What does an Accounts Receivable Specialist do?
Accounts Receivable Specialists work in accounting departments of businesses and organizations, providing administrative and bookkeeping support and streamlining their financial record keeping. These professionals are in charge of managing all communications relating to invoices and incoming bills, and they may work with Accounts Payable Specialists to balance company financial records.
Accounts Receivable Specialists maintain knowledge of company bookkeeping policies, audit business ledgers, organize invoices and begin the collections process for client accounts with past-due balances. These financial professionals also process and record any unique billing situations that fall outside of regular operations, such as custom payment plans.
Accounts Receivable Specialist skills and qualifications
Accounts Receivable Specialists often have certain skills and qualifications that make them especially effective within their roles. These attractive attributes include:
- Communication: Developed written and verbal communication skills are necessary when working as an Accounts Receivable Specialist. Account Receivable Specialists must typically communicate with clients, requesting payment or setting up payment plans.
- Project management: Strong project management skills are useful as an Accounts Receivable Specialist. These professionals often manage multiple projects simultaneously, so they need to be flexible enough to handle lots of information at once.
- Organization: Organizational skills are crucial for an Accounts Receivable Specialist to stay on track when dealing with all the facets of their roles. The ability to closely pay attention to detail ensures records and reports remain accurate.
- Computer expertise: Advanced computer skills are useful as an Accounts Receivable Specialist. These professionals usually work with accounting and bookkeeping computer programs to identify past-due accounts and report payments.
Accounts Receivable Specialist salary expectations
The average yearly salary for an Accounts Receivable Specialist sits around $55,000, with salaries ranging between $35,000 and $84,000. The salary range for these professionals varies, depending on geographical location, their level of experience and the industry in which the specialist works. An Accounts Receivable Specialist with previous experience who works in a large company can usually expect a higher salary than an entry-level professional who works for a smaller company.
Accounts Receivable Specialist salary expectations
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Common salary:
22.25 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
7.55 -44.50 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Accounts Receivable Specialist education and training requirements
A minimum of an associate’s degree or training in accounting and billing is often recommended to become an Accounts Receivable Specialist. You may want to add requirements for a bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or business to your job description sample, however, but add the caveat that your company recognizes transferrable skills in lieu of a degree in some instances. Many entry-level Accounts Receivable Specialists also receive on-the-job training, working with other bookkeeping specialists.
As an Accounts Receivable Specialist gains more experience, they may choose to become certified. Certification requires at least two years of experience and the successful completion of the certification exam. Depending on the company’s bookkeeping practices, some hiring managers may also require program-specific training from new Accounts Receivable Specialists.
Accounts Receivable Specialist experience requirements
Previous experience isn’t usually required to become an Accounts Receivable Specialist, but some hiring managers prefer it. Otherwise, Accounts Receivable Specialists should learn important job skills while working with experienced pros with the same title. Some employers may also require Accounts Receivable Specialists to become certified during employment.
Job description samples for similar positions
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Frequently asked questions about Accounts Receivable Specialists
These are some questions that employers commonly ask when hiring Accounts Receivable Specialists.
Do Accounts Receivable Specialists have different responsibilities in different industries?
While the invoicing process can vary from company to company, most Accounts Receivable Specialists have similar responsibilities, regardless of the industry in which they work. Businesses with higher volumes of accounts may have teams of Accounts Receivable Specialists working together to collect payments and process all client invoices. Smaller companies, however, may have a single professional who oversees all outstanding accounts, billing processes and contact with clients about upcoming payments.
What should you look for on an Accounts Receivable Specialist’s resume?
When hiring for an Accounts Receivable Specialist, look for other bookkeeping roles and administrative positions on their resumes, especially positions where the candidate facilitated the organization and workflow of an organization. Seek out those candidates who emphasize their ability to work with large sets of data, including a list of the types of database software they’ve used in the past. Top candidates may have experience handling money through different payment methods, interacting with clients and keeping track of multiple deadlines at once. These skills should ensure they can collect payments from customers according to schedule.
What makes a good Accounts Receivable Specialist?
In addition to having a basic knowledge of accounting principles and the ability to perform quick mathematical calculations, good Accounts Receivable Specialists are detail-oriented and work well as part of a larger team. They have excellent time management abilities and can effectively communicate bookkeeping information to others. Good Accounts Receivable Specialists need to be extremely organized to keep track of all emails, letters and calls related to client invoices.
What’s the difference between an Accounts Receivable Specialist and an Accounts Payable Specialist?
Accounts Receivable Specialists and Accounts Payable Specialists have near-opposite roles in corporate accounting departments. Accounts Receivable Specialists focus on collecting money from clients and customers, while Accounts Payable Specialists focus on sending out payments to vendors and business associates.
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