Accounts Receivables Branch (ARB) Team Lead

The Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services (CGFS), U.S. Department of State (DoS), in Charleston, South Carolina, is seeking an experienced professional to serve as an Accounts Receivable Financial Analyst and Team Lead within the Accounts Receivables Branch (ARB).

This dual-role position combines accounting, financial reconciliations, debt collections, research, systems analysis, and business process improvement with team leadership, employee development, coaching, and quality assurance. The selected candidate will work closely with federal and contract management to ensure accurate and timely financial operations while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team.

Interested in Applying? I have a few preliminary questions…

Do you enjoy analyzing information, researching discrepancies, and solving problems?

Do you find yourself looking for ways to make business processes more efficient and effective?

Do you enjoy helping others succeed, develop their skills, and reach their full potential?

Are you comfortable providing guidance, constructive feedback, and holding others accountable?

Can you create, maintain, and analyze Excel spreadsheets using intermediate functions such as VLOOKUP and PivotTables?

Can you balance competing priorities while maintaining accuracy, meeting deadlines, and supporting your team?

Are you interested in supporting the U.S. Department of State in Charleston, South Carolina?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, keep reading!

Why is this Different from other Job Opportunities?

This position offers a unique opportunity to develop both technical expertise and leadership skills while supporting the US Department of State. All candidates must possess or be eligible to obtain a Secret security clearance issued by the Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Obtaining a Secret clearance can be a valuable professional credential, opening doors to additional career opportunities in federal contracting and potentially direct government employment. Beyond the clearance, this position provides the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by improving financial processes, solving complex problems, and helping others grow professionally.

You Must Meet These Minimum Requirements

• Candidates must meet one of the following education and experience combinations:
• A four-year degree from an accredited college or university and at least four years of relevant professional experience; OR
• Two years of college education and at least six years of experience directly related to the position; OR
• At least eight years of relevant professional experience.
• Previous management, supervisory, or demonstrated Team Lead experience is required.
• Practical experience in Accounts Receivable operations, including financial research, account reconciliation, and collections.
• Working knowledge of General Ledger accounting, including an understanding of how financial transactions affect account balances and reconciliations.
• Basic to intermediate financial and accounting knowledge, with the ability to analyze transactions, identify discrepancies, and interpret financial documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate work assignments, provide guidance to team members, and support accurate and timely completion of operational requirements.
• Must qualify to obtain Secret Security clearance.

We are also Looking for

• Experience using accounting systems, spreadsheets, and financial reports to research discrepancies, analyze data, and support financial operations.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, training, and providing technical guidance to team members.
• Ability to identify process inefficiencies, investigate root causes, and recommend practical improvements.
• Knowledge of government accounting principles, federal financial operations, and reporting requirements is desirable. Previous Department of State experience is a plus, but not required.
• Ability to quickly learn new systems, adapt to changing operational requirements, and promote teamwork, employee development, and accountability.

Our most Successful Employees in this Position Demonstrate

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to research discrepancies, identify root causes, and develop practical solutions.
• Ability to understand financial processes, information flows, and supporting systems while adapting quickly to changing operational requirements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel (VLOOKUP, PivotTables, and data analysis), and the ability to learn Department of State financial systems, policies, and procedures.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands while maintaining accuracy and meeting deadlines.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills, including the ability to manage high-volume inquiries and recognize when issues require management escalation.
• Effective leadership skills, including coaching, constructive feedback, employee development, and maintaining accountability for individual and team performance.
• Professionalism, integrity, sound judgment, and a collaborative, solution-oriented approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Day-to-day Job Responsibilities include

• Analyze accounting transactions, verify system interfaces, research discrepancies, identify root causes, and process corrective accounting entries as needed.
• Perform General Ledger reconciliations, support financial reporting, and maintain accurate accounting records, spreadsheets, and supporting documentation.
• Create, update, and monitor Accounts Receivable records in GFMS, including researching and correcting rejected transactions within the appropriate accounting period.
• Manage an assigned Accounts Receivable portfolio based on staffing and operational needs, including account monitoring, financial research, reconciliation, customer inquiries, and collection activities.
• Provide technical guidance to team members in resolving complex accounts, accounting discrepancies, and escalated collection matters.
• Research aged debts, bankruptcies, deceased debtor accounts, and potential write-offs; prepare loan recovery calculations and coordinate with appropriate personnel.
• Process authorized collections through Pay.gov, refunds for overcollections and overseas tax refunds, and fee waiver requests in accordance with established approval requirements.
• Monitor delinquent accounts, coordinate Treasury Cross-Servicing referrals, maintain referral reports, and process applicable IPAC collections.
• Provide timely and professional customer service through telephone and email correspondence, addressing inquiries and supporting debt resolution.
• Maintain complete and accurate financial records and ensure debt-related documentation is properly uploaded into the Document Imaging System (DIS).
• Generate and analyze Global Business Intelligence (GBI) reports to evaluate collection trends, portfolio performance, processing deficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
• Safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII), comply with OMB Circular A-123 internal control requirements, and maintain Quality Work Instructions (QWIs), Reference Documents (RDs), and related procedures in support of ISO 9001 requirements.
• Respond to internal and external documentation requests in accordance with security and privacy requirements and perform other duties as assigned.

Team Lead duties for this position include

Serve as a subject-matter expert in Accounts Receivable operations, providing technical guidance, problem-solving assistance, and support to team members.

Work closely with Department of State and contract management to ensure accurate, timely, and high-quality work while supporting operational goals and process improvements.

Balance technical responsibilities with leadership and administrative duties, estimated at approximately 25% of working time, with flexibility based on staffing, workload, and operational priorities.

Assist the Contract Manager with employee performance management, including coaching, mentoring, constructive feedback, addressing performance concerns, and promoting accountability.

Support recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, employee development, and training, ensuring on-the-job training is documented and employees demonstrate competency in assigned responsibilities.

Monitor workloads, productivity, and work quality; identify backlogs, recurring errors, and training needs, and recommend appropriate corrective actions.

Serve as a liaison between contractor employees, federal management, and contract management to facilitate communication and address operational concerns.

Monitor employee schedules, attendance, and leave requests to ensure adequate staffing, operational coverage, and compliance with established policies.

Review physical sign-in/sign-out records against employee timesheets each pay period, coordinate the correction of identified discrepancies, and approve timesheets within assigned authority.

Evaluate overtime requests against workload requirements, communicate staffing and performance concerns to management, and participate in meetings addressing operational priorities and departmental initiatives.

Work Schedule

• Standard eight-hour work shift scheduled within the established operating hours of 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
• Work schedules include an unpaid meal period of 30, 45, or 60 minutes, based on operational requirements and supervisory approval.
• The earliest authorized departure time is 2:45 PM for employees beginning their workday at 6:00 AM with a 45-minute meal period. Actual departure times vary based on approved start times and meal periods.
• Employees must adhere to their approved work schedules to ensure adequate office coverage and accurate timekeeping.
• Additional hours may be required with prior approval from the Assistant Program Manager and Department of State management.
• This position is 100% onsite in Charleston, South Carolina.

Software systems used

• Office Software: Microsoft Office 365, primarily Excel, Word, and Access.
• Financial Reporting: Global Business Intelligence (GBI).
• Document Management: Document Imaging System (DIS).
• Collection Research: LexisNexis.
• Accounting Systems: Global Financial Management System (GFMS) and Regional Financial Management System (RFMS).
• Treasury Collections: Pay.gov, Treasury Cross-Servicing, and Intra-Governmental Payment and Collection (IPAC).
• Prior experience with Department of State-specific systems is desirable but not required. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to learn new financial systems and effectively apply their existing accounting knowledge