6 free templates by level: master, clerk, specialist, coordinator/analyst, combined AP/AR, and small-business first hire, with the salary data and FLSA classification generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
Accounts receivable is one of the most common finance hires a business makes, and one of the most generically templated. The job descriptions online mostly come from large template sites that describe a faceless clerk who sends invoices, and almost none of them address the three things that actually matter to the employer writing the posting: which level you are hiring, how the role is classified under the FLSA, and the reality that at a small company one person often runs both money in and money out.
This page is a hub for that hire. It gives you six templates by level: a master template, AR clerk, AR specialist, AR coordinator or analyst, a combined accounts payable and receivable version for the one-person finance function, and a small-business first hire. At FirstHR, we build hiring and onboarding tools for small businesses like yours. Each template is ready to use, with the salary and FLSA realities built in. For the principles behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Accounts receivable manages the money coming into a business: invoicing, posting payments, reconciliation, collections, and reporting. AR clerks and specialists are typically non-exempt and hourly. The closest federal occupation reports a median of $49,210 a year (May 2024), with most AR levels under $80,000. The differentiators generic templates skip are the FLSA classification, the salary range, and the combined AP/AR reality at small companies. This page has six templates by level; download all as one DOCX.
What an Accounts Receivable Role Does
Accounts receivable is the function that manages the money coming into a business from customers. The core work is creating and sending invoices, posting and applying incoming payments, reconciling accounts, monitoring the aging report, and following up on past-due balances, all while keeping records accurate and supporting month-end close. It keeps billing accurate and cash flow healthy, and because collecting payment professionally is part of the job, it blends finance with customer communication.
The closest federal occupation is bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks (SOC 43-3031). For the employer writing the posting, the role is defined less by the generic invoicing work and more by three things a template usually skips: which level you are hiring, how the FLSA classifies it, and whether one person will also handle accounts payable. The six templates split by level so the document matches the real hire.
Accounts Receivable Duties and Responsibilities
Accounts receivable duties cluster into four areas: billing and invoicing, payments and reconciliation, collections, and reporting and close. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match the level you are hiring rather than listing every possible task. These are the duties grouped the way the templates use them.
Billing and invoicing
Create, send, and track customer invoices
Process credit memos, adjustments, and refunds
Keep billing accurate and on time
Payments and reconciliation
Post and apply incoming payments
Reconcile customer accounts
Research and resolve discrepancies
Collections
Monitor the aging report
Follow up on past-due accounts
Communicate professionally about balances
Reporting and close
Prepare AR aging and cash reports
Support month-end close
Maintain accurate records in the system
The scope widens by level: a clerk follows procedures within these areas, while a specialist owns the full cycle and resolves disputes. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
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Accounts receivable titles are not standardized, so the most useful thing a hub page can do is map the levels. Define the role you are hiring by its actual duties, not the label, and write the pay and experience to match.
Experienced, owns the full cycle: reconciliation, disputes, month-end
Mid-fifties to mid-sixties thousand
AR Coordinator / Analyst
Hands-on AR plus reporting and aging analysis
Similar to specialist, by scope
Combined AP / AR
One person runs money in and money out
Sub-eighty thousand
AR Manager
Supervises staff, may be exempt
Borderline, varies widely
This page covers the clerk through coordinator levels and the combined role in depth, since those share one search intent and sit clearly in the same pay zone. The manager level is distinct, with supervisory duties and a different exempt-status analysis, and tends to be a separate hire.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by the level and shape of the role. The AR core runs through all six, but each one frames the scope, experience, and pay for a specific kind of hire. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Accounts Receivable (Master)
Start here
The baseline AR job description: invoicing, payment posting, reconciliation, collections, and reporting. Use it as the starting point for any level, then adjust.
AR Clerk
Entry-level, procedural
The day-to-day version for a clerk following established procedures: invoicing, payment posting, record-keeping, and routine collections. A common first finance hire.
AR Specialist
Experienced, owns the process
For an experienced AR professional who owns the full cycle: invoicing, reconciliation, collections, dispute resolution, and month-end support, working independently.
AR Coordinator / Analyst
Reporting and coordination
Blends hands-on AR with reporting and analysis: coordinating collections, tracking and analyzing the aging report, and producing the reporting finance relies on.
Accounts Payable & Receivable
One-person finance function
The combined role common in small businesses, where one person runs money in and money out. Built for the SMB one-person finance reality competitors ignore.
Small Business / First Hire
Owner-operated company
A wear-several-hats version for a company making its first dedicated finance hire, taking billing off the owner's plate with room to grow.
Match the Template to the Level
Use the Master template as a starting point for any level. Choose AR Clerk for an entry-level, procedural hire; AR Specialist for an experienced person who owns the cycle; AR Coordinator / Analyst when reporting matters; Accounts Payable & Receivable when one person runs both; and Small Business / First Hire when you are making your first dedicated finance hire. Every clerk-through-coordinator version is non-exempt and hourly.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, the non-exempt classification, pay, and how to apply, with an EEO statement built in. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Master, clerk, specialist, coordinator/analyst, combined AP/AR, and small business. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Accounts Receivable (Master Template)
The baseline version covering invoicing, payment posting, reconciliation, collections, and reporting. Start here for any level, then adjust the scope and pay.
The combined version built for the small-business reality where one trusted person runs both money in and money out, with the control trade-off named honestly.
We are an owner-operated company making our first dedicated finance
hire. Until now the owner or office manager has handled billing, and we
are ready for someone to own it. This is a hands-on, wear-several-hats
role with room to grow as the company grows.
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring our first Accounts Receivable team member to
take billing and collections off the owner's plate. You will set up and
run invoicing, post payments, follow up on past-due accounts, and keep
our books and cash flow clear. This role suits someone reliable and
organized who likes ownership and variety in a small team.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Set up and run a clean, consistent invoicing process
•Post payments and keep AR records accurate
•Monitor the aging report and follow up on past-due accounts
•Reconcile accounts and flag issues to the owner
•Help with related bookkeeping and reporting as needed
•Keep billing documentation organized and audit-ready
•Communicate professionally with customers
•Suggest simple improvements to billing and collections
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•High school diploma or equivalent
•Bookkeeping, billing, or AR experience a plus
•Comfortable setting up and using accounting software
•Trustworthy with financial information
•Self-directed, organized, and reliable
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_ [per hour or per year] [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
We are an equal opportunity employer.
What to Include in an Accounts Receivable Job Description
Every strong accounts receivable job description includes the same core sections. The templates above are built around them, so you can fill in the blanks, but it helps to know what each one is for.
Section
What it covers
Job title and level
A clear title that signals the level: clerk, specialist, coordinator
Company overview
One or two lines about your company and the team
Job summary
Two or three sentences on the billing-and-collections focus
Key responsibilities
8 to 10 duties across billing, payments, collections, and reporting
Requirements
Experience for the level and comfort with accounting software
Classification and pay
Non-exempt and hourly, with an honest pay range
Scope note
For a combined role, the AP and AR scope and control checks
EEO and apply
Equal opportunity statement and clear application steps
Keep the language neutral and inclusive throughout. The EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
FLSA, Pay, and Controls
This is the part generic AR templates skip, and it is the part that protects the employer: how the role is classified under the FLSA, what the pay realistically looks like, and the internal-control trade-off when one person runs both payables and receivables. Get these right and your posting attracts the right candidates and avoids a costly misclassification.
FLSA: AR clerks and specialists are non-exempt
This is the single biggest thing generic AR templates miss. Accounts receivable clerks, specialists, and coordinators perform routine financial work following established procedures, which rarely meets the administrative exemption's discretion-and-independent-judgment test, so the role is typically non-exempt and paid hourly, which means overtime-eligible at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a week. Exempt status requires both a salary basis and a duties test, and job titles do not determine it. State the non-exempt, hourly classification in the posting and track hours, so overtime is handled correctly. This is general information, not legal advice.
The salary threshold and why title does not decide it
Classifying a role as salaried-exempt to avoid overtime is a common and costly mistake. As of 2026, the federal salary threshold to qualify for the executive, administrative, or professional exemption is $684 per week, or $35,568 a year, restored by a Department of Labor technical amendment, with a $107,432 total-compensation threshold for highly compensated employees. But meeting the salary floor is not enough on its own: the role must also pass the duties test, and routine AR work usually does not. Several states set higher thresholds, so check current federal and state rules before classifying. This is general information, not legal advice.
Segregation of duties in a one-person finance function
When one person handles both accounts payable and receivable, it is worth understanding the internal-control trade-off. Standard accounting guidance recommends separating who can create invoices, receive payments, and approve outgoing payments, so no single person controls a full transaction cycle, which reduces error and fraud risk. Small businesses often cannot staff that separation and reasonably assign both AP and AR to one trusted person. The practical answer is compensating controls: owner review of bank reconciliations, approval of payments above a threshold, and regular reporting. Name the combined scope honestly and pair it with those checks. This is general information, not legal advice.
Match the level to the work and set pay honestly
AR titles are not standardized, so define the role by its actual duties, not the label. A clerk follows procedures, a specialist owns the cycle and resolves disputes, and a coordinator or analyst adds reporting and analysis. The closest federal occupation, bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, reported a median wage of $49,210 a year as of May 2024, with most levels of AR sitting under $80,000. Decide the level you need, write the duties to match, and post an honest pay range benchmarked to your market and the level. This is general information, not legal advice.
Title Does Not Decide Exempt Status
Classifying an AR role as salaried-exempt to avoid overtime is a common, costly mistake. Exempt status requires both a salary at or above the federal threshold of $684 per week ($35,568 a year) as of 2026 and a duties test, and routine AR work usually fails the duties test regardless of pay. Several states set higher thresholds. The U.S. Department of Labor is explicit that job titles do not determine exempt status. This is general information, not legal advice.
The closest federal occupation, bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, had a median wage of $49,210 a year as of the May 2024 data, with the lowest 10 percent under $34,600 and the highest 10 percent over $72,660 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Most AR levels sit under $80,000, with only the manager level reaching higher.
Hiring Accounts Receivable for a Small Business
A large company hires AR through a finance department and an HR team. A small business makes this hire directly, and faces three things the template farms ignore: AR is often the first finance hire and the owner writes the posting, one person commonly runs both AP and AR with a control trade-off worth naming, and the onboarding carries the trust and the paperwork. Here is how to handle all three.
At a small company, accounts receivable is often the first finance hire, and the owner is the one writing the job description
Most accounts receivable templates online come from large template sites and assume an employer with a finance department and an HR team. The reality for a small business is different: AR is one of the most common early finance hires for any company that invoices customers, and the owner or office manager is the one writing the posting, hiring, and onboarding, usually with no formal HR support. The templates above are built for that situation. Pick the level you actually need, whether a procedural clerk, an experienced specialist, or a combined AP and AR bookkeeper, fill in the brackets, and post, without translating a generic corporate job description down to your size.
One person handling both money in and money out is normal for a small business, but it carries a control trade-off worth naming
At a small company, one trusted person commonly runs both accounts payable and accounts receivable, and often general bookkeeping too. That is practical and normal, but standard accounting guidance recommends separating who invoices customers, who receives payments, and who approves outgoing payments, so no single person controls a whole transaction cycle. A small business usually cannot staff that separation, so the realistic answer is compensating controls: the owner reviews bank reconciliations, approves payments above a set amount, and looks at regular reports. The combined AP and AR template above is written for that one-person finance function, and naming the scope honestly helps you hire the right, trustworthy person.
Hiring a finance person is the start, and onboarding carries the trust and the paperwork
A finance hire touches money from day one, so a clean, repeatable onboarding process matters more here than almost anywhere. Each hire carries the same after-offer work: a signed offer, the I-9 and tax forms, any confidentiality or financial-controls acknowledgments, training on your accounting system and approval workflow, and organized record-keeping. FirstHR fits this people side of the hire: e-signature for the offer and acknowledgments, task workflows for system and process training, document management with retention for signed forms, and an onboarding wizard that builds a workflow from the job description. The flat monthly price suits a small business better than per-employee tools. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not accounting, bookkeeping, or AR software, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those systems. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding, and because a finance hire touches money from day one, a smooth, repeatable process pays off. The paperwork comes first: the offer in writing, the I-9 with documents verified, and the W-4 and state tax forms per the new hire paperwork guide, alongside any confidentiality or financial-controls acknowledgments the role calls for.
Send the offer in writing
Confirm the role, the level, the pay, whether it is hourly and non-exempt, and the start date in a written offer, so a finance hire knows exactly what they accepted.
Collect the paperwork
Gather the signed offer, the I-9 with documents verified, the W-4 and state tax forms, and any confidentiality or financial-controls acknowledgments a finance role calls for.
Train on the systems and controls
Assign training on your accounting software, your invoicing and approval workflow, and the review checks that protect a one-person or small finance function.
Store the records
Keep the signed forms, acknowledgments, and any certifications organized, retained, and ready for an audit or a review.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, system and controls training, and the onboarding workflow in one place, with a wizard that builds the workflow from the job description, so a small business can manage the full process from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not accounting, bookkeeping, or AR software, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
Accounts receivable manages money coming in: invoicing, posting payments, reconciliation, collections, and reporting, and is a common early finance hire.
Use the template that matches the level: master, clerk, specialist, coordinator/analyst, combined AP/AR, or small-business first hire.
AR clerks and specialists are typically non-exempt and hourly; the closest federal occupation reports a median of $49,210 a year (BLS, May 2024).
Title does not decide exempt status: exemption needs both the $684-per-week salary threshold and a duties test that routine AR work usually fails.
At a small company one person often runs both AP and AR; name the scope honestly and pair it with owner-review controls.
Onboarding carries the trust: the offer, I-9, tax forms, any financial-controls acknowledgments, and training on your accounting system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an accounts receivable role do?
Accounts receivable is the function that manages the money coming into a business from customers. Day to day, that means creating and sending invoices, posting and applying incoming payments, reconciling customer accounts, monitoring the aging report, and following up on past-due balances, along with processing credit memos and adjustments and supporting month-end close. The role keeps billing accurate and cash flow healthy, and it sits at the intersection of finance and customer communication, since collecting payment professionally is part of the job. At a small company the same person may also handle accounts payable and general bookkeeping. The work is detail-heavy and procedural at the clerk level and broader and more independent at the specialist level.
What are the main accounts receivable duties and responsibilities?
Accounts receivable duties cluster into four areas. Billing and invoicing: creating, sending, and tracking customer invoices and processing credit memos and adjustments. Payments and reconciliation: posting and applying incoming payments, reconciling customer accounts, and resolving discrepancies. Collections: monitoring the aging report, following up on past-due accounts, and communicating professionally with customers about balances. Reporting and close: preparing AR aging and cash reports, supporting month-end close, and keeping records accurate in the accounting system. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match the level you are hiring, since a clerk following procedures has a narrower scope than a specialist who owns the full cycle and resolves disputes.
Is an accounts receivable clerk exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
Accounts receivable clerks and specialists are typically non-exempt and paid hourly, which means overtime-eligible. Routine AR work follows established procedures and usually does not meet the administrative exemption's discretion-and-independent-judgment duties test under the Fair Labor Standards Act, so the role is generally non-exempt regardless of pay. Exempt status requires both a salary basis at or above the federal threshold, which is $684 per week as of 2026, and a duties test, and job titles do not determine it. An accounts receivable manager who supervises staff and exercises independent judgment may qualify as exempt, but the clerk and specialist roles usually do not. Classify by actual duties, track hours, pay overtime when it applies, and check current federal and state rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does an accounts receivable clerk or specialist make?
Accounts receivable pay varies by level, region, and experience. The closest federal occupation, bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, had a median wage of $49,210 a year as of the May 2024 data, with the lowest 10 percent under $34,600 and the highest 10 percent over $72,660. In practice, an entry-level AR clerk starts near that lower band, an experienced AR specialist tends to run in the mid-fifties to mid-sixties thousand range, and a coordinator or analyst sits in a similar band depending on the reporting scope. Most accounts receivable levels sit under $80,000, with only the manager level reaching higher. Because the role is non-exempt, overtime applies on top of base pay. Set your range using current local data and post it. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between an AR clerk, specialist, and coordinator?
The titles are not standardized across companies, so define the role by its duties rather than the label. An accounts receivable clerk is usually the entry-level, procedural role: issuing invoices, posting payments, maintaining records, and making routine collection calls, following established procedures. An accounts receivable specialist is more experienced and owns the full cycle: managing invoicing, reconciliation, collections, dispute resolution, and month-end support, working independently and often improving the process. An accounts receivable coordinator or analyst blends hands-on AR with reporting and analysis, tracking and analyzing the aging report and producing the reporting finance relies on. When you write the posting, pick the level you actually need and write the responsibilities and pay to match it.
Can one person do both accounts payable and accounts receivable?
Yes, and at small companies it is common for one trusted person to handle both payables and receivables and often general bookkeeping. It is practical, but it is worth understanding the internal-control trade-off. Standard accounting guidance recommends separating who creates invoices, who receives payments, and who approves outgoing payments, so no single person controls a full transaction cycle, which reduces error and fraud risk. A small business usually cannot staff that separation, so the realistic approach is compensating controls: the owner reviews bank reconciliations, approves payments above a set threshold, and looks at regular reports. Naming the combined scope honestly in the job description, and pairing it with those checks, helps you hire the right, trustworthy person. This is general information, not legal advice.
What software and skills should an accounts receivable hire have?
An accounts receivable hire works primarily in accounting software and spreadsheets, so comfort with both is the core technical skill, along with accurate data entry and a solid grasp of the billing and collections cycle. Many small businesses use common small-business accounting systems, and a candidate who already knows your system ramps faster, though most software is learnable, so it is reasonable to treat it as a strong plus and train on your specific system. Beyond the technical side, the role needs accuracy, organization, and follow-through, since small errors compound in financial records, and clear, professional communication, since collections means contacting customers about money. For a specialist or coordinator, add dispute resolution and reporting or analysis skills. State the system you use and the experience level you need in the posting.
What should an accounts receivable job description include?
A strong accounts receivable job description names the company and the level up front, includes a short company summary, a job summary that captures the billing-and-collections focus, and responsibilities grouped into billing and invoicing, payments and reconciliation, collections, and reporting and close. It should state the requirements clearly, including comfort with accounting software and the experience level for the title, name the non-exempt, hourly classification with an honest pay range, and match the scope to the level, whether clerk, specialist, coordinator, or a combined AP and AR role. The additions that generic templates skip, and that genuinely improve the hire, are the FLSA classification, the salary range, and, for a combined role, an honest note on the one-person finance function and its controls. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
