MANAGER ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE & COLLECTIONS (Project)

City of Toronto • Toronto, ON

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The City is taking a focused, strategic approach to strengthening revenue recovery and modernizing accounts receivable operations and this role will contribute to that effort. As Manager, Accounts Receivable & Collections (Project), you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight to significantly reduce receivables backlogs, improve collections performance, and support the build of new policies, tools, and capabilities that may be required. This is more than a collections role. You will drive a corporate recovery effort while helping shape the future of accounts receivable operations modernizing processes, leveraging SAP S/4HANA capabilities, developing meaningful performance metrics, and aligning partners across the organization. Your work will directly improve cash flow, reduce delinquency, and strengthen the City’s long‑term financial position.

Requirements

• Deep experience in accounts receivable, credit, and collections, ideally within the public sector or a complex B2B environment.
• Post-secondary education in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or Business Administration.
• A professional accounting designation such as a CPA.
• Proven people leadership experience, including leading, coaching, and mentoring collections teams.
• Hands-on experience managing large, complex AR backlogs and delivering measurable performance improvements.
• Strong expertise in credit policy application, financial risk assessment, and decision-making related to escalations, payment arrangements, and write-offs.
• Understanding of the end-to-end order-to-cash lifecycle, including billing, dispute resolution, short-pay management, and collections strategy.
• Highly analytical and systems-savvy.
• Advanced proficiency in ERP platforms such as SAP.
• Strong capability with Microsoft 365 tools, particularly advanced Excel.
• Comfort designing and tracking KPIs that drive cash flow, backlog reduction, and service improvement.
• Excellent organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills.
• Ability to juggle competing demands, operate independently, and maintain focus on results.
• Interpersonal and communication skills to negotiate effectively, resolve conflict diplomatically, and balance firmness with fairness.
• Ability to maintain a customer-focused, service-oriented approach.
• Ability to build strong collaborative relationships with internal divisions, external partners, and stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate clearly and confidently at all levels.
• Solid knowledge of relevant legislation, including labour relations, collective agreements, employment standards, occupational health and safety, and human rights.
• Professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment in applying knowledge of legislation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with municipal revenue or tax billing and collections is an asset.
• Experience with data visualization tools, automation, and modern reporting solutions is a strong asset.
• Experience leveraging new SAP S/4HANA capabilities to enhance automation, reporting, and tracking of aged receivables.
• Experience working with stakeholders on custom development where required to unlock greater efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight to reduce receivables backlogs and improve collections performance.
• Support the build of new policies, tools, and capabilities for accounts receivable operations.
• Modernize processes and leverage SAP S/4HANA capabilities.
• Develop meaningful performance metrics and align partners across the organization.
• Support the City’s accounts receivable and revenue recovery strategy, prioritizing outstanding balances and directing collection efforts.
• Oversee the full collections lifecycle from outreach, negotiation, payment arrangements, and dispute resolution through escalation pathways and write‑off recommendations.
• Ensure compliance with City policies, legislation, audit requirements, and public sector accounting standards.
• Support the Accounts Receivable Supervisor with backlog cleanup and ongoing collections performance.
• Oversee the work of a dedicated collector assigned to the project, coordinating daily activities and priorities, reviewing work, supporting workload management, approving vacation and overtime, evaluating performance, approving salary progression, and addressing disciplinary matters.
• Ensure collective agreements are administered correctly, working closely with Corporate Employee Relations and participating in grievance resolution, arbitration, or dispute processes.
• Coordinate closely with Finance, Tax, Revenue, Treasury, Legal, and service areas to ensure cohesive, enterprise‑wide recovery efforts.
• Apply and monitor credit policies and internal controls across receivables processes ensuring appropriate documentation, approvals, audit trails, sub‑ledger and general ledger coding, and strong customer master data integrity within ERP and tax systems.
• Identify early risk signals and provide recommendations on credit terms for new and existing accounts to support working capital management and cash forecasting.
• Develop and oversee concise, actionable collections reporting, including KPIs such as days sales outstanding, aging, recovery trends, write‑offs, error rates, processing times, dunning effectiveness, and late‑payment rates.
• Analyze root causes of delinquency and use those insights to drive process improvements, standardization, automation, and policy enhancements.
• Manage vendor engagement and escalation, ensuring issues are resolved quickly and in line with City policy while putting preventive controls in place to reduce recurrence.
• Coordinate external collection agencies or legal remedies, validating fees and ensuring legislative and audit compliance.
• Provide complex accounting and financial advisory support across City Divisions and external partners.
• Ensure accounts receivable balances comply with Public Sector Accounting Standards and other relevant legislation.
• Document and communicate instructions to corporate partners, and ensure appropriate allowances for doubtful accounts are captured for financial reporting.
• Lead process improvement and modernization initiatives.
• Develop detailed work plans that incorporate partner engagement and change management.
• Manage vendor strategies and contribute to broader corporate modernization efforts.
• Actively leverage new SAP S/4HANA capabilities to enhance automation, reporting, and tracking of aged receivables and work with stakeholders on custom development where required.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director, Finance Shared Services, senior leaders, and City Divisions on confidential and politically sensitive AR matters.
• Prepare and deliver briefings, presentations, training materials, and updates on KPIs, policies, controls, and process improvements to a wide range of audiences.
• Support the ongoing effectiveness and sustainability of the accounts receivable unit.
• Resolve complex issues and support the continuous strengthening of the City’s approach to revenue collection and financial stewardship.

Benefits

• Full-time, Temporary Vacancy (12 Months)
• Salary Range: $126,000.00 - $176,140.00
• Hiring Zone: $132,676.00 - $143,848.00
• Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week
• Non-Union affiliation
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion commitment
• Accessible and inclusive organization
• Barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
• Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process
• Disability-related accommodation during the application process

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager