Accounts Receivable Lead

The Accounts Receivable Lead is responsible for managing the school's accounts receivable function, ensuring timely collection of tuition and other student-related fees, maintaining accurate financial records, and leading a team of Accounts Receivable Executives. The role requires strong leadership, operational excellence, stakeholder management, and the ability to drive collection performance while delivering a high standard of service to parents, students, and internal departments.

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead, supervise, and develop the Accounts Receivable team to ensure efficient day-to-day operations.
• Set individual and team performance goals, monitor productivity, and provide regular feedback.
• Conduct performance reviews, coaching, and training to enhance team capabilities.
• Manage workload allocation and ensure adherence to service-level agreements (SLAs).
• Foster a culture of accountability, customer service, and continuous improvement.

Accounts Receivable Operations

• Oversee the end-to-end student fee billing and collection process across all school campuses or business units.
• Ensure accurate generation and distribution of invoices, fee schedules, statements, and payment reminders.
• Monitor receivable balances and ensure timely collection of tuition fees, transportation fees, cafeteria fees, activity fees, and other charges.
• Review and approve adjustments, waivers, refunds, and credit notes in accordance with school policies.

Collections Management

• Develop and execute collection strategies to minimize overdue accounts and improve cash flow.
• Monitor aging reports and proactively address delinquent accounts.
• Handle escalated collection cases and negotiate payment arrangements with parents where required.
• Collaborate with school leadership and administration on fee recovery actions and enrollment-related financial matters.
• Drive achievement of collection targets and KPIs.

Financial Controls & Reconciliation

• Ensure timely reconciliation of fee collections with bank deposits, payment gateways, and accounting records.
• Review daily, weekly, and monthly receivable reports for accuracy and completeness.
• Maintain strong internal controls to prevent revenue leakage and billing errors.
• Support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end financial close activities.

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare and present AR performance reports, collection forecasts, aging analysis, and cash collection metrics.
• Identify collection trends, risks, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Provide recommendations to management for improving collection efficiency and reducing bad debt exposure.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with Admissions, Student Affairs, Operations, and Finance teams to ensure seamless fee management processes.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex parent and student account issues.
• Maintain positive relationships with parents while ensuring compliance with school payment policies.

Compliance & Audit Support

• Ensure compliance with company policies, accounting standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Support internal and external audits by providing accurate documentation and reconciliations.
• Maintain confidentiality and integrity of student and financial information.

Desired Profile:

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial information and provide actionable insights.
• Proficiency in financial modeling, scenario analysis, and data analysis techniques.
• Excellent knowledge of financial statements, accounting principles, and financial metrics.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and other financial software applications.
• Familiarity with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and financial planning software (e.g., Oracle, SAP, Hyperion, Tally ERP) is a plus.
• Bachelors in Finance, Accounting or in related field. (Masters degree preferred more).
• Professional certifications such as CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CPA (Certified Public Accountant) are desirable. Professional certification not required .
• Minimum 10 15 years of experience in the finance, accounting & forecasting.