Sr. Collections Specialist

Led by Rodolphe Saadé, the CMA CGM Group, a global leader in shipping and logistics, serves more than 420 ports around the world on five continents. With its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, a world leader in logistics, and its air freight division CMA CGM AIR CARGO, the CMA CGM Group is continually innovating to offer its customers a complete and increasingly efficient range of new shipping, land, air and logistics solutions.
Committed to the energy transition in shipping, and a pioneer in the use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group has set a target to become Net Zero Carbon by 2050.
Through the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group acts in humanitarian crises that require an emergency response by mobilizing the Group’s shipping and logistics expertise to bring humanitarian supplies around the world.
Present in 160 countries through its network of more than 400 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs more than 155,000 people worldwide, including 4,000 in Marseilles where its head office is located.

Position Summary

The Senior Collections Specialist is responsible for managing a portfolio of complex accounts receivable and driving the resolution of outstanding balances through strategic, analytical, and customer-focused collection practices. This role goes beyond traditional collections by requiring critical evaluation of account history, dispute dynamics, and customer behavior to develop tailored collection strategies that reduce Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and optimize cash flow. 
 

The Senior Collections Specialist serves as a key partner to Sales and cross-functional teams, ensuring timely resolution of disputes—including rejected and unresolved claims—by securing required documentation, driving accountability, and escalating for commercial settlement when necessary. This position requires a high level of professional judgment, negotiation skill, and the ability to balance risk mitigation with customer relationship management.

 

Functions & Duties
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Own and manage a portfolio of customer accounts, developing and executing strategic collection plans to drive timely payment and minimize risk exposure.  

Conduct proactive and targeted collection campaigns through professional communication (phone and email), applying negotiation techniques to secure payment commitments.  

Analyze account status, payment trends, and dispute history to determine optimal collection approach and identify potential risks or escalation needs.  

Lead the resolution of short payments and discrepancies by validating supporting documentation and clearly communicating findings to customers.  

Drive closure of all reviewed and rejected disputes by:  
   • Following up with customers for missing or additional documentation  

   • Collaborating with internal stakeholders to validate claims  

   • Escalating to Sales for commercial settlements when appropriate 

Act as a central liaison across departments (Customer Service, Documentation, Cash Applications, Operations, etc.) to remove barriers to payment and ensure a seamless customer experience.  

Prepare, analyze, and present account and portfolio-level reporting to Senior Management, highlighting trends, risks, and recommended actions.  

Manage customer account reconciliations, including remittance application issues, overpayments, duplicate payments, offsets, and small balance write-offs.  

Identify process improvement opportunities and contribute to initiatives that enhance collection efficiency and dispute resolution effectiveness.  

Support special projects and ad hoc analyses as required. 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities 
•    Knowledge of collections processes and procedures.
•    Exceptional skills in MS Excel: including pivot tables and v-lookups
•    Exceptional interpersonal & communication skills (written & verbal).
•    Strong organizational, time management, priority setting & high level of analytical & problem-solving abilities.
•    Ability to coordinate information from various sources.
•    Familiarity with functions of different internal departments such as Finance, Imports, Exports, Rates & Detention & Demurrage
•    Possess a mindset with strong customer service skills that clearly recognizes the importance & sensitivity of our customers.
•    Conflict resolution skills
•    Proficiency in computer skills to include Microsoft applications (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint),
•    Creative, self-disciplined and capable of identifying and completing critical tasks independently and with a sense of urgency.
•    Must have attention to detail with an eye for accuracy.
•    Ability to gain clear understanding of other departments process

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Advanced knowledge o