Job Title Credit & Risk Manager

Location Internal
Reporting Lines Head of Finance
Role Summary Positively manages the Credit Control Department, driving individual and team performance in achieving the businesses and credit department KPI’s.

Provides a vision for future department plans and business improvement within scope of the role.

Fully supports the business in all aspects of credit risk management, cash collection, forecasting and debt recovery, enabling sales whilst protecting the business from bad debt and aiding a positive cash conversion.

Main Responsibilities
Team Management
• Monitors and maintains quality standards within the department including but not limited to, published timescales, KPI’s and deliverance of customer experience excellence.
• Ensures department team members are provided with the relevant training and support to successfully carry out their roles.
• Ensures the department team members are aligned to the values of the business and a high level of engagement is maintained.
• Provides a path for progression for department team members who have the drive to progress their career, ensuring talent is retained within the business.
• Positively leads and motivates direct reports towards the achievement of personal objectives in line with job roles and appraisals.
• Arranges and conducts appraisals for direct reports at appropriate times throughout each year in line with business policy.
• Leads effective meetings with team members to discuss department performance, encouraging participation in relation to positive change, policy, procedures and business updates.
• Manages recruitment alongside the HR team in line with business plans.
• Ensures the highest of discretion when dealing with confidential issues.
• Manages conflict within the department to a satisfactory and appropriate resolution.
• Highlights any potential performance issues and/or disciplinary issues to the Head of Finance and works with the HR department to resolve appropriately
• Authorises planned absence and manages unplanned absence in line with business policy.

Professional meetings
• Arranges, leads and attends meetings with customers, colleagues and/or thirty party organisations or groups to aid credit decisions, business growth, debt recovery and collaboration.
• Follows up meetings professionally within an appropriate timescale, delegating any action points across the team / business through minutes / visit reports.

Business improvement, measurement and deliverance of results
• Drives improvements within the department including staff efficiency, cost control and process enhancements.
• Evaluates complaints entering through the department, reviews cause and puts in place measures to mitigate similar complaints arising.
• Monitors department procedures at regular intervals throughout the year considering and recommending improvements for efficiency and deliverance of customer experience excellence.
• Monitors the performance of the department, including but not limited to; DSO, over 60/90/120 day transactions, insured / uninsured risk balance, bad debt, procedure compliance and timescales (SLA’s).
• Delivers an accurate collection forecast throughout each month to internal stakeholders.
• Reviews and signs off an accurate and realistic credit note provision each month, handing over to the Management Accounts team in line with published timescales.
• Compiles key collection statistics for reporting to Head of Credit (UK & Ireland).

Specific Knowledge & Expertise (Collection)
• Is accountable for the collection process, converting the businesses debtors ledger to cash in the bank.
• Ensures customer accounts are maintained to a high standard and in line with procedures with regards to cash collection, query incidence, cash allocation and recovery with accurate notes documented, through department team members.
• Ensures customer accounts are placed on hold in accordance to the credit policy and that the department engages with customers and sales teams for any held orders.
• Provides an escalation route for the department team members to bring about suitable resolutions to invoice queries.
• Prioritises sales enquires in line with business requirements.
• Releases orders in line with authority levels.
• Briefs the Head of Credit and Head of Finance on any specific issues to protect Midwich investments, e.g. customers with cash flow problems, if customers are uncontactable or insolvency incidents.
• Authorises transactions (e.g. credit notes / invoices / journals) in accordance to the current published authority levels (through sales based data and debtor / general ledger, ensuring high customer service is delivered whilst maintaining the businesses net profit at the desired level.
• Raises transactions (e.g. credit notes / invoices / journals) through sales based data or general ledger either directly or through team members in accordance’s to the current authority levels and electronically files the documents appropriately.
• Authorises customer refunds prepared by collection team members in line with authority levels.
• Liaises with auditors and supplies department information to aid successful bank and statutory audits.

Specific Knowledge & Expertise (Risk & Recovery)
• Is accountable for the customer onboarding process (New Registration) promoting profitable growth, whilst ensuring KYC is of the highest standard, minimising losses through fraud.
• Is accountable for the credit application process, ensuring compliance to the credit policy and in line with the businesses risk appetite.
• Ensures the Credit Control Team provide timely sound credit decisions in line with authority levels, ensuring that customer credit lines are appropriate allowing for future business, whilst protecting against potential bad debts.
• Adheres to the Credit Policy and the Credit Insurance policy with regards to all credit decisions and ensures customer accounts are reviewed to the policy.
• Uses technical and professional knowledge together with financial information and market / industry knowledge in producing commercial credit decisions.
• Escalates decisions to the Head of Credit (UK & Ireland) as and when necessary to ensure business growth opportunities are not lost.
• Ensures all sensitive and confidential information including but not limited to, personal / corporate guarantees and management accounts are stored in the appropriate manner electronically.
• Reviews and makes appropriate decisions on retrospective extended payment term requests in line with authority levels, giving thought to the impact on cash conversion and profitable sales.
• Is accountable for the recovery of doubtful debts and ensures all avenues have been exhausted in an appropriate timescale.
• Ensures the recovery process is compliant to the Credit Insurance policy to maximise recovery through insolvency and/or claims.

Key Attributes • Excellent interpersonal, customer service, organisational and communication skills
• The ability to lead a team and motivate people whilst maintaining a calm composure
• Excellent analytical and problem solving, even under pressure
• Excellent attention to detail
• Able to work in a time sensitive environment, manage and meet deadlines
• A drive to learn and keep yourself and the team up to date with new processes and technical advancements
• A positive, can-do attitude
• Flexibility and able to work additional hours to meet the needs of the business
• Ability to handle difficult conversations in a professional manner.
• At least 3 years of experience within a similar role.
• Advanced user of Microsoft Excel.
• Experience of SAGE 200 is desirable but not essential.

Experience • Excellent professionalism and customer service
• Some knowledge of basic computing, IT literate
• Track record of leading a team to success

Work Pattern • Monday to Friday
• 08:30am to 5.00pm
• Potential for hybrid working

Salary & Benefits • Generous and highly competitive financial package
• 25 Days Holiday per annum plus Statutory Bank Holidays
• Income Protection Insurance
• Buy/Sell Holiday Scheme
• Employee Assistance Program
• Private Medical Cover
• On-site Parking
• Company Pension
• Regular Company Social Events
• Employee Recognition Awards
• Company Paid Sickness Scheme

To apply for this role please email your CV to careers@dvs.co.uk