Finance Lead (Accounts Receivable)

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

Location: Koelenhof, Stellenbosch (Bottelary Road)
Department: Finance
Reporting to: General Manager – Finance
Dotted line: Global Counterparty Risk (Trading)

A well-established commodity trading organisation is seeking an experienced Finance Lead (Accounts Receivable) to take ownership of the end-to-end receivables, collections, and credit risk function across a multi-counterparty, multi-jurisdictional trading environment.

This role is critical to protecting cash flow and trading exposure and requires close collaboration with traders, credit insurers, brokers, and internal finance teams. The ideal candidate brings strong trade finance and credit management experience, combined with commercial judgment and the confidence to operate at senior level.

Key Responsibilities

Accounts Receivable & Collections

• Own the full accounts receivable lifecycle, including invoicing, collections, cash application, dispute resolution, and credit notes.

• Monitor daily ageing reports and proactively manage overdue balances.

• Place customers on hold when credit limits are exceeded and manage related stakeholder communication.

• Ensure accurate billing in line with contracts, Incoterms, and trading documentation.

• Ensure correct allocation of receipts to the AR sub-ledger and timely posting to the general ledger.

• Resolve payment discrepancies in collaboration with Trading, Operations, and Logistics teams.

• Maintain counterparty master data across finance and trading systems.

• Calculate and process late-payment charges and early-settlement discounts.

• Issue customer statements.

Customer Relationship Management

• Engage directly with customers to support collections while maintaining strong, professional relationships.

• Resolve queries efficiently to support long-term counterparty relationships.

Credit Risk Management

• Assess customer creditworthiness and recommend credit limits in line with internal credit risk policies.

• Monitor exposure by counterparty, region, and product.

• Work closely with traders to balance commercial objectives with risk controls.

• Support onboarding of new counterparties from a credit and risk perspective.

• Manage letters of credit for applicable counterparties.

Credit Insurance Management

• Administer and manage credit insurance policies covering trade receivables.

• Ensure compliance with policy terms, limits, reporting, and notification requirements.

• Liaise with insurers and brokers on limit approvals, renewals, and amendments.

• Prepare and submit credit insurance claims, ensuring accurate documentation and follow-up.

• Manage approvals for credit limit increases in line with policy terms.

Reporting & Controls

• Prepare regular AR, cash collection, and credit exposure reports for senior management.

• Support month-end and year-end close processes, including intercompany balance confirmations.

• Maintain strong internal controls across receivables and credit processes.

• Support internal and external audits and provide supporting documentation.

Team & Process Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop the accounts receivable assistant.

• Drive continuous improvement in AR processes, systems, and controls.

• Support system enhancements relating to ERP, trade finance, and credit tools.

Requirements

• Matric (essential).

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field.

• Professional accounting or credit management qualification (advantageous).

• Proven experience in a commodity trading, trading house, or similar environment.

• Demonstrated experience managing credit insurance policies and claims.

• Experience dealing with international customers and multi-currency receivables.

• Strong understanding of commodity trading workflows, contracts, and settlement processes.

• Solid knowledge of credit risk principles and receivables controls.

• Excellent analytical, organisational, and negotiation skills.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage traders, insurers, and senior management.

• Proficiency in ERP systems and advanced Excel.

Technical Skills

• Microsoft Office 365 with strong Excel capability.

• Teams and SharePoint.

• Exposure to Power BI and process automation (advantageous).

• Experience with PeopleSoft or a similar ERP system.

Values Fit

The organisation values individuals who demonstrate:

• Respect and inclusivity.

• Accountability and ownership.

• Passion and resilience.

• Collaboration and teamwork.

• A commitment to excellence.

• Agility in fast-changing environments.

• Integrity in all professional conduct.