Credit Control Specialist at Sabi

Job Summary

• The Credit Control Specialist is responsible for all aspects of managing delinquency, debt recovery and ensuring cash is collected as it falls due. The role has overall responsibility for all areas of credit control including cash collection and allocation, debt recovery processes, driving process improvements, engagement of external agencies and solicitors and providing debt recovery related guidance and support to stakeholders. The position liaises directly with merchants, suppliers and trade partners, issues invoices/notices, negotiates outstanding payments and, where necessary, initiates recovery actions. The position is expected to positively impact the company’s NPL ratio over a given time frame with the goal of extinguishing bad loans.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a credit control system in collaboration with Commercial, Partnerships, Finance, and Executive team members. 
• Establish policies that follow customer service best practices while ensuring customers submit payments on time.  
• Check consumer credit reports, approve or deny funding applications and communicate decisions to the appropriate personnel in a timely manner.  
• Ensure accounts, invoices, notices, and statements are generated, issued and/or administered on time and consistent with legislative and audit requirements. 
• Analyze and monitor all debtors and actively work to reduce delinquency, ensuring prompt action is taken for non-payment and overdue debts. Investigate and resolve discrepancies in payments or accounts. 
• Liaise with the Commercial and Partnerships teams as necessary to ensure that debtor records are correct and that any queries or problems are resolved. Escalate process issues and non-conformance as required.  
• Produce aged debtor reports on a regular basis with appropriate commentary.  
• Review all aspects of contract documentation to assess liability, identify contract issues and judge recoverability.  
• Ensure that appropriate internal documentation is raised so that additional credits/billings are processed accurately and timeously in line with internal processes and procedures.  
• Use knowledge and initiative to reach amicable solutions to settle clients’ debts, considering circumstances of each case.  
• Negotiate payment plans with debtors, revise loan terms and conditions accordingly and follow up as appropriate. 
• Provide support to the Treasury and Commercial teams to allocate receipts to debtors’ accounts and help resolve issues with unassigned receipts and payment discrepancies.  
• Determine future cash collection expectations for inclusion in the weekly cashflow forecast. 
• Prepare proposals for legal action, and or reserve/write off for review by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). 
• Provide input into the legal process for the recovery of debt, actively chase aged debt and take the lead in reviewing the more contentious and or difficult accounts.  
• Provide supporting documentation and assistance with internal and external audits.  
• Directly liaise/correspond with a range of stakeholders on organizational policy, payments, and financial reporting requirements. 
• Comply with Data Protection laws (NDPR) in respect of all data. 

Requirements

• BSc/HND in Accounting, Banking & Finance, Economics, Statistics, and other related fields 
• At least 6 years’ experience in credit control and debt recovery process in the financial sector 
• Strong planning and organizational skills  
• Multi-tasking and time management skills 
• Negotiation and conflict resolution skills 
• Strong communication skills (both written and oral) and an excellent telephone manner 
• Appropriately confident and assertive manner to deal with debtors and clients 
• Proactive and ability to take initiative 
• Able to work within a team as well as independently 
• Able to handle pressure and tight deadlines 
• Natural ability to interact with people from various backgrounds and levels