Accounts Receivable Dispute Analyst

Position Summary
The Accounts Receivable Dispute Analyst is responsible for researching, analyzing, and assisting in resolving customer invoice disputes to ensure timely payment and minimize outstanding receivables. This role works closely with A/R collectors, customers, sales, customer service, operations, and finance teams to identify and resolve root causes of disputes, facilitate resolution, and improve billing and collection processes.

Key Responsibilities
• Assist with investigation and resolution customer payment disputes related to invoices, pricing, deductions, short payments, returns, credits, and billing discrepancies.
• Review supporting documentation, contracts, purchase orders, shipping records, and customer correspondence to determine dispute validity.
• Collaborate with internal departments, including A/R collectors, sales, customer service, operations, finance to gather information, resolve issues, and identify root causes.
• Maintain accurate records of disputes, resolutions, and account activity in ERP systems and dispute management tools.
• Monitor dispute aging and prioritize cases to meet established service-level agreements (SLAs).
• Communicate professionally with internal and external customers regarding dispute status, required documentation, and resolution outcomes.
• Analyze dispute trends and identify recurring issues affecting billing and collection process.
• Prepare reports and metrics on dispute volume, resolution times, aging, and root causes.
• Support month-end closing activities by ensuring dispute-related transactions are accurately recorded.
• Recommend process improvements to reduce future disputes and improve collection efficiency.
• Assist collections teams in resolving payment delays associated with disputed invoices.

Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 2–5 years of experience in Accounts Receivable, Collections, Credit, Billing, or Dispute Resolution.
• Knowledge of accounting principles and accounts receivable processes.
• Experience with ERP systems such as Oracle, JD Edwards.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Customer-focused mindset with strong negotiation and conflict-resolution abilities.

Preferred Skills
• Experience with deduction management and dispute resolution platforms.
• Understanding of order-to-cash (O2C) processes.
• Knowledge of credit and collections practices.
• Familiarity with KPI reporting and root-cause analysis methodologies.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Dispute resolution cycle time
• Dispute aging reduction
• Collection effectiveness
• Reduction in unresolved deductions
• Accounts receivable aging performance
• Accuracy of dispute documentation and reporting

Working Conditions
• Primarily office with some remote work.
• Frequent interaction with customers and cross-functional teams.
• May require occasional overtime during month-end or quarter-end close periods.

This role is critical to maintaining healthy cash flow, improving customer relationships, and supporting overall financial performance through efficient dispute management and resolution.