Collections Specialist SME

marshmallow; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A modern financial services company is looking for a New Subject Matter Expert in Collections. This role involves managing complex arrears cases, developing tailored repayment solutions, and providing coaching to less experienced colleagues. Candidates should have significant experience in regulated collections, strong analytical skills, and effective communication abilities. The position offers flexible working arrangements and a competitive bonus scheme.

Benefits

Flexible working

Competitive bonus scheme

Flexible benefits budget

Sabbatical Leave

Work From Anywhere

Mental wellbeing support

Learning and development

Private healthcare

Medical cash plan

Tech scheme

33 days holiday

Qualifications

• Significant experience in regulated collections, credit control, or debt recovery.
• Demonstrated success handling complex, vulnerable, or high-risk arrears cases.
• Strong understanding of FCA requirements and Consumer Duty.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of complex, sensitive, or high-risk arrears cases.
• Deliver tailored sustainable repayment solutions aligned to Consumer Duty.
• Support onboarding and development of new starters.

Skills

Regulated collections experience

Strong judgement and decision making

Coaching skills

Analytical skills

Excellent communication skills

Job description

About Marshmallow

We exist to make migration easy.

A systemic problem of this magnitude requires a team of curious thinkers who relentlessly pursue solutions. Those who constantly challenge the, and always take action to build a better way.

A Marshmallow career is built on a cycle of continuous growth, with learning at its core. You will be challenged to raise the bar on your capabilities and supported with the right tools and guidance to do so. This ensures you can deliver impactful work and drive change.

If life at Marshmallow sounds like it could be for you, explore our Culture Handbook to find out more.

Move our mission, and your career, forward.

What you'll be doing?

As our New Subject Matter Expert in Collections, you will:

• Take ownership of the most complex, sensitive, or high‑risk arrears cases, including vulnerability, affordability challenges, and escalated complaints


• Deliver tailored sustainable repayment solutions aligned to Consumer Duty and FCA expectations


• Act as a subject matter expert for complex forbearance, vulnerability handling, and judgement‑based decision making


• Provide structured coaching and day‑to‑day development support to less experienced colleagues, including 1:1s, case reviews, and live or near‑live feedback


• Support onboarding and development of new starters, helping them build confidence and consistency in regulated customer interactions


• Act as a point of escalation for complex case queries, sense‑checking decisions and outcomes before they are finalised


• Review colleague cases and interactions to identify learning opportunities and quality improvements


• Analyze trends in arrears performance, broken arrangements, QA findings, and complaints to highlight risks and improvement opportunities


• Work closely with Team Leaders, QA, and Compliance to reinforce standards and close capability gaps

Who you are

• A confident, credible collections professional recognised for strong judgement and decision making


• Comfortable supporting and coaching colleagues earlier in their careers


• Able to give clear, constructive feedback that improves performance and quality


• Calm and empathetic when handling complex or sensitive customer situations


• Highly organised, able to balance individual case ownership with supporting others


• Trusted by peers and leaders as a go‑to expert


• Curious and improvement focused, spotting patterns and acting on them


• Strong advocate for fair customer outcomes and regulatory compliance

What we’re looking for from you?

• Significant experience in regulated collections, credit control, or debt recovery


• Demonstrated success handling complex, vulnerable, or high‑risk arrears cases


• Strong understanding of FCA requirements, Consumer Duty, and Vulnerable Customer guidance


• Experience supporting the development of less experienced colleagues


• Excellent communication and influencing skills


• Strong written skills for case notes, feedback, and customer communications


• Confidence analysing QA insight and identifying improvement opportunities


• Preferred but not essential experience in insurance, motor finance, or claims‑based recoveries

Performance Measures

• Quality Assurance: High QA outcomes on specialist cases and measurable improvement in colleague quality following support


• Customer Outcomes: Fair, sustainable arrangements and reduced escalations


• Compliance: Zero material regulatory breaches


• Capability Uplift: Clear evidence of improved judgement and confidence among supported colleagues


• Team Contribution: Positive influence on standards, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement

Perks of the job

• Flexible working - Spend 2 days per week with your team in our new collaborative London office


• Competitive bonus scheme - designed to reward and recognise high performance 🌟


• Flexible benefits budget - £50 per month to spend on a Ben Mastercard meaning you get your own benefits budget to spend on things you want. Whether that’s subscriptions, night classes (puppy yoga, anyone?), the big shop or a forest of houseplants. Pretty much anything goes 💰


• Sabbatical Leave - Get a 4‑week fully paid sabbatical after being with us for 4 years 🏝️


• Work From Anywhere - 4 weeks work from anywhere to use, with no need to come to the office 🛫


• Mental wellbeing support - Access therapy and mental health sessions through Oliva 💚


• Learning and development - Personal budgets for books and training courses to help you grow in your role. Plus 2 days a year - on us! - to further your skillset 🤓


• Private healthcare - Enjoy all the benefits Vitality has to offer, including reduced gym memberships and discounts on smartwatches 🏥


• Medical cash plan - To help you with the costs of dental, optical and physio (plus more!)


• Tech scheme - Get the latest tech for less 🖥


• Plus all the rest - 33 days holiday (including bank holidays), pension, cycle to work scheme, monthly team socials and company‑wide socials every month!

Our Process

We break it up into a few stages:

• Initial call with our Talent Acquisition Manager (approx. 25 mins via Zoom)


• Technical Interview with our Head of Collections + 1 other team member (60 Minutes)


• Final Culture Interview (1 Hour)

Background checks

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy environment, we’ll carry out standard background checks, including a DBS and a Cifas check. These help ensure there are no ongoing criminal proceedings and support the prevention of fraud and other forms of serious misconduct. If anything of concern is identified, it may affect your eligibility for certain roles or services. Feel free to ask our Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions about this!

Everyone belongs at Marshmallow

At Marshmallow, we want to hire people from all walks of life with the passion and skills needed to help us achieve our company mission. To do that, we’re committed to hiring without judgement, prejudice or bias.

We encourage everyone to apply for our open roles. Gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or background does not affect how we process job applications.

We’re working hard to build an inclusive culture that empowers our people to do their best work, have fun and feel that they belong.

Recruitment privacy policy

We take privacy seriously here at Marshmallow. Our Recruitment privacy notice explains how we process and handle your personal data. To find out more please view it here.