Credit Hierarchy Specialist

at  Grainger

Work Location Type: Hybrid
As a leading industrial distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom, We Keep The World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. With 2023 sales of $16.5 billion, we’re dedicated to providing value for customers, fostering an engaging culture for team members and driving strong financial results.
Our welcoming workplace enables you to learn, grow and make a difference by keeping businesses running and their people safe. We’re looking for passionate people to join our team as we continue leading the industry over our next 100 years.
Primary Function
To manage, control and drive the proper account structure (“Hierarchy”) for up to 600 new accounts daily and the ongoing maintenance of 300 existing accounts daily. This involves the continuous investigation and research designed to mitigate risk, managing exposure and drive top line sales growth and profitability.

The Hierarchy Specialist must work in partnership with the following business partners including but not limited to the following:

• Customers, Janesville Credit, Credit Manager’s (CMs), Collections, Customer Information Quality, Sales, Procurement Advisor Team, National Sales Coordinators, Billing, Accounts Receivable, Legal, Branch Services, and Fraud. Coordinate with and manage these cross-functional resources to enhance the customer experience and resolve credit issues resulting in well informed business decisions that significantly affect customer relationships and economic earnings.

Main duties and Responsibilities

• Accountable for the structural integrity of customer Hierarchies and providing superior service per department guidelines.
• Uncover Hierarchy discrepancies within the daily NAR supported through investigations with Dun & Bradstreet, Company Websites and other credit data providing sources.
• Facilitate effective decision-making, with autoscoring credit limits up to $100K.
• Provide Hierarchy management, analysis and updates on extended terms projects (up to 25 per month) while preserving the integrity of Customer Master Files.
• Ensure corporate compliance of Hierarchy standards through detailed trainings and audits.
• Thorough analysis and proper endorsement on all Deactivations and Reactivations for customer accounts.
• Coordinate the intake of CNFs which includes the investigation and determine the appropriate action to complete the request.
• Correlate with business partners on existing Hierarchies (up to 325 Hierarchy projects a month) while working in unison with Sales, Customer Maintenance Team and CIQ teams to ensure the proper validation process is completed.
• Research and validate Hierarchy framework which includes but not limited to payer accounts, credit accounts, terms, and representative ID’s to ensure certainty on mass creates of accounts, CPM projects and extended terms projects
• Understand the complexities of multiple business entities from single proprietors to Fortune 500 corporations including hierarchy, legal entity, and account setup.
• Handle bankruptcies by calculating open A/R, review a customer’s hierarchy structure in time to file a reclamation with the courts and file an outstanding balance claim
• Review customers to be re-opened from post-bankruptcy proceedings
• Maintain updated knowledge of regulatory guidelines (Sarbanes Oxley, NACM, etc.).
• Expand and retain relationships with CMs and Sales to partner as a Hierarchy resource for the entire customer relationship.
• Understand Grainger’s core business model, performance drivers and how to apply best practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Undergraduate degree in a business-related field or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum of 1-3 years of experience in finance, credit, collections, or process resolution required.
• Ability to work concurrent projects and daily responsibilities in a time sensitive environment.
• Ability to work effectively and develop relationships with all levels of management.
• Demonstrated written/oral communication skills.
• Other attributes and competencies include results driven, customer focused, decisive, creative, and agile.
• Ability to work independently while developing relationships with all, while also being self-directed, customer focused, creative, possess technical literacy, as is results/goal driven.

Grainger is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status

• Accountable for the structural integrity of customer Hierarchies and providing superior service per department guidelines.
• Uncover Hierarchy discrepancies within the daily NAR supported through investigations with Dun & Bradstreet, Company Websites and other credit data providing sources.
• Facilitate effective decision-making, with autoscoring credit limits up to $100K.
• Provide Hierarchy management, analysis and updates on extended terms projects (up to 25 per month) while preserving the integrity of Customer Master Files.
• Ensure corporate compliance of Hierarchy standards through detailed trainings and audits.
• Thorough analysis and proper endorsement on all Deactivations and Reactivations for customer accounts.
• Coordinate the intake of CNFs which includes the investigation and determine the appropriate action to complete the request.
• Correlate with business partners on existing Hierarchies (up to 325 Hierarchy projects a month) while working in unison with Sales, Customer Maintenance Team and CIQ teams to ensure the proper validation process is completed.
• Research and validate Hierarchy framework which includes but not limited to payer accounts, credit accounts, terms, and representative ID’s to ensure certainty on mass creates of accounts, CPM projects and extended terms projects
• Understand the complexities of multiple business entities from single proprietors to Fortune 500 corporations including hierarchy, legal entity, and account setup.
• Handle bankruptcies by calculating open A/R, review a customer’s hierarchy structure in time to file a reclamation with the courts and file an outstanding balance claim
• Review customers to be re-opened from post-bankruptcy proceedings
• Maintain updated knowledge of regulatory guidelines (Sarbanes Oxley, NACM, etc.).
• Expand and retain relationships with CMs and Sales to partner as a Hierarchy resource for the entire customer relationship.
• Understand Grainger’s core business model, performance drivers and how to apply best practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned