Debtors Clerk

About the role

An established and growing beverage distribution and trading business is looking for a Debtors Clerk to manage the full accounts receivable cycle, ensure prompt cash collection, accurate ledger maintenance and robust credit control. The role covers customer onboarding, credit vetting, daily receipting, account reconciliations and timely invoicing. It is a permanent position on a hybrid schedule (3 days in office, 2 days remote).

Key responsibilities

• Oversee customer onboarding, verifying credit applications, trade references, VAT details and required commercial or liquor licences.
• Manage daily receipting and allocation against customer accounts so the ledger has zero unallocated receipts at month-end.
• Generate and dispatch accurate, tax-compliant invoices for local and export dispatches, with correct tax treatment, pricing checks and transport charges.
• Run proactive debt collection by telephone and written correspondence, meeting target cash collection metrics.
• Issue customer statements, process authorised credit notes and resolve account queries or billing discrepancies within agreed timeframes.
• Reconcile the debtors age analysis to the trial balance monthly and comment on overdue accounts for management.
• Collate export documentation to support zero-rated VAT compliance and annual audit verification.
• Monitor credit limits, assess credit risk and escalate problem accounts or potential holds in line with credit management policy.

Required profile

• Grade 12 (Matric) with Accounting or Mathematics.
• 3 to 5 years of full-function debtors and credit control experience in a trading, distribution or FMCG environment.
• Proven experience managing the full accounts receivable cycle on an ERP or accounting platform.
• Solid understanding of South African VAT legislation, including tax invoices, credit notes and zero-rated exports.
• Experience with export invoicing and customs documentation; previous exposure to the wine, liquor or beverage sector is an advantage.
• Written and verbal Afrikaans.

Required skills

• Strong Microsoft Excel (lookups, pivot tables, reconciliations)
• Google Workspace
• Palladium, Pastel, Sage or similar accounting software