Deductions Specialist

About the Role

We are seeking a Deductions Specialist to join a leading global FMCG company known for well-established brands like Dove, Sure, Persil, and Simple. This temporary full-time position, based in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, is available for 6 months and requires 36.25 hours per week, working Monday to Friday. The compensation is competitive and can reach up to £42,000 per annum pro rata, depending on experience.

Role Overview

The specialist will provide essential support to the Amazon business by overseeing the comprehensive Order-to-Cash (O2C) deductions workflow, partnering closely with the Amazon Customer Development team. Responsibilities include scrutinizing invoice deductions, investigating and validating claims, reconciling accounts, and resolving discrepancies. Collaboration with Customer Development, Finance, and Genpact teams is essential to enhance cash recovery, operational efficiency, and promote continuous process improvements. This role suits individuals from finance, customer operations, or those with substantial practical experience in managing Amazon deduction processes.

Key Objectives

• Manage end-to-end Amazon deductions to reduce ageing claims and deduction balances.
• Maximize the recovery of invalid deductions ensuring prompt validation, approval, and closure.
• Enhance collaboration with Customer Development to speed up issue resolutions.
• Standardize deduction handling and claims processes setting clear SLAs and embedding best practices.
• Implement process improvements to boost efficiency and reduce manual tasks.
• Ensure accurate understanding and compliance with trade terms, deductions, and funding mechanisms.
• Provide consistent reporting and insights to aid forecast accuracy and informed decision making.
• Identify root causes and patterns behind recurring deductions and operational issues.
• Lead initiatives for continuous improvement to prevent future deductions and enhance first-time-right performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the full lifecycle of Amazon claims and deductions: invoice deductions, remittance, reconciliation, claim validation, approval, dispute resolution, and cash handling.
• Conduct weekly deduction meetings and monthly reviews with senior stakeholders.
• Serve as the key liaison among Customer Account Managers, Customer Development, and Genpact regarding promotional claims, pricing disputes, chargebacks, shortages, and logistics claims.
• Collaborate closely with Amazon Customer Development to understand commercial agreements and operational challenges affecting deductions.
• Validate promotional funding, trade investments, and accruals to ensure accuracy.
• Enhance clarity on trade terms upfront to minimize future deductions.
• Assist in resolving complex or high-value claims effectively.
• Generate regular analysis reports on deduction trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
• Coordinate with Finance to ensure deductions align with financial reporting.
• Support customer-facing processes by verifying data and investigating invoice discrepancies.
• Identify and implement improvements in deduction procedures to reduce manual effort.
• Establish and lead monthly governance meetings with Amazon AVS to review outstanding deductions and aged claims.

Required Skills and Experience

• Proven hands-on experience managing Amazon deduction processes either directly or via related environments like manufacturers or consultancies.
• Comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end Amazon deductions cycle including invoice deductions, remittances, reconciliation, claims management, and discrepancy resolution.
• Experience in Order-to-Cash, Accounts Receivable, or Customer Operations or comparable operational roles.
• Proficiency with SAP is mandatory.
• Strong skills in Excel for data analysis, use of formulas, and creation/maintenance of trackers and reports.
• Demonstrated experience in leading process improvements and implementing operational enhancements.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities with meticulous attention to detail.
• Confident cross-functional communication skills collaborating with Customer Development, Finance, Credit Control, and external partners like Genpact.
• Ability to influence stakeholders effectively and resolve issues promptly.