Credit Control Manager

HOS Global Foods; New Jersey; On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

House of Spices is seeking a Credit Control Manager to oversee credit and collection activities across the U.S. You will manage credit limits, payment terms, and collections, while addressing disputes and maintaining strong customer relationships.

The role requires 5+ years in credit control, 2+ years of people management, and travel of about two weeks per month. Proficiency with ERP systems and Excel is expected, in a fast-paced food distribution environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; 5+ years in credit, accounts receivable, collections or credit control.
• 2+ years of people management.
• Willingness to travel 2 weeks per month.
• Experience with credit limits and payment terms.

Responsibilities

• Manage customer credit and collection activities across the U.S.
• Monitor AR aging and overdue balances; maintain DSO target.
• Review and resolve customer disputes, deductions, and chargebacks.
• Maintain relationships with Accounts Payable and Finance contacts.
• Prepare weekly/monthly credit and collection reports; support audits.

Skills

Credit management

AR aging

Negotiation

Excel (Pivot, Lookups)

ERP systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Job description

House of Spices is a deeply rooted brand within the food industry, leading the specialty food and ingredient category for over 50 years. Fast-forward from its start as a homegrown family business, House of Spices has become a middle-market wholesale/manufacturer which includes multiple distribution networks across the country. Although the business has and continues to expand rapidly, the brand is still family-owned and home-based out of the NYC metro area. We are looking for talented individuals to join our ACARE culture!

Summary/Objective:

The Credit Control Manager is responsible for managing HOS India's customer credit and collection activities across the U.S. This role will ensure customers are given appropriate credit limits and payment terms; outstanding balances are collected on time, and credit risks are identified and addressed early. The Credit Control Manager will work closely with Sales, Customer Service, Finance, and Operations to resolve payment issues, manage customer disputes, and maintain strong customer relationships.

Essential Functions

• Credit Management
• Evaluate credit applications for new customers.
• Monitor customer credit exposure and payment history.
• Identify customers with increasing credit risk or overdue balances.
• Recommend credit limit changes, revised payment terms, or credit holds when necessary.
• Work with Sales to balance customer growth with appropriate credit risk.
• Maintain accurate customer credit information in the ERP system.
• Review customer accounts regularly to ensure credit limits remain appropriate.

2. Collections & Accounts Receivable

• Manage the collection of outstanding customer balances.
• Monitor AR aging and ensure overdue accounts receive timely follow-up.
• Maintain company DSO target of 35–40 days.
• Establish collection priorities based on customer balance, risk, and aging.
• Escalate significantly overdue or high-risk accounts to Finance leadership.
• Monitor customer payment commitments and ensure follow-up.
• Review cash collections against monthly targets.
• Support month-end AR reconciliation and reporting.
• Monitor and reduce unapplied cash balances.

3. Customer Disputes & Deductions

• Monitor and manage customer deductions, chargebacks, short payments, and disputed invoices.
• Work with Sales, Customer Service, and Operations to identify and resolve the reason for non-payment.
• Ensure valid deductions are properly recorded and invalid deductions are challenged. o Track outstanding disputes and ensure timely resolution.
• Identify recurring billing or operational issues that contribute to deductions.
• Escalate significant or unresolved customer disputes when necessary.

4. Customer Relationships

• Maintain professional relationships with key customer Accounts Payable and Finance contacts.
• Communicate proactively with customers regarding outstanding balances and payment expectations.
• Work with key customers to resolve payment issues while maintaining positive business relationships.
• Negotiate payment arrangements for customers experiencing temporary financial or operational challenges, with appropriate Finance approval.
• Support Sales and Finance leadership with sensitive customer credit and collection matters.

5. Reporting & Controls

• Prepare weekly and monthly reports on:
• DSO
• AR aging
• Cash collections
• Past-due balances
• Unapplied cash
• Provide regular updates to the VP of Finance / Controller.
• Identify trends and potential credit risks and recommend corrective actions.
• Maintain accurate credit and customer account records.
• Develop and maintain credit and collection procedures and controls.
• Support internal and external audits related to credit and accounts receivable.

7. Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve credit and collection processes.
• Reduce manual work and improve collection efficiency.
• Support automation of collections, cash application, reporting, and customer account management.
• Improve reporting and visibility into customer credit risk and outstanding receivables.
• Support ERP and process improvement initiatives.

Required Qualification and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field preferred. 5+ years of experience in credit, accounts receivable, collections, or credit control.
• 2+ years of people management.
• Please note this role requires someone who can travel 2 weeks in a month.
• Experience managing customer credit limits and payment terms.
• Strong experience with collections and AR aging.
• Experience handling customer disputes, deductions, chargebacks, and short payments. Experience managing large or high-volume customer accounts.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Experience with an ERP system; Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central preferred. Strong analytical, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively with Sales, Finance, Customer Service, and Operations. Experience in food distribution, CPG, grocery, wholesale distribution, or a similar high-volume industry. Experience with large grocery chains, wholesale customers, or independent retailers.
• Experience with customer deductions, rebates, chargebacks, and short payments. Experience with EDI, customer portals, or automated cash application.
• Experience with credit or AR automation tools. Bilingual or multilingual skills are a plus.

House of Spices Inc. India provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.