We are recruiting for a large business based in Bristol who are looking for a Credit Manager. The primary objective of the role is to manage and coordinate the successful and timely collection of debt relating to existing strategic and complex accounts (retained activities), and to ensure that all debts and customer payments are received in line with strategic financial targets, business credit policies and financial controls. You will also work with the outsourced provider, providing an oversight role for collections and resolutions activities provided by them. You will need to ensure that defined controls and processes are strictly adhered to, and all SLAs met.
To perform their duties successfully, it is your responsibility to build strong relationships with customers, outsourced partners and business units. The role is also responsible for managing and successfully resolving customer escalations and disputes, and for coordinating and supporting any negotiation activities across all customers as required. To do this, you will need to work closely with business units, the outsource provider and the customer. You will also be responsible for managing the retained O2C Billing team, ensuring that relevant processes and procedures are followed appropriately and in accordance with relevant SLAs, delivering a high quality customer service.
Main duties
· To manage and ensure the effective and timely collection of retained customer debt.
· Develop and manage collaborative relationships across the end to end collections and resolutions process and work with all relevant teams, business areas, and clients in particular, to resolve any overdue debt issues.
· Be the primary point of conduit between the business units and the outsourced partner in relation to the collections processes.
· To work closely with the outsourced service provider to review and oversee the successful and timely collection of amounts owed to the business.
· Effectively manage the disputes and query resolution process for retained, and escalated customers (i.e. those usually managed by the outsourced service provider), and regularly liaise with Sales and Accounts Managers to resolve overdue accounts as well as being a key contact for 3rd part debt collection and legal agencies.
· Undertake effective forecasting and monitoring of cash receipts and provide meaningful management information on outstanding debt metrics ensuring alignment with working capital targets and commercial strategy.
· Ensure clear understanding of critical business drivers e.g. cash and associated targets and deliverables applicable to the O2C processes, and ensuring team objectives and activities are aligned.
· Ensure up to date knowledge of credit collection practices, legislation and developments and maintain constructive relationships with professional credit collection bodies and peers to manage and embed best practice.
· Ensure operational excellence across the team to ensure all processes are well controlled and efficient, successfully delivering continuous improvement initiatives.
· Implement best practice policies and procedures for the management of Collections and Resolutions and ensure all team members have a good understanding of how they pertain to their roles and are compliant with them.
· Ensure Credica and associated systems are regularly updated.
· Prepare, review and monitor key performance metrics and Service Level Agreements for retained activities, including business performance measures, to actively manage performance through the team and across the business. To develop and implement corrective action plans to mitigate under performance.
· Manage a high performance team and embed a high performance culture through effective performance management and attraction, recruitment and retention activity.
To be considered for this you must have strong levels of Collections / revenue cycle knowledge and experience, and best practice principles. You must have experience of managing a team and range of stakeholder’s expectations and needs. You will need excellent analytical skills, with ability to review, interrogate and analyse large volumes of data. Good understanding of operational excellence so that relevant processes are managed in line with best practice will aid you. Ability to manage and prioritise potentially competing tasks and activities will be important for you to set the appropriate tone with the team along with good coaching, mentoring and performance management capability. In return you will also get £5K car allowance+20% Bonus+25 days leave.