Director of Credit and Collections

Xylem•Charlotte, NC

19h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Credit, Collections & Dispute Management is a strategic finance leader responsible for driving segment working capital performance through effective credit risk management, collections excellence, dispute resolution, and cash flow optimization across the assigned business segment. This role provides vision, leadership, and direction for the Segment Credit, Collections, and Dispute Management organization while advancing the transformation toward a centralized, technology-enabled operating model. The Director partners closely with Segment Commercial, Finance, Customer Service, Treasury, and Executive Leadership teams to improve cash flow, mitigate financial risk, enhance customer relationships, and support profitable growth. The successful candidate will champion process standardization, automation, digital transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives while developing high-performing teams and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and operational excellence. This is a hybrid position based in our Charlotte, NC office. In office expectation is 3x per week.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in Credit, Collections, Accounts Receivable, Working Capital Management, or Corporate Finance.
Demonstrated success leading large-scale teams within a global or regional Shared Services, Global Business Services (GBS), or Center of Excellence environment.
Proven experience driving working capital improvements and delivering measurable financial results.
Strong expertise in credit risk assessment, customer financial analysis, collections strategy, and dispute resolution.
Experience leading organizational transformation, process optimization, and change management initiatives.
Excellent executive communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a data-driven decision-making approach.
Fluency in English, both written and verbal.

Nice To Haves

Experience with digital finance transformation, automation, and advanced analytics solutions.
Knowledge of global credit bureaus and risk intelligence providers such as Dun & Bradstreet, Creditsafe, Moody’s, Equifax, and related platforms.
Understanding of international credit regulations, commercial laws, and financial compliance requirements.
Experience managing teams across multiple regions and cultures.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute the segment-wide Credit, Collections, and Dispute Management strategy aligned with corporate financial objectives and working capital targets.
Drive sustainable improvements in cash flow, Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), overdue receivables, dispute resolution, and overall accounts receivable performance.
Establish a strong cash culture across the segment through proactive stakeholder engagement, education, and accountability.
Partner with business leaders to optimize customer contract terms, payment behaviors, and risk management strategies.
Lead initiatives that maximize shareholder value through effective working capital management and risk mitigation.
Provide overall leadership and governance for segment customer and country credit risk assessment activities.
Establish and maintain robust credit policies, risk frameworks, and approval processes.
Oversee financial statement analysis, credit evaluations, exposure management, and ongoing portfolio monitoring.
Ensure appropriate management of bankruptcies, liens, bonds, guarantees, letters of credit, and other credit-related instruments.
Collaborate closely with Treasury and external partners to manage financial risk effectively.
Lead collections and dispute management operations to achieve performance targets and service-level expectations.
Drive timely resolution of customer disputes to accelerate cash conversion and enhance customer satisfaction.
Monitor and improve key performance indicators, including DSO, past-due receivables, dispute cycle times, and cash collections.
Develop scalable processes that balance customer experience with financial discipline.
Serve as a trusted advisor to Segment Commercial Leadership, CFOs, Controllers, Finance Leaders, Customer Service, and Executive Management.
Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic customers, including direct customer engagement when appropriate.
Present financial performance, risk assessments, working capital trends, and improvement initiatives to Segment senior leadership.
Influence segment organizational decisions through data-driven analysis and actionable recommendations.
Assist in the continued evolution of Credit, Collections, and Dispute Management toward a centralized Shared Services/Center of Excellence model.
Partner with Global Process Owners and Digital Transformation teams to drive process standardization, automation, and digitization initiatives.
Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend solutions that improve efficiency, controls, scalability, and customer experience.
Sponsor and support system implementations, process redesigns, and User Acceptance Testing activities.
Ensure compliance with global credit policies, Delegation of Authority requirements, SOX controls, and internal governance standards.
Support internal and external audits while maintaining a strong control environment.
Ensure adherence to all applicable regulatory, legal, and ethical requirements across the regions supported.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of Credit, Collections, and Dispute Management professionals.
Build organizational capability through talent development, succession planning, performance management, and leadership coaching.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
Assess organizational structure and resource requirements to support current and future business needs.