Director, Accounts Receivable

Kehe Food Distributors • Naperville, IL

92d • $109,620 - $160,776

About The Position

KeHE, a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor, is seeking an Accounts Receivable Director to lead the company's independent customer receivables function. This role is responsible for managing the end-to-end accounts receivable process for KeHE's independent customer base, ensuring timely collections, optimizing cash flow, and implementing best practices to improve efficiency. The position requires strong leadership skills, deep expertise in AR processes, and a track record of driving improvements in invoicing, collections, and customer credit management. All actions are expected to align with KeHE's Mission, Vision, and Values.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in accounts receivable management, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Experience working with ERP systems (Workday) and AR automation tools.
• Strong knowledge of AR best practices, credit policies, and collections strategies.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, conflict management, and team management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret financial data and drive strategic decisions.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate across teams and engage with customers.
• Detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to optimize the accounts receivable process, improve cash flow, and reduce outstanding balances.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the accounts receivable team to ensure high performance and operational excellence.
• Establish and enforce credit policies, risk assessments, and collection strategies to minimize bad debt exposure.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Sales, Finance, Transportation, and Customer Service, to improve invoice accuracy and resolve disputes.
• Monitor key AR metrics, including AR Currency, DSO (Days Sales Outstanding), aging reports, and collections performance, and provide regular reporting to leadership.
• Partner with IT and finance teams to enhance AR systems, implement automation tools, and drive process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, company policies, and regulatory requirements related to receivables.
• Develop strong relationships with customers to facilitate timely payments and resolve outstanding balances.
• Lead initiatives for continuous improvement in AR processes, leveraging technology and best practices to drive efficiencies.
• Set performance goals, provide regular feedback, and develop the AR team to enhance skills and create adaptability to new business models and sales growth in the future.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

Benefits

• Health/Rx
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
• Supplemental life insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Paid sick time
• Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
• Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
• Holiday pay for company designated holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees