Assistant Credit Manager – Construction Credit & Multi-State Operations
Company: Steeler Inc.
Location: Seattle, Washington
Job Type: Full-time
Pay Range: $65,000.00-$70,000.00 per year
Work Arrangement: In person
About Steeler Inc.
Steeler Inc. is a family-owned manufacturer and supplier of steel framing, drywall, and construction materials. Since 1974, we have proudly operated as the longest continuously operating steel stud manufacturer in the United States.
For more than 50 years, our success has been built on quality products, dependable service, strong customer relationships, and dedicated employees. As Steeler continues to grow, we are seeking an experienced Assistant Credit Manager to help support our multi-state credit and collections operations.
Position Summary
The Assistant Credit Manager will support the Credit Manager in overseeing customer credit, accounts receivable, collections, lien-right protection, and sales-tax documentation across multiple states and branch locations.
The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of construction credit and collections, including preliminary notices, mechanics’ lines, bond claims, lien waivers, and state-specific filing requirements. This position requires excellent organization, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage time-sensitive deadlines.
This position reports to the Credit Manager and will be expected to demonstrate leadership within the credit department by supporting team members, improving procedures, protecting the company’s lien and bond rights, and helping ensure consistent credit practices across all locations.
Key Responsibilities
Credit Management
- Assist with managing the company’s commercial credit and accounts-receivable functions.
- Review and process new customer credit applications.
- Analyze credit reports, trade references, financial information, and payment histories.
- Recommend appropriate credit limits, payment terms, and account restrictions.
- Establish and maintain accurate customer credit files.
- Monitor customer accounts for changing risk levels, past-due balances, and unusual activity.
- Review and approve customer orders within established authority levels.
- Escalate high-risk accounts and significant credit concerns to the Credit Manager.
- Assist with developing and maintaining consistent credit policies across branches and states.
- Place accounts on credit hold when appropriate and communicate decisions professionally.
- Work closely with sales and branch personnel to balance customer relationships with financial risk.
Collections and Accounts Receivable
- Monitor accounts-receivable aging and prioritize collection activity.
- Contact customers regarding past-due invoices and payment commitments.
- Research and resolve billing disputes, short payments, unapplied cash, and account discrepancies.
- Document collection activity, customer commitments, and account updates.
- Negotiate payment arrangements within established company guidelines.
- Identify delinquent or high-risk accounts requiring additional action.
- Coordinate with sales representatives, branch managers, and accounting personnel to resolve account issues.
- Recommend accounts for third-party collection, legal action, lien filing, or write-off.
- Assist with preparing bad-debt reports and maintaining allowance documentation.
- Help achieve company goals for reducing past-due balances and days sales outstanding.
Lien and Bond Rights
- Protect Steeler’s mechanics’ lien, stop-notice, and bond-claim rights in every state where the company conducts business.
- Identify projects that require preliminary notices, notices to owner, notices of furnishing, or other statutory documents.
- Research project information, including property ownership, general contractors, subcontractors, lenders, and surety companies.
- Prepare, send, track, and retain preliminary notices and related documentation.
- Maintain an accurate calendar of state-specific notice, lien, bond-claim, and enforcement deadlines.
- Review customer accounts and projects to determine whether lien or bond action may be necessary.
- Coordinate the preparation and filing of mechanics’ liens, bond claims, stop notices, and related documents.
- Work with outside notice services, attorneys, title companies, and collection agencies as needed.
- Obtain and review conditional and unconditional lien waivers.
- Ensure waivers and releases accurately reflect the amount paid, payment status, project, and applicable state requirements.
- Avoid releasing lien or bond rights before verified payment is received.
- Maintain complete project files and supporting documentation for potential claims.
- Monitor changes to construction lien laws and notice requirements in the states where Steeler operates.
- Assist with training branch, sales, and credit employees on lien-right procedures and required project information.
Multi-State Tax Responsibilities
Steeler is transitioning to Avalara to support its multi-state sales-and-use-tax compliance. The Assistant Credit Manager will play an active role in implementing, maintaining, and using the platform.
- Obtain, review, and maintain customer resale certificates and sales-tax exemption certificates.
- Verify that tax documentation is complete, current, and applicable to the correct customer, location, and transaction.
- Track certificate expiration dates and request updated documentation when necessary.
- Maintain organized records to support state and local sales-tax audits.
- Assist with determining whether customer purchases qualify for tax-exempt treatment based on company procedures and documentation.
- Research sales-tax discrepancies and coordinate corrections with accounting, sales, and branch personnel.
- Assist with maintaining accurate customer tax codes within the company’s accounting system.
- Support sales-and-use-tax reporting, reconciliations, and audit requests.
- Coordinate with the accounting department and outside tax professionals on multi-state tax matters.
- Stay informed about sales-tax documentation requirements in the states where Steeler conducts business.
- Help standardize tax-exemption procedures across company locations.
Leadership and Process Improvement
- Serve as a knowledgeable resource for credit team members, sales representatives, and branch personnel.
- Provide guidance regarding credit decisions, collections, lien rights, waivers, and tax documentation.
- Assist with training and mentoring credit department employees.
- Review department procedures and recommend practical improvements.
- Help standardize credit, collection, lien, and tax processes across branches.
- Support the implementation and improvement of credit-management systems and reporting tools.
- Prepare reports on aging, collections, credit exposure, lien deadlines, and department performance.
- Assist the Credit Manager with special projects and department initiatives.
- Provide coverage for the Credit Manager when necessary.
- Promote accuracy, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
Required Qualifications
- At least five years of progressively responsible commercial credit, collections, or accounts-receivable experience.
- Experience protecting mechanics’ lien or bond-claim rights in the construction industry.
- Working knowledge of preliminary notices, mechanics’ liens, bond claims, and lien waivers.
- Experience managing time-sensitive statutory filing deadlines.
- Knowledge of commercial credit evaluation and collection practices.
- Experience supporting customers or business operations in multiple states.
- Familiarity with resale certificates, exemption certificates, and sales-tax documentation.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to communicate difficult credit decisions professionally and confidently.
- Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities and meet strict deadlines.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and accounting or credit-management software.
- Ability to handle confidential customer and financial information appropriately.
Preferred Qualifications
- Credit and collections experience in construction materials, manufacturing, distribution, or building supplies.
- Experience handling lien rights across multiple states.
- Familiarity with public-works bond claims and payment-bond requirements.
- Experience working with attorneys, notice services, collection agencies, and tax professionals.
- Experience assisting with sales-tax audits.
- Experience supervising, training, or mentoring credit department employees.
- Professional certification through the National Association of Credit Management or a similar organization.
Compensation
- Final compensation will be based on relevant experience, education, industry knowledge, technical expertise, and overall qualifications.
- Performance-based bonus opportunities may be available.
Benefits
Steeler offers a comprehensive employee-benefits package that includes:
- Medical insurance.
- Dental insurance.
- Vision insurance.
- Health savings account.
- Life insurance.
- 401(k) matching.
- Paid vacation and sick leave.
- Paid holidays.
- Parental leave.
- Employee discount.
- Employee referral program.
- Career-development and advancement opportunities.
Application Questions
- How many years of commercial credit and collections experience do you have?
- Please describe your experience with construction-industry credit.
- In which states have you managed preliminary notices, mechanics’ liens, or bond claims?
- What experience do you have reviewing conditional and unconditional lien waivers?
- Have you managed statutory notice and lien-filing deadlines across multiple states?
- What experience do you have with resale certificates, tax-exemption certificates, or sales-tax audits?
- Have you supervised, trained, or mentored credit department employees?
- What accounting, credit-management, or enterprise software have you used?
- Please provide your desired salary range.
Ready to Build Your Career?
If you are an experienced credit professional who understands construction lien rights, multi-state credit requirements, and sales-tax documentation, we would like to hear from you.
Apply today and build your future with Steeler Inc.
Steeler Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $65,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
