC 606 concepts or revenue-related accounting environments.
• Experience with ERP or billing systems (Oracle, Zuora, or similar).
• Experience supporting AR remediation or transformation initiatives.

Key Competencies

• Results-Oriented: Persistent, organized, and focused on outcomes.
• Professional Communicator: Able to navigate sensitive customer conversations diplomatically.
• Detail-Oriented: Accurate documentation and follow-through.
• Collaborative Partner: Works effectively with AR, Billing, RCS, and Accounting.
• Policy-Aware: Understands and adheres to internal controls and compliance requirements.

Success Metrics

• Reduction in assigned past-due AR balances.
• Reduction in Days Sales Outstanding (DSO).
• Reduction in accounts aged greater than 90 days.
• Timely resolution of billing disputes, unapplied cash, and credit balance issues.
• Improved cash collection performance and customer payment compliance.
• Clean audit support for collections activity.
• Positive internal and external stakeholder feedback.

This position does not provide sponsorship. All applicants should either be US Citizens or Permanent Residents eligible to work in the US without immigration restrictions.