Collections Associate- Hybrid in Fairlawn, OH

OEC•Fairlawn, OH

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Drive down delinquency and protect company cash flow by managing past-due customer accounts. You'll monitor AR aging, resolve outstanding balances, negotiate payment plans, and serve as the primary contact for customers on billing disputes and payment status — all while maintaining accurate records to support monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
3+ years in collections, AR, or credit support, with experience in payment negotiation and past-due account management.
Working knowledge of FDCPA and collections best practices.
Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP) for aging and account analysis.
Comfort with high-volume outbound calls and firm, professional payment conversations.
Strong communication, organization, and relationship-building skills across teams and stakeholders.
Ability to juggle multiple deadlines simultaneously.

Responsibilities

Review AR aging daily, prioritizing outreach by risk, balance, and days delinquent.
Code and post payments and reconcile related accounts.
Contact customers by phone, email, and letter to secure payment; negotiate and document payment plans.
Resolve billing discrepancies, short pays, and disputes, coordinating with Sales and Customer Service as needed.
Maintain detailed collection notes and account histories for every contact and promise-to-pay.
Prepare month/quarter/year-end aging summaries and bad debt exposure reports, researching data to resolve discrepancies.
Send past-due notices and demand letters, escalating per collection stage.
Recommend and document chronically delinquent accounts for agency or legal referral.
Process credit card payments via RBS.
Track monthly bad-debt write-offs, update payment terms, process billing/statements per contract terms, and manage the billing system's subscription database.
Recommend and coordinate credit holds, releases, and restrictions, balancing collections with customer relationships alongside Sales and Account Management.
Ensure all activity follows applicable debt collection laws (e.g., FDCPA) and internal policies.
Provide clerical support, assist with special projects, and back up teammates during absences.