Specialist - Collections. Finance at MTN

Mission/Core purpose of the Job

• The purpose of this role is to ensure timeous collection from MTN customers by meeting collection targets and resolution of customer queries to maximise the collection of arrears amounts. Manage the credit risk associated with customer default.
• This position is responsible for executing the Collections policies, strategies and processes to enhance cash flow, maximize collections, minimize bad debt and build relationships with external and internal clients through effective administration of customer accounts, resolution of account queries and efficient collection of payments due to MTN.

 Context (Global influences, environmental / industry demands, organisational mission etc.)

Organisational Mission

• MTN is evolving from a mobile communications provider to a digital platform operator where innovation, operational and commercial excellence is critical for success. To excel today and sustain future growth, MTN must develop the required capabilities internally to provide the market and customers with EPIC experiences, products and services which fulfil the belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern connected life.

Global Influences / Environmental & Industry Demands

• Highly dynamic and fluctuating Telecommunications industry
• Highly competitive market with new and established competitors
• Fast moving industry
• Legislative changes
• Legal parameters set by the insurance industry
• Rapid pace of digitalization
• Prevailing economic pressures affecting staff and customers
• Fluid complexities of customer expectations and demands
• Prevailing economic pressures affecting staff and customers
• Fluid complexities of customer expectations and demands

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities/outputs of the position (KPA's)

Customer Queries Resolution

• Customer Queries Resolution with agrees turnaround times.
• End to end query resolution with correct escalation path and feedback to the business and external customers.
• Do all the investigation on customer queries.
• Calculate the credit due to the customer if any is due to a customer.
• Doing follow ups on query raised and provide necessary feedback to the business and the customer.
• Based on issues identified during queries investigation give input to the relevant stakeholders to fix the issues.
• Resolution of any queries raised, timeously and ensuring appropriate corrective action through relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure revenue leakages identified via the Revenue Assurance process is continuously updated.

Monthly Customer invoicing

• Prepare trend analysis of client invoices with the objective to pick up anomalies.
• Investigate and report all invoicing abnormalities identified.
• Review a root cause analysis on credit notes issued to assist in defining corrective action to avoid repeats.
• Prepare reconciliation between distribution as per warehouse data vs actual invoicing.
• Prepare adhoc invoices when required.

Debtors Management:

• Run weekly age analysis and monitor balances.
• Ensuring that the customer call cycle is strictly adhered to and achieved.
• Positively impact cash flow by ensuring the accurate and timely collection and processing of payments of accounts receivable.
• Accurate allocation of payment to invoices as per remittance received within agreed timelines accurate accounting records.
• To handle disputed accounts and negotiate with clients to bring payment in line with terms.
• Produce regular (agreed timelines) and accurate reconciliations for customers’ accounts and ensure that payments are allocated, and these are stored centrally for ease of access.
• Timely engagement with customer on default payments.
• Resolution of customer disputes and queries related to the function to ensure timely collection of payments.
• Full accountability that all accounts allocated in your book is actioned monthly and is collected on.
• All engagements and activities with customer must be documented on the core system with clear and accurate notes of update.
• Follow up on legal procedures and monitor the progress of handed over accounts.
• Monitor ageing of debtor’s books ensuring accuracy, reduced overdue amounts and collections levels maintained.
• Do forecasts on a weekly / bi weekly and monthly basis.

Risk Management

• Ensure the credit risk exposure is within the acceptable risk.
• Ensure compliance with MTN credit risk framework.
• Manage working capital within required parameters and Operating budgets.
• Provide a framework and fine-tune systems to ensure the effective collection of outstanding funds in accordance with the terms stipulated in the relevant commercial agreements.
• Establish relationships to optimise collections activities and engage and influence to ensure alignment of key stakeholders.
• Ensure that MTN SA is always in possession of the latest customer information to assess risk exposure.
• Calculate and report on bad debt and credit notes provisions at a customer level monthly within deadline.
• Manage debtors’ days (terms) within company targets or policy.
• Provide input in all relevant commercial agreements drafting and operate within the agreements.
• Ensuring all credit and collection policies and procedures are adhere to.
• Perform risk assessment on new and current accounts to ensure Credit risk exposure is within the acceptable credit tolerance levels with MTN

Reporting

• Prepare provision for credit notes monthly.
• Daily, Weekly and monthly Debtors Performance Reporting using the Age Analysis as the bases.
• Prepare and manage all other reporting required in line with collections requirements and Analysis of Accounts.
• Prepare cashflow reports within the deadline.
• Closing receivable month-end and report/recons (Sub-Ledger to GL).

Customer Relationship

• Responsible for maintaining and building good internal and external customer relationship based on MTN Brand values.
• Liaise with customers to ensure client expectations and service levels are being adhered to regarding maintenance of customer accounts.
• Ensuring that client queries are resolved within agreed SLA’s, TAT’s and set guidelines.
• Attend client meetings to speedily resolve outstanding queries, so that the client can pay within stipulated timelines (payment terms).
• Provide accurate advice and education to customers to ensure adherence to all standards and operating practices.
• Deliver first time right service excellence and by displaying the MTN brand values to customer during all customer interactions- all forms.
• Responsible for escalation and feedback to customer on all issues and matters raised both by customer and sales channels.
• Timely notification to customers and channel on items identified that may impact the customer and pro-active approach to resolve these items.
• To liaise with sales and have regular contact with clients by agreed mediums. Notify on status of accounts.
   

Managed audits

• Liaise with internal and external auditors to resolve audit points by ensuring that they are dealt with effectively and timeously.
• Ensure the auditors receives all the required information to ensure that audits are completed within deadline and budget.

 
Project Management

• Contribute to delivery of agreed projects including primary controls, policies and procedures.
   

Quality Management

• Ensure evaluations and quality checks are done according to MTN quality standards.
• Ensure adherence to credit management primary controls, policies and procedures.
• Ensure service delivery according to MTN quality standards.
• Contribute to the closure of any audit findings.  

 Job Requirements (Education, Experience, and Competencies)

• As per delegation of authority.

Collaboration (Formal and Informal Relationships)

Responsibility towards:

• Key customers: Internal stakeholders and External customers
• Key suppliers: External Debt Collectors, Insurer, Attorneys, Banks, Auditors, Credit Bureaus