The Head of Collections is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the Collections Department to ensure the effective recovery of outstanding debt while maintaining regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, customer service standards, and profitability. The role is accountable for developing and executing collections strategies, improving portfolio performance, reducing arrears, managing collections teams, optimizing systems and processes, and ensuring alignment with business objectives and legal requirements. Develop and implement the overall collections strategy aligned to company objectives.
Key Performance Areas:
Collections Strategy and Leadership
- Drive collections’ performance across early-stage, mid-stage, and legal collections.
- Establish collection targets, recovery strategies, and operational plans.
- Lead and manage Collections’ Team Managers and Supervisors.
- Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability and service excellence.
- Provide strategic recommendations to Executive Management regarding collections trends and risks.
Operational Management
- Oversee day-to-day collections operations to ensure productivity and service levels are achieved.
- Monitor delinquency trends and implement corrective action plans.
- Ensure proper segmentation of accounts and collections workflows.
- Improve collections efficiencies through automation and process optimization.
- Ensure staffing levels are aligned with operational requirements.
- Manage escalation processes for high-risk or sensitive accounts.
Financial Management
- Prepare and manage the annual Collections Department budget.
- Monitor departmental expenditure against budget.
- Control operational costs while maximizing recoveries.
- Manage third-party collections agencies and legal recovery costs.
- Provide monthly reporting on collections performance and financial impact.
- Staffing, headcount costs and overtime management
Desired Experience & Qualification
- Diploma in Finance/ Credit Management or credit related field.
- Degree in related field will be advantageous.
- Minimum 8–10 years' experience in credit control, debt collection call centre environment
- Experience managing large collections teams.
- At least 5–8 years in a senior management role.
- Experience handling high-value and overdue accounts
- Strong knowledge of debt collection processes and collection legislation.
- Knowledge of regulatory compliance relevant to collections and credit.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, call center systems, and reporting tools.
Qualifying Attributes:
- Excellent organizational analytical and decision-making skills.
- Ability to manage escalations and resolve complex disputes.
- Ability to lead and develop strategies to improve team performance.
- Proven experience in head of collections department.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and leadership skills.
- Ability to monitor targets, staff performance, and ensure achievements of departmental targets.
- Demonstrate professionalism, strategic leadership and ensure organizational objectives translate into measurable outcomes.
- Ensure Continuous Improvement.
In-depth understanding of:
- Debt recovery processes
- POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act)
- NCR compliance adherence
- Performance management practices
- Labour law principles
- Knowledge of regulatory compliance relevant to collections and credit.
Package & Remuneration
Working Hours
- Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
What We Offer
- Competitive basic salary
- Performance-based incentive structure capped at R15 000
- Opportunities for growth and advancement
- Supportive and high-performance team culture
- Ongoing training and development
- Medical Insurance paid 100% by company
- Provident Fund paid 100% by company
Pay: From R55 000,00 per month
Work Location: In person
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