NET Recruit is proud to be partnering with a highly successful and growing organisation in their search for a Credit Control Manager to join their finance team in Bournemouth. This is an exciting opportunity to join an established business operating within a fast-paced commercial environment, where effective credit management and strong cash flow control are key to continued success.

The business is now looking for an experienced and commercially minded Credit Control Manager to take ownership of the debtor book, lead the credit control function, and play a key role in reducing outstanding debt while maintaining strong and professional customer relationships.

Your Role and Responsibilities

While in this position, your duties may include but are not limited to:

• Leading, managing, and developing the credit control team, setting clear targets around collections, debtor days, and overdue debt reduction.
• Taking ownership of the end-to-end credit control process, from credit assessment and account onboarding through to debt recovery.
• Managing the company debtor book and regularly reviewing aged debt to prioritise collection activity and identify potential risks.
• Setting and reviewing customer credit limits and payment terms in line with company credit policies.
• Developing, implementing, and maintaining effective credit control policies and procedures.
• Working closely with sales, customer service, and finance teams to resolve customer queries and disputes that may be delaying payment.
• Producing regular outstanding debt reports, providing clear visibility of overdue balances, ageing, collection activity, and key areas of risk.
• Leading regular debt collection meetings with sales teams to agree actions and ensure outstanding accounts are actively managed.
• Managing relationships with credit insurers, credit reference agencies, solicitors, and external debt collection agencies where required.
• Taking appropriate action to recover overdue and disputed debt while maintaining positive long-term customer relationships.
• Monitoring credit insurance cover and ensuring appropriate levels of protection are maintained across the customer base.
• Providing regular reports and analysis to senior management on debtor days, cash collection performance, bad debt provisions, and credit risk exposure.
• Supporting the month-end finance process by ensuring accurate debtor ledger reconciliations and appropriate bad debt provisions.
• Ensuring the credit control team follows correct procedures relating to customer statements, account queries, credit notes, and payment allocation.
• Identifying opportunities to improve credit control processes, systems, and automation.
• Working with finance and IT teams to implement process improvements and technology solutions that improve efficiency and cash collection.
• Ensuring the team operates in line with company policies, financial controls, and relevant regulatory requirements.

What You Will Need to Apply:

To be considered for this opportunity, you will need to have proven experience within Credit Control, Credit Management, or Accounts Receivable, together with at least two years' experience in a supervisory or management capacity.

You will have a strong track record of successfully reducing overdue debt and improving debtor days within a fast-paced commercial environment. Experience managing a sizeable debtor ledger and working towards measurable collection targets will be essential.

Strong communication and negotiation skills are required, as you will regularly deal with customers regarding overdue and disputed accounts. You will need to be confident taking a firm but professional approach to debt collection while maintaining positive and commercially valuable customer relationships.

You should have a good understanding of credit insurance, credit referencing, credit risk assessment, and debt recovery procedures, together with strong knowledge of the wider credit control process.

Strong Excel skills are essential, with the ability to analyse aged debt reports, reconciliations, collection performance, and customer account information. Experience using ERP or accounting systems would also be advantageous, particularly within a business that is investing in finance process improvements and automation.

You will also have proven experience managing and developing a team, with the ability to set clear expectations, monitor performance, provide support and guidance, and create a positive and accountable working environment.

Experience within the food, FMCG, manufacturing, or another high-volume commercial environment would be beneficial. A CICM qualification, or a willingness to work towards one, would also be advantageous.