SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 97,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Collections & Credit Control Manager is responsible for initiating effective methods and tools in successfully receiving customer payments as well as maintaining & achieving departmental KPIs. Responsibilities extend to all applicable sub-region countries and entities, for both 3rd party and intercompany.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Leadership, People Management & Performance

• Lead, mentor, and develop the credit control and collections team.
• Set performance objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Conduct performance reviews, coaching and development sessions.
• Ensure adequate workload management and resource planning.
• Manage staff effectively and assign daily functional activities.
• Ensure direct reports and extended resources comply with relevant policies and procedures.

2. Credit Risk Management & Customer Master Governance

• Ownership of customer master data maintenance and verification.
• Maintain credit limits and payment terms.
• Approve client account creation (process check and confirmation)
• Lead customer credit risk reviews with business stakeholders.
• Monitor customers exceeding approved credit limits & payment terms and implement corrective action plans.
• Maintain IFRS 9 expected credit loss and bad debt reporting.

3. Collections & Accounts Receivable Management

• Lead weekly collection review meetings with business units.
• Review significant overdue accounts and negotiate recovery plans.
• Negotiate payment arrangements with customers and business for approval.
• Escalate delinquent accounts to management or legal channels where necessary.
• Maintain customer feedback and expected payment dates.
• Receive and communicate payment remittances.
• Ensure collection notes and customer commitments are accurately documented.
• Regular follow-up and resolution of pending items preventing collection of customer payments.
• Resolve outstanding cash on delivery (COD), unidentified and unallocated cash entries.

4. Cash Flow, Working Capital & Treasury Management

• Provide accurate and complete short-term and long-term cash flow forecasts to Treasury and Finance leadership.
• Develop actions to improve Days Sales Outstanding (DSO).
• Support working capital improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with Treasury and Finance leadership to maximize cash conversion and liquidity performance.

5. Reporting, Analytics & Business Insights

• Initiate and maintain daily reports to management.
• Maintain departmental dashboards and KPI reporting.
• Monitor and report on collection performance, customer payment trends, credit exposure and overdue debt.
• Provide management with actionable insights to support decision making and performance improvement initiatives.

6. Stakeholder Management & Business Partnering

• Lead collaboration and information sharing between various departments
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate timely collection of outstanding receivables.
• Act as the primary escalation point for customer payment issues and credit-related matters.

7. Governance, Compliance & Internal Controls

• Maintain and ensure compliance with documented workflow procedures, policies and work instructions.
• Approve refund requests in accordance with delegation of authority requirements.
• Assist with external and internal audits.
• Ownership of internal control submissions relating to the function, including MCS and ICOFR requirements.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable finance policies, procedures and control frameworks.
• Be compliant to all SGS QHSE and HR policies and procedures.
• At all times, comply with SGS Code of Integrity and Professional Conduct.

8. Process Improvement & Transformation

• Monitor, review and continuously improve the Order-to-Cash (O2C) and Bill-to-Cash (B2C) processes.
• Identify opportunities for automation, standardisation and operational efficiency improvements.
• Participate in finance transformation and continuous improvement projects.
• Drive the implementation of best practices across collections, credit control and receivables management.
• Required to initiate projects to transform other country collection departments within SGS, as instructed by Finance leadership.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Finance / business degree (post graduate desired)
• Relevant experience in a similar position
• Experience working in the order-to-cash process within multiple entities and countries
• Experience in managing a department or function
• Understanding of IFRS relevant to account receivables recording and reporting
• Proven ability to successfully lead a team
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with all levels of stakeholders
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Sufficient level of computer skills (Word, Excel, Adobe, Teams, SharePoint, CoPilot, Big Data)
• Ability to work under pressure and multi-task
• Attention to detail (accuracy)
• Business partnering focus
• Understanding of O2C processes
• Able to work weekends when required

COMPLIANCE & AUTHORITY 

• Compliant to all SGS QOH&S and HR policies and procedure
• Granted sufficient authority to achieve the given responsibilities as per documented finance policies