Senior Debtor's Controller at Mintek

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

Debtors account and credit risk management

• Review debtor master data through regular checks of customer information, credit limits and account status.
• Approve creation of new customers and ensure new or approved customers are loaded on IFS with appropriate fields and links to other IFS modules.
• Maintain customer credit limits and reduce limits where customers have defaulted on agreed payment terms.
• Perform regular credit limit reviews considering sales by customer, payment history and changes in the customer's legal status.
• Review the customer base regularly to ensure that only approved debtors are maintained on the system, and block or delete inactive customer accounts where required.
• Control credit applications by maintaining assessment forms, obtaining credit references or risk assessments, obtaining financial statements where required, assessing applications and advising management of risks.
• Ensure credit application documentation and credit limit approvals are processed in accordance with the approved Mintek Credit Control Policy and Delegation of Authority.
• Review allocation of customer payments and ensure receipts are processed to the correct customer accounts.
• Follow up on unallocated receipts and ensure unidentified deposits are escalated to the responsible person and bank where necessary. Attend to queries on Mintek client debtors' accounts and keep abreast of economic developments that may affect credit risk.

Debt collection and recovery management

• Facilitate payment of outstanding debt through regular communication with debtors and application of correct collection procedures.
• Communicate with customers and relevant departments to establish reasons for non-payment and resolve collection barriers.
• Ensure copy documentation is provided to customers or internal stakeholders to support the collection of outstanding amounts. 
• Control the preparation of payment request letters, final demands and handover recommendations for overdue debts.
• Control the preparation of requests for reversal of invoices and/or interest charged to debtors’ accounts where necessary, in accordance with the Delegation of Authority. 
• Monitor debts handed over for collection and ensure follow-up actions are documented, reviewed and escalated where required. ·
• Review credit insurance invoices monthly for accuracy, taking into account rates charged and outstanding amounts, and recommend for approval.

Stakeholder liaison and external debt recovery coordination

• Liaise with customer personnel, internal departments and management to resolve account queries, payment disputes and collection-related matters.
• Coordinate with external debt collection agencies on accounts handed over for recovery and monitor progress against agreed actions.
• Liaise with attorneys, credit insurers, banks and credit risk management service providers where required to support debtor control and recovery processes.
• Review and discuss the status of debts handed over for collection with the immediate supervisor and escalate risks or unresolved matters.

Month-end debtors control activities 

• Review the debtors age analysis to ensure accuracy and completeness before month-end closure.  Investigate long-outstanding debt and initiate action through communication with customers and relevant internal stakeholders. 
• Ensure all payments, invoices and credit notes are processed before month-end closure. · Ensure debtors outstanding above 60 days are discussed monthly with affected parties and follow-up actions are agreed.
• Control the accuracy and timely completion of control and suspense account reconciliations

Debtors reporting and management information

• Provide Mintek management with accurate information on outstanding debtor status through analysis and record-keeping.
• Compile and distribute monthly debtors reports analysing outstanding debt, trends compared to previous months, problematic debtors and debtor management issues.
• Prepare listings of debtors outstanding longer than 60 days, including follow-up actions taken, for management reporting and information requirements.
• Compile potential doubtful debtors and potential bad debts for annual financial statement purposes based on age analysis and customer knowledge.
• Prepare control schedules for master data changes, credit limit overruns and unpaid debtors to support management oversight and prioritised follow-up.
• Compile credit limit review reports and recommend preferred actions to be taken against customers.
• Prepare monthly foreign debt declarations for submission to the credit insurance company and quarterly debtors’ book submissions for credit risk analysis.
• Maintain debtor statistics in accordance with management requirements.

Supervision, review and compliance oversight

• Supervise Debtors Controllers and clerical staff on a daily basis to ensure debtor administration is completed accurately and timeously.
• Review work performed by Debtors Controllers, including transaction inputs, supporting documentation, payment allocations, reconciliations and follow-up actions before posting or escalation where required.
• Review and update credit control processes and procedures to ensure alignment with approved policy, best practice and current credit control trends.
• Ensure the Credit Control system is administered in accordance with approved Mintek policy, procedures and Delegation of Authority requirements.
• Control correspondence sent to debtors regarding payment demands, arrear interest and related debtor communications.
• Maintain procedural and system training documentation relevant to debtor activities and ensure debtor staff maintain an adequate level of training.
• Identify Debtors Controller training requirements and support consistent application of approved debtor processes

Minimum requirements

JOB KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

•  Min: Min: 3-5 years debt management experience with 1 - 2 years as a Debtors Controller
• Ideal: – Understanding of financial ERP systems

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Min: Bachelor's Degree in Finance/Accounting discipline
• Ideal:  Honours in Finance/Accounting discipline
• Certificate in Credit control

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES:

• Project management.
• Should have good verbal communication.
• Must have good work ethics to maintain credibility of work.
• Be able to work in a team
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Attention to detail, ability to follow up and take initiative
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to cope in a stressful and demanding environment
• Be able to work under pressure.