Deduction Specialist (Toronto)

Barilla Group•Toronto, ON

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Deduction Specialist is a key role in ensuring the smooth flow of financial operations, minimizing revenue leakage, mitigation of risks and maintaining strong customer relationships. It requires a combination of leadership, problem-solving, and technical skills to effectively manage the team, develop and maintain “best-in-class” deduction management processes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent work experience).
3-5 years of experience in Accounts Receivable and Deduction Management, ideally in a CPG company.
Proficiency with SAP and Microsoft Office Suite, with advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, etc.).
Strong analytical skills with attention to detail.
Familiarity with customer deduction portals.
Establishing key customer contacts and working relationships.
Handling the variety of deductions (e.g., short payments, chargebacks, rebates) and ensuring compliance and accuracy.
Managing disputes in a timely fashion.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with sales, customer service, and trade team to understand contract terms, sales agreements, and any customer-specific deductions.
Investigate customer deductions and discrepancies, including pricing issues, promotional allowances, chargebacks, markdowns and reclamation charges. Ensure adequate documentation is received to validate or dispute deductions.
Oversee the investigation and resolution of customer deductions related to billing, payments, or contracts and post audits.
Identify deduction issues, identify root causes, and work on corrective actions to minimize future occurrences.
Ensure timely and accurate processing of deductions for financial accuracy and tradespend estimations.
Review existing deduction management processes and identify opportunities for improvements or automation to reduce inefficiencies.
Work with cross-functional teams (e.g., sales, customer service, trade marketing) to resolve systemic issues that lead to deductions.
Implement and enforce best practices for deduction management.
Maintain detailed records of deduction, disputes, resolutions, and communications. Prepare and present regular reports on deduction trends, volumes, and key performance metrics.
Analyze deduction data to identify recurring issues and assist in the development of strategies to mitigate.
Use data to forecast future deduction trends and proactively address potential challenges.
Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders – both internal and external.
Maintain clear and professional communication with customers regarding the status and resolution of their deductions, ensuring timely follow-ups and dispute closures.
Ensure that deduction processes comply with company policies and external regulations.
Mitigate the risk of financial losses through proper documentation and ensure audit and governance compliance.