Direct Bill Manager

Howden; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Flexible Paid Time Off

Life and Disability insurance

Job summary

Howden Specialty LLC in Charlotte, NC is seeking a Direct Bill Manager on a hybrid schedule. You will oversee Direct Bill operations for Health & Benefits and Private Client portfolios, ensuring timely collection, reconciliation, and processing of statements, while coordinating with offshore and on-shore teams.

The role involves directing offshore reconciliation activities, resolving billing discrepancies, monitoring aging, and driving timely resolution of unapplied cash and other at-risk items

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of the Direct Bill lifecycle and statement reconciliation.
• Experience leading offshore reconciliation teams and month-end processing.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills for financial and operational data.
• Proven ability to communicate clearly with stakeholders and drive results.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end Direct Bill operations for Health & Benefits and Private Client portfolios, with clear escalation protocols.
• Manage collection of carrier and vendor statements and direct offshore reconciliations within timelines.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between carrier statements and agency records; ensure accurate postings.
• Monitor aging and outstanding balances; follow up to clear unapplied cash and past-due items.
• Provide regular reporting and transparency into aging items and escalation of at-risk balances.

Skills

Direct Bill lifecycle understanding

Offshore team leadership

Financial data analysis

Policy/compliance awareness

Communication skills

Tools

Applied Epic

Microsoft Excel

Job description

We are seeking a Direct Bill Manager in Charlotte, NC with a hybrid work schedule.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Direct Bill Manager oversees Direct Bill operations for Health & Benefits and Private Client portfolios at Howden Specialty LLC, ensuring the timely collection, reconciliation, and processing of carrier and vendor statements. The position oversees offshore reconciliation activities, resolves billing and commission discrepancies, monitors aging and outstanding balances, and drives the timely resolution of unapplied cash and other at-risk items. Working closely with carriers, producers, account managers, clients, and Finance, the role ensures accurate revenue recognition, transparent reporting, and effective escalation management. The individual serves as a key operational and stakeholder liaison, delivering exceptional service, maintaining strong business relationships, and supporting the highest standards of accuracy, accountability, and professionalism.

What will you be doing?

Operational Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end Direct Bill operations, principally for Health & Benefits and Private Client portfolios, ensuring timely and accurate statement collection, reconciliation, and processing, with clear escalation protocols in place where required.
• Manage the collection of carrier and vendor statements, directing the offshore team to complete account reconciliations and month-end processing with markets and clients within agreed timelines.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between carrier commission statements and agency management system records, ensuring commissions are accurately posted and applied to the correct policy and client accounts.
• Monitor direct bill aging and outstanding balances, following up with carriers and internal teams to clear unapplied cash and past-due items in a timely manner.
• Provide regular reporting and transparency into aging items, including clear visibility for stakeholders and timely escalation of at-risk or long-outstanding balances.
• Manage carrier portal access and credentials, ensuring regular and timely downloading of statements to support reconciliation and reporting timelines.
• Partner with producers, account managers, and Finance to resolve client billing discrepancies and support accurate commission accrual and revenue recognition.

Stakeholder and Client Relationship

• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, serving as an effective escalation point when needed; this includes principal support for the Health & Benefits and Private Client portfolios.
• Respond to business and customer requirements with agility, professionalism, and sound judgment, while upholding the highest ethical standards in all interactions.

Reporting & Projects

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date system records and deliver accounting operations, KPI reporting, and management information.
• Use data-driven insights to steer execution priorities, identify escalation needs, and communicate effectively through clear data storytelling.
• Lead assigned initiatives and actively contribute to cross-functional projects.
• Oversee account reconciliations performed by the offshore team with markets and clients, ensuring issues are identified, investigated, and resolved efficiently and accurately.
• Respond to account-related inquiries promptly and in line with defined service standards.

Compliance, Governance & Market Awareness

• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure HR and T&C documentation is current and properly authorized in line with internal processes.
• Monitor and assess regulatory and legal developments impacting IBA operations, implementing appropriate operational responses as needed.
• Stay informed of relevant legal, regulatory, and market changes affecting the role and the business.

What are we looking for?

Qualifications:

• In-depth understanding of the Direct Bill lifecycle, including statement collection and reconciliation, within an agency management system; hands-on Applied Epic tactical experience is highly desirable.
• Proven experience in accounting operations, preferably within an IBA or comparable agency environment.
• Experience leading and managing an offshore team responsible for reconciliation and month-end processing, developing the relationship as a full extension of the on-shore team.
• Results-oriented professional with the ability to execute independently, manage operational and accounting processes accurately, and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret, manipulate, and draw insights from financial and operational data to identify trends, risks, and solutions.
• Solution-oriented mindset, capable of prioritizing tasks, resolving issues efficiently, and escalating appropriately when needed.
• Proven ability to interpret, implement, and consistently enforce policies, procedures, internal controls, and governance requirements.
• Clear, confident verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to translate data into actionable insights and influence outcomes.
• Collaborative team player and role model, contributing positively across functions and supporting shared objectives.
• Self-motivated with a proactive approach to learning and continuous improvement.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Compensation and Benefits

The expected base salary range for this role is $110,000 - $140,000; actual base salary will be determined based on factors including candidate experience and work location. This role is classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In addition to a competitive base salary, employees are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus. Howden also offers a variety of benefits and programs, subject to eligibility, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including healthcare savings and reimbursement accounts
• Flexible Paid Time Off and paid parental leave
• Life and Disability insurance

Our sustainability promise

We're on a life-long journey to become an ever-more sustainable group. It's a commitment to taking care of our people and the world we live in, to doing good business, and to making a positive impact wherever we can. Our governance processes, company policies, and review systems are all geared towards our goal of making a positive impact in the world. You can read more about our sustainability work here.