Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Billing Associate

🎯 Role Definition

The Billing Associate is responsible for end-to-end invoice generation, accounts receivable processing, cash application, dispute resolution, and maintaining accurate customer billing data. This role ensures timely and accurate billing operations, supports month-end close and revenue recognition processes, and partners with cross-functional teams (Sales, Customer Success, Legal, and Finance) to resolve discrepancies and optimize billing workflows. Ideal candidates are detail-oriented, systems-savvy, and customer-focused with a solid understanding of AR controls and billing best practices.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Accounts Payable or Accounts Receivable Clerk
Customer Service Representative with billing exposure
Junior Billing Specialist or Finance Internship

Advancement To:

Senior Billing Analyst
Accounts Receivable Supervisor / Manager
Revenue Manager or Billing Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

Collections Specialist / Credit Analyst
Billing Systems / ERP Analyst
Customer Success or Account Management roles

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Generate, review, and issue accurate customer invoices across multiple billing cycles (monthly, quarterly, one-time, subscription-based) using ERP and billing platforms (NetSuite, Oracle, SAP, QuickBooks, Zuora), ensuring pricing, taxes, discounts, and contract terms are applied correctly and delivered on schedule.
Process customer payments (ACH, wire transfer, credit card, check), post receipts to the AR ledger, perform daily cash application, investigate and resolve unapplied cash, and prepare bank deposit summaries to support treasury functions.
Reconcile accounts receivable sub-ledger to the general ledger on a regular cadence; prepare and post billing-related journal entries, maintain supporting documentation, and assist with month-end and quarter-end close activities to meet deadline requirements.
Maintain and audit customer master data including billing addresses, tax IDs, billing contacts, credit terms, and payment methods; correct billing account setup errors and validate account changes before billing runs.
Investigate and resolve billing discrepancies, short pays, and customer disputes by collaborating with Sales, Operations, Legal, and Customer Success; document root causes and corrective actions and ensure disputes are closed within established SLAs.
Manage recurring billing and subscription lifecycle events (new activations, renewals, prorations, downgrades, cancellations, refunds, credits) and ensure system configurations accurately reflect contract terms and pricing tiers.
Prepare and analyze AR aging reports, identify delinquent accounts, escalate to collections or management as appropriate, and recommend strategies to reduce Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and improve cash flow.
Review contracts, purchase orders, and amendments to determine correct billing terms and effective dates; set up complex billing arrangements (milestone billing, usage-based charges) in the billing system with appropriate documentation.
Support revenue recognition compliance (ASC 606 / IFRS 15) by providing billing schedules and documentation to accounting and revenue teams; ensure billed amounts align to recognized revenue and identify timing differences.
Create and maintain billing support schedules, reconciliations, and audit-ready documentation for internal and external audits, working with Finance and external auditors to provide requested detail on billings and AR balances.
Monitor electronic invoice delivery and remittance processes (EDI, email, portal uploads); troubleshoot failed transmissions, maintain logs, and implement corrective measures to ensure reliable delivery.
Execute price changes, promotional credits, retroactive adjustments, and manual invoices as approved; maintain an audit trail of approvals, rationale, and system changes to support internal controls.
Apply sales tax, VAT, and other indirect tax rules appropriately on invoices; collect and file tax exemption certificates where applicable and collaborate with tax teams to address complex tax questions.
Support onboarding of new customers by configuring billing profiles, establishing payment terms, collecting required tax and billing documentation, running the first invoice and validating accuracy.
Produce standard and ad-hoc billing reports and dashboards (billing volume, billing accuracy, dispute aging, write-offs) using Excel, Power BI, or reporting tools to inform Finance leadership and operational stakeholders.
Implement process improvements and automation opportunities (billing templates, RPA, enhanced workflows) to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy, and accelerate collections.
Coordinate with third-party billing vendors and outsourced providers to manage SLAs, quality checks, and monthly reconciliations; own vendor communication for escalations and performance issues.
Provide front-line support for customer billing inquiries via phone, email, and ticketing systems, ensuring clear communication, timely follow-up, and customer satisfaction while protecting confidential account information.
Train and mentor junior billing staff, create and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), process maps, and knowledge base articles to ensure consistent execution of billing processes.
Participate in ERP and billing system implementations, upgrades, UAT (user acceptance testing), and data migration activities; write test scripts, validate billing logic, and assist with end-user training and rollout.
Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as billing accuracy, dispute resolution time, collection effectiveness, and DSO; present trend analysis and recommendations to improve AR performance.

Secondary Functions

Assist with periodic internal control testing, SOX documentation, and remediation tasks related to billing and receivables processes.
Support cross-functional special projects including pricing updates, promotional rollouts, mergers & acquisitions billing integrations, and systems consolidation efforts.
Perform ad-hoc financial analyses related to billing trends, customer payment behavior, revenue leakage detection, and potential recoveries.
Maintain and periodically review billing templates, price lists, and contract-to-billing mapping documentation to reduce charge errors.
Conduct periodic billing audits to uncover revenue leakage, duplicate invoices, or missed charges and coordinate corrective billing or collection actions.
Facilitate credit checks for customers, establish credit limits with the credit team, and recommend payment terms adjustments for high-risk accounts.
Help coordinate legal and collections escalation for severely delinquent accounts, providing billing history and documentation to support collection or legal efforts.
Participate in cross-training initiatives so team members can support peak workload periods and provide continuity of billing operations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in billing and ERP systems: NetSuite, Oracle, SAP, QuickBooks, Zuora, or comparable platforms; experience configuring billing profiles and running billing cycles.
Accounts Receivable and cash application expertise including posting payments, unapplied cash resolution, credit memos, and journal entry preparation.
Strong reconciliation skills: AR to GL reconciliations, revenue and billing reconciliations, and bank reconciliations.
Revenue recognition knowledge (ASC 606 / IFRS 15) and ability to collaborate with accounting on timing differences.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, pivot tables, INDEX/MATCH, nested formulas) for billing analysis and reporting.
Familiarity with payment rails and processes: ACH, wire, credit card merchant processing, lockbox, and electronic remittance.
Experience with billing automation and reporting tools (RPA, Power Automate, Power BI, Tableau) and basic SQL or scripting for data queries is a plus.
Working knowledge of indirect tax rules (sales tax, VAT, GST) and ability to apply taxes to invoices correctly and collect exemption documentation.
Strong documentation and SOP creation skills; experience preparing audit-ready schedules and maintaining internal control evidence.
Ticketing and CRM systems experience (Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud) for tracking customer billing inquiries and case resolution.
Familiarity with collections methodologies, dispute management workflows, and escalation practices.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy in a high-volume billing environment.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, able to explain billing issues clearly to customers and internal stakeholders.
Problem-solving and investigative mindset; able to research root causes and propose sustainable solutions.
Customer service orientation with the ability to remain professional under pressure and manage difficult conversations.
Time management and prioritization skills to balance recurring cycles with ad-hoc issues and month-end deadlines.
Team player who collaborates across functions and supports continuous improvement initiatives.
Adaptability and willingness to learn new systems, processes, and regulatory requirements.
Organizational discipline for audit readiness, documentation maintenance, and following change-control processes.
Analytical thinking with the ability to synthesize billing data into actionable insights and process changes.
Ethical handling of confidential financial and customer data with strong compliance awareness.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; relevant associate degree acceptable.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Accounting
Finance
Business Administration
Economics
Information Systems

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–4 years in billing, accounts receivable, or related finance/customer service role.

Preferred:

2–4 years of direct billing/accounts receivable experience, preferably in SaaS/subscription, healthcare, utilities, or B2B services.
Experience with ERP/billing platform configuration, month-end close, revenue recognition processes, and customer-facing billing support.
Prior exposure to tax compliance, collections, and system implementation projects is a strong plus.