Sr. Manager, Credit

Carhartt•Dearborn, MI

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Manager, Credit plays a critical role in the Company’s financial success by establishing credit policies, optimizing risk adjusted credit portfolio performance, ensuring timely collections, overseeing resolution of customer chargebacks and enabling profitable revenue growth across the business. This role blends strategic oversight with hands-on management of credit operations, analytics, customer risk assessment, and cross-functional partnership with Sales, FP&A, Legal, IT, Distribution and Customer Care. Success in this position requires robust business acumen and a deep understanding of corporate strategies, enabling alignment of departmental objectives with broader organizational goals. The leader is accountable for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to optimize decision-making, automate processes, and enhance team performance, while also fostering effective partnerships with Sales leadership to drive revenue growth and customer satisfaction. Inspired by Hard Work At Carhartt, the values of hard work—dependability, honesty, and trust—are rooted in the legacy of our founder, Hamilton Carhartt. His commitment to serving hardworking people continues to inspire everything we do. Guided by his legacy and our mission—We serve and protect all hardworking people by building durable products—we remain dedicated to upholding these principles in every decision we make and every product we create.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field.
10+ years of experience leading credit, collections, or accounts receivable functions, including establishing customer credit lines, conducting market and industry risk assessments, and participating in credit industry associations (e.g., NACM/CRF).
2-4 years of leadership experience with a track record of developing and attracting talent.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and business acumen, with proficiency in AI-enabled analytics platforms and experience integrating artificial intelligence or automation technologies into credit or operational workflows.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence decision-making, collaborate across all levels of the organization, and independently create and deliver executive-level presentations.
Proven ability to operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, managing multiple priorities with strong attention to detail, organizational discipline, and a high degree of accountability.
Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, including the ability to motivate teams, influence cross-functional partners, and drive results through collaboration.
Experience with ERP systems, including at least two years supporting system reviews or enhancements; SAP experience preferred.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred
Industry experience in consumer goods credit management, apparel or footwear, preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop the credit, collections, and deductions/chargebacks teams, establishing clear goals, KPIs, and performance expectations aligned with the company’s broader financial and strategic objectives.
Create and maintain credit risk models that reflect strategic growth plans, tailored for unique business unit needs, industry benchmarks, trade reporting insights, and customer relationship history—maximizing credit availability while mitigating unacceptable risk exposure.
Assess customer creditworthiness using advanced analytics and AI-driven scoring models.
Develop credit policies that balance risk and growth opportunities, and establish clear protocols for holds, escalations, and cross-functional alignment in resolving issues.
Collaborate proactively with Sales leadership to align credit strategies with revenue objectives, resolve customer challenges, provide guidance on credit decisions, and benchmark customer and portfolio risk relative to industry peers.
Promote open communication and joint problem-solving to enhance customer experience.
Drive holistic account management and portfolio health, ensuring customer balances remain within established metrics.
Build and maintain policies and processes that incorporate corporate risk tolerance, industry best practices, and operational benchmarks.
Oversee and optimize the collections process, leveraging automation and predictive tools to prioritize accounts, anticipate payment behaviors, and improve communication efficiency.
Lead cross-functional efforts with Sales, Customer Care, DC Operations, and AR to accelerate dispute resolution and improve cash conversion.
Ensure credit and collections operations support corporate financial strategy, integrating an understanding of company priorities and long-term goals into decision-making, policy design, and process enhancements.
Develop and refine cash flow forecasts to support Treasury planning.
Collaborate with FP&A and Accounting on the analysis of deductions, disputes, and bad debt performance.
Champion the adoption of AI and automation technologies, including machine learning models, predictive analytics, AI chatbots, and RPA.
Continuously evaluate and evolve department workflows to improve efficiency, accuracy, and service levels.
Manage the company’s trade credit insurance policy, including policy administration, compliance, reporting, and claims processing with the insurer.
Act as primary liaison with our third-party broker.
Manage relationships and negotiate contracts with third-party credit reporting services, including Dun & Bradstreet, Creditntell, and similar partners.