Director of Credit and Collections

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23000 employees operating in over 150 countries Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the worlds most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.

The Director Credit Collections & Dispute Management is a strategic finance leader responsible for driving segment working capital performance through effective credit risk management collections excellence dispute resolution and cash flow optimization across the assigned business segment.
This role provides vision leadership and direction for the Segment Credit Collections and Dispute Management organization while advancing the transformation toward a centralized technology-enabled operating model. The Director partners closely with Segment Commercial Finance Customer Service Treasury and Executive Leadership teams to improve cash flow mitigate financial risk enhance customer relationships and support profitable growth.

The successful candidate will champion process standardization automation digital transformation and continuous improvement initiatives while developing high-performing teams and fostering a culture of accountability collaboration and operational excellence.

This is a hybrid position based in our Charlotte NC office expectation is 3x per week.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Working Capital Optimization

• Develop and execute the segment-wide Credit Collections and Dispute Management strategy aligned with corporate financial objectives and working capital targets.

• Drive sustainable improvements in cash flow Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) overdue receivables dispute resolution and overall accounts receivable performance.

• Establish a strong cash culture across the segment through proactive stakeholder engagement education and accountability.

• Partner with business leaders to optimize customer contract terms payment behaviors and risk management strategies.

• Lead initiatives that maximize shareholder value through effective working capital management and risk mitigation.

Credit Risk Management

• Provide overall leadership and governance for segment customer and country credit risk assessment activities.

• Establish and maintain robust credit policies risk frameworks and approval processes.

• Oversee financial statement analysis credit evaluations exposure management and ongoing portfolio monitoring.

• Ensure appropriate management of bankruptcies liens bonds guarantees letters of credit and other credit-related instruments.

• Collaborate closely with Treasury and external partners to manage financial risk effectively.

Collections & Dispute Resolution Excellence

• Lead collections and dispute management operations to achieve performance targets and service-level expectations.

• Drive timely resolution of customer disputes to accelerate cash conversion and enhance customer satisfaction.

• Monitor and improve key performance indicators including DSO past-due receivables dispute cycle times and cash collections.

• Develop scalable processes that balance customer experience with financial discipline.

Business Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a trusted advisor to Segment Commercial Leadership CFOs Controllers Finance Leaders Customer Service and Executive Management.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic customers including direct customer engagement when appropriate.

• Present financial performance risk assessments working capital trends and improvement initiatives to Segment senior leadership.

• Influence segment organizational decisions through data-driven analysis and actionable recommendations.

Transformation & Continuous Improvement

• Assist in the continued evolution of Credit Collections and Dispute Management toward a centralized Shared Services/Center of Excellence model.

• Partner with Global Process Owners and Digital Transformation teams to drive process standardization automation and digitization initiatives.

• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend solutions that improve efficiency controls scalability and customer experience.

• Sponsor and support system implementations process redesigns and User Acceptance Testing activities.

Compliance Governance & Controls

• Ensure compliance with global credit policies Delegation of Authority requirements SOX controls and internal governance standards.

• Support internal and external audits while maintaining a strong control environment.

• Ensure adherence to all applicable regulatory legal and ethical requirements across the regions supported.

People Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead coach and develop a team of Credit Collections and Dispute Management professionals.

• Build organizational capability through talent development succession planning performance management and leadership coaching.

• Foster a culture of accountability collaboration continuous improvement and employee engagement.

• Assess organizational structure and resource requirements to support current and future business needs.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Finance Accounting Business Administration or a related discipline.

• 10 years of progressive leadership experience in Credit Collections Accounts Receivable Working Capital Management or Corporate Finance.

• Demonstrated success leading large-scale teams within a global or regional Shared Services Global Business Services (GBS) or Center of Excellence environment.

• Proven experience driving working capital improvements and delivering measurable financial results.

• Strong expertise in credit risk assessment customer financial analysis collections strategy and dispute resolution.

• Experience leading organizational transformation process optimization and change management initiatives.

• Excellent executive communication presentation and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a data-driven decision-making approach.

• Fluency in English both written and verbal.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with digital finance transformation automation and advanced analytics solutions.

• Knowledge of global credit bureaus and risk intelligence providers such as Dun & Bradstreet Creditsafe Moodys Equifax and related platforms.

• Understanding of international credit regulations commercial laws and financial compliance requirements.

• Experience managing teams across multiple regions and cultures.

Success Measures

The Director will be measured on:

• DSO and working capital performance improvement

• Reduction in past-due receivables and dispute cycle times

• Credit loss mitigation and portfolio risk management

• Operational efficiency and process standardization

• Employee engagement and talent development

• Stakeholder satisfaction and business partnership effectiveness

• Delivery of transformation automation and continuous improvement initiatives

• Compliance audit and control effectiveness

The estimated salary range for this position is $165000 to $175000 plus pay is dependent on multiple factors such as skills experience and work location and is not typically at the top of the range. At Xylem we offer a competitive compensation package with a generous benefit package including Medical Dental Vision plans 401(k) with company contribution paid time off paid parental leave and tuition reimbursement.

Why Xylem

We believe in supporting our employees both professionally and personally. Our benefits include:

Paid parental leave maternity support and fertility benefits

Flexibility and hybrid work options where applicable

Health dental and vision insurance from day one

Emotional health and wellness programs and Volunteer program (Watermark)

Paid time off (PTO)/Flexible time off (FTO) and paid holidays

Career development advancement tuition reimbursement and student loan forgiveness

Generous retirement savings plan with company contribution

Employee recognition and discount programs

Ready to grow your career while making a difference Join a team that values your skills supports your development and empowers you to help solve global water challenges.

Xylem does not provide visa sponsorship for this role.

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Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage conservation and re-use. Our products impact public utilities industrial sectors residential areas and commercial buildings with a commitment to providing smart metering network technologies and advanced analytics for water electric and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.