Client Service Manager at Intelligent Debt Management

Job description

As the industry leader and owner of DebtBusters, South Africa’s largest Debt Counsellor, IDM believes passionately in the role of debt counselling for all over indebted South Africans.

We have a fast-paced, innovative and entrepreneurial culture. Our business is dynamic, ever-changing and strategically focused.

The IDM Group is currently seeking a Client Service Manager, who will be responsible for managing our client service and retention teams focused on segmented (Asset) clients. The Client Service Manager will lead the client service and retention teams towards achieving client retention, collections ratio and proactive needs-based client management. The ideal candidate will participate in IDM management meetings, and contribute to the strategic direction of our group, as well as manage a number of teams on a daily basis and contribute to the success of team leaders by actively coaching them. The candidate must be highly efficient, energetic, motivated and ambitious.

Key Responsibilities:

This exciting position will involve:

• Guiding and taking full accountability for performance of Relationship Manager (RM), Query Manager (QM) and Inbound Teams
• Leading team leaders and guiding teams to proactively engage clients about their financial needs, including having holistic, meaningful conversations with clients on non-debt counseling financial products and services such as life insurance, credit insurance, investment & retirement products, bank accounts, other insurance and credit monitoring tools
• Helping teams to manage a book of segmented clients at the agreed upon service levels across client retention, PDA collection, admin fee collection, query resolution turnaround times, pro-active engagement and other KPAs
• Overseeing relationship building with clients and acting as role model for IDM relationship managers
• Responding to and providing feedback on escalated and high profile client queries about any part of the client’s IDM portfolio: debt counselling, additional financial services/products, IDM, and National Credit Act
• Proactive and continuous review of existing processes and systems to identify and implement productivity enhancing ideas
• Working closely with the Head of Client Services to ensure high levels of client service and retention
• Preparation of relevant analyses, trends, and performance reports
• Ownership of once-off projects such as legacy clients and ongoing projects such as end balance project (as required)
• Monthly goal setting and review with direct reports if and when required
• Driving and monitoring the right behaviours and attitudes in accordance with IDM’s vision and values
• Building effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including credit providers, PDA, and other industry stakeholders
• Any other duties as seen fit

Key Requirements:

• BCom or BSc degree (preferable)
• Good understanding of financial services industry and/or experience in a consumer-facing industry
• Relevant knowledge on the National Credit Act and other relevant Acts/regulations
• Debt counselling qualification received
• Excellent knowledge of IDM processes, systems and products (including non-debt counseling products)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to prioritise and manage multiple objectives
• Ability to problem solve on own and lead within groups
• Previous management experience a plus
• Advanced knowledge of communication and productivity tools (MS Excel, MS Outlook, Thinkcell)

Key competencies

• Ability to think at strategic level and capability to execute at tactical level
• Planning, prioritising, organising and resource management
• Analytical review of data
• Accurate and competent written communication skills
• Principled and ethical behaviour that upholds IDM’s vision and values
• High attention to detail
• Excellent time management
• Excellent problem solving skills
• High levels of honesty, accountability and integrity

Key Performance Areas

• Client retention rates (debt counselling and non-debt counselling) and average client tenure
• PDA and admin fee collection/success rates
• Client satisfaction ratios (for debt counseling and non-debt counseling clients)
• Client request first response time(s)
• Client request resolution time(s)
• Phone availability including Overflow queue Management
• Effective query management within the group
• Share and number of clients signed up to non-debt counselling products/services in collaboration with Financial Planners
• Capacity Management
• Leadership/coaching/development
• Other productivity metrics as seen fit