About the Role
GSM Outdoors is seeking a hands-on and results-driven Collections Supervisor to lead the day-to-day performance of our Accounts Receivable Collections team. This role is responsible for driving timely customer payments, maintaining strong customer relationships, improving collection processes, and ensuring the team takes a complete, end-to-end approach to managing assigned customer accounts.
The Collections Supervisor will serve as a key escalation point for customers and Collections Specialists, helping resolve complex account issues, payment application questions, deductions, claims, and outstanding balances. This is a highly hands-on leadership position requiring someone who is comfortable coaching and developing a team while also stepping in directly to manage accounts and resolve issues when additional support is needed.
The ideal candidate is analytical, organized, customer-focused, and proactive, with the ability to identify inefficiencies, develop solutions, create and maintain standard operating procedures, and continuously improve the collections' function.
Position Summary
The Collections Supervisor oversees the daily workflow, performance, and development of the AR Collections team while supporting customer satisfaction and timely cash collections. This position monitors assigned customer accounts from top to bottom, ensuring outstanding balances, claims, deductions, payment issues, and other account activity are actively addressed.
The Collections Supervisor is responsible for reviewing AR aging, analyzing collection performance and trends, preparing management reports, conducting team coaching and evaluations, supporting training, developing process improvements and SOPs, and serving as the first escalation point for complex customer and collections matters.
This position also oversees the Statements Inbox and related requests assigned to the Collections team.
What You'll Do
Collections Team Leadership
- Lead, train, coach, and develop the AR Collections team to improve performance and achieve department and company goals.
- Monitor daily and weekly team workflows and adjust priorities and assignments as needed.
- Ensure Collections Specialists are actively working their assigned customer accounts from top to bottom, addressing all outstanding account activity.
- Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with team members to discuss performance, roadblocks, priorities, development opportunities, and areas of focus.
- Provide timely coaching and performance feedback.
- Conduct employee evaluations on a bi-monthly basis and provide ongoing performance guidance.
- Hold team members accountable for established goals, performance expectations, and departmental processes.
- Identify training needs and develop or coordinate training to address knowledge and performance gaps.
- Step in and actively manage collection activities when team members are absent or positions are vacant.
- Ensure the team effectively utilizes time, resources, and available tools.
Accounts Receivable & Collections Management
- Monitor the AR portfolio and ensure collection activities are prioritized based on aging, customer risk, payment history, and business needs.
- Review 30-, 60-, and 90+ day aging buckets regularly and ensure appropriate follow-up is completed.
- Address accounts that are more than 30 days outstanding and communicate significant issues to appropriate business unit leaders.
- Research past-due accounts and provide guidance to Collections Specialists on complex balances and collection strategies.
- Serve as the first escalation point for customer and Collections Specialist questions related to claims, collections, payment terms, account balances, and payment compliance.
- Review customer accounts holistically to ensure all outstanding issues are identified and addressed.
- Communicate identified high-risk accounts and collection concerns to management as appropriate.
- Support resolution of customer payment application issues and account discrepancies.
- Assist with deductions, claims, and customer portal issues as needed.
- Maintain a customer-service mindset while ensuring customers remain compliant with established payment terms.
Aging, Reporting & Analytics
- Prepare bi-monthly AR aging reports for the Collections team.
- Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly collection reports for management and senior leadership.
- Present collection reporting and performance results as required.
- Analyze collection reports and key performance metrics to identify trends, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.
- Monitor team performance against collection goals and business objectives.
- Audit AR aging reports and system notes to ensure required collection activities and documentation are completed.
- Conduct spot checks of account research, supporting documentation, and backup used to dispute discrepancies.
- Use data and trend analysis to identify inefficiencies and recommend process improvements.
Customer Account Resolution
- Research complex customer accounts and assist team members with resolving past-due balances and payment questions.
- Serve as an escalation point for customer concerns and collection-related issues.
- Work collaboratively with internal departments to resolve account discrepancies, claims, deductions, payment issues, and other barriers to collection.
- Review customer documentation and supporting information to help resolve disputes.
- Support the team in maintaining accurate account records, notes, and collection documentation.
- Develop effective solutions that balance customer service with the company's collection and payment-term requirements.
Statements Inbox & EDI Management
- Oversee the day-to-day operation of the Statements Inbox and ensure requests are reviewed and addressed in a timely manner.
- Monitor incoming statement requests and related customer communications.
- Ensure responsibilities assigned to the Collections team through the Statements Inbox are appropriately prioritized and completed.
- Review the EDI Issues SharePoint site for awareness of customer and transaction-related issues.
- Coordinate and support resolution of EDI issues impacting collections or customer accounts.
- Escalate recurring or significant issues to appropriate leaders and cross-functional partners.
Month-End & Process Controls
- Review and complete month-end checklists for the Collections department.
- Assist in designing, implementing, and maintaining collection processes and internal controls.
- Audit department processes to ensure required steps, documentation, and system notes are completed accurately.
- Identify process gaps and recommend improvements to increase efficiency, accuracy, and collection effectiveness.
- Create, update, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for collection processes.
- Support implementation of new processes, controls, and tools.
- Ensure collection practices align with company policies and established procedures.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Accounting, Sales, Customer Service, Operations, and Business Unit leadership to resolve customer account issues.
- Communicate collection risks, aging concerns, and customer issues to appropriate stakeholders.
- Build productive relationships across departments to improve cash flow and customer satisfaction.
- Collaborate with internal teams to identify root causes of recurring collection issues and develop sustainable solutions.
- Provide clear and professional communication to employees, managers, executives, customers, and other stakeholders.
Continuous Improvement
- Identify inefficiencies within collection processes and recommend practical improvements.
- Analyze workflows, systems, and team performance to improve productivity and collection results.
- Develop and implement new procedures and best practices.
- Evaluate opportunities to improve automation, reporting, documentation, and account management.
- Encourage team members to contribute ideas and solutions that improve the customer and employee experience.
- Stay current on collection practices, customer requirements, and relevant systems and processes.
