Manager Of Client Accounts-collections

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Manager of Client Accounts-Collections
The candidate will manage employees in the collection and cash receipt positions. Align skill sets with job descriptions and function objectives. This includes coaching, counseling, conducting performance evaluations, monitoring goals and objectives, and assisting in developing and monitoring compliance with department policies and procedures. Oversee current processes. Identify areas of concern and make recommendations to the associate Director of Client Accounting for process improvements to create efficiencies and cost savings. Develop and communicate policies and procedures related to collections. Direct the department toward its performance goals, including the prompt identification and resolution (or escalation, if appropriate) of circumstances not in accordance with those goals. Review all new client matters at business intake to determine clients’ financial ability and willingness to pay, balancing the need for new clients with the firm’s tolerance for risk. Set Account Balance Limits (ABL) and continuously monitored during the course of engagements. Adjust as necessary. Understand the billing process, including pricing arrangements, billing frequencies, billing formats, and delivery methods. This includes split billing, e-billing, 3rd party payors as well as matters paid by insurance. Coordinate with the Senior Manager of Client Accounting – Billing as necessary. Understand outside counsel guidelines and how they affect billing and collections. Understand balances in trust and what balances will be future revenue/collections and steps necessary to get approval and payment from Trust. Understand balances in unapplied and coordinate proper application and whether monies belong in revenue or in trust. Manage processes such to identify, prioritize and take action where clients do not pay invoices on a timely basis or as appropriate. Maintain credit terms, where established, to help identify delinquent bills. Work with Associate Director and CFO to establish and review credit terms from time to time. Manage periodic survey process to determine the status of unpaid accounts and estimate anticipated discounts in the overall portfolio. Independently and promptly resolve unique collection situations requiring special attention. Identify accounts to escalate to the Associate Director, CFO, or other members of firm management. Manage accounts to be escalated to outside collections including taking legal action. Meet with the departing attorney having WIP or A/R to determine the transition plan and if appropriate prepare final billing and establish collection terms/expectations. Communicate with Billing Attorneys to ensure collection goals are met, clients are properly and timely contacted, and attorneys are kept apprised of all relevant collection information regarding their clients. Where possible work with Billing/Responsible Attorneys and establish contacts with clients such that Collections can inquire and follow up directly with clients on delinquent accounts in accordance with terms and billing guidelines. Maintain the most effective assignments of collectors to firm attorneys, verify that attorneys’ needs are met, and assistants are most effectively utilized. Continually review collector workloads to determine that they are equitably allocated depending on collectors' knowledge, skills, and abilities. Identify general problems affecting client accounts, and independently implement solutions, using sound business judgment to obtain approval when necessary. Follow through to ensure that problems are resolved, and the end result achieved is satisfactory. Ensure clients requiring special handlings, such as electronic billing, contingent cases, bankruptcies, real estate closings, fee petitions, alternative fee arrangements, credit review, billing set-up, and other non-monthly arrangements are promptly and accurately collected, and appropriate records maintained. Monitor and manage monthly collections to budget or target. Identify clients that should have paid, unexpected payments, and other variances that explain mid-month and end-of-month performance against budget. Serve as a backup to the Associate Director of Client Accounting in overseeing the Aderant and ARCS systems as they relate to collections and resolving system errors. Identifies reports necessary to provide better client service and support attorneys. Stay current with and advise of industry best practices, new developments, and trends in the collections and accounts receivable profession, particularly in the legal industry. Other duties as assigned. Bachelor’s Degree preferred. Should have 5-7 years of experience in a billing/collection function. 3-5 years of supervisory experience preferred. The law firm or professional services experience is strongly preferred. Proficiency in Aderant Expert, Elite or comparable billing software preferred. Familiarity or experience using ARCS, star*collect, or comparable legal collection software is a must. Excellent customer service skills and telephone etiquette are mandatory. Regular attendance and punctuality are essential functions of this job. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to organize and present detailed and complicated information in an easily understandable format. Solid time management and organizational skills with the ability to multi-take and prioritize various departmental responsibilities. Strong interpersonal and negotiating skills are required to communicate effectively with all levels of firm management and client contacts; ability to anticipate, identify, evaluate and solve varied problems, as well as improve processes and efficiencies; ability to supervise staff effectively; excellent analytical skills and attention to detail; proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel; ability to adjust work schedule to work other hours, as required; requires the employee to work at a specified location and hours determined by the Manager for the benefit of the department and firm. Changes to the location and/or scheduled hours must be approved by the Manager.

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