Credit Controller - Financial Operations

Saffery; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading accountancy firm in the UK is seeking a Credit Controller to enhance their financial operations. This role involves driving cash collections, managing debts, and engaging with stakeholders to ensure effective credit control practices. The ideal candidate will have experience in credit control, excellent communication skills, and be proficient in financial systems. This position offers a collaborative work environment with competitive benefits and flexibility to work from home up to three days a week.

Benefits

Agile working policy

25 days annual leave

Contributory pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Discretionary bonus scheme

Qualifications

• Proven experience in credit control within a professional services environment.
• Strong understanding of credit control processes and collection strategies.
• Good understanding of VAT rules and implications.

Responsibilities

• Drive proactive cash collection across your portfolio.
• Build trusted relationships with partners and clients.
• Maintain accurate and detailed collection notes.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Influencing skills

Prioritisation skills

Education

Strong educational background

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Elite 3E

Microsoft Word

Job description

Credit Controller - Financial Operations | Finance | London

Department overview

Our Finance department is a dynamic team of 30 professionals, working across three specialist areas: Financial Control, Financial Operations, and Financial Reporting. We pride ourselves on offering a collaborative, friendly, and supportive environment where your expertise is highly valued.

Role overview

As Credit Controller, you will play a pivotal role within the Financial Operations team, reporting to the Credit Control Manager and working under the day‑to‑day supervision of the Credit Control Assistant Manager, while collaborating closely with colleagues across Finance and client‑facing teams. Your work will directly support the firm's financial health by reducing lock‑up, optimising working capital and minimising exposure to bad or doubtful debts.

You will take ownership of the end‑to‑end collections process for your portfolio, applying tailored collection strategies and maintaining accurate ledger records. Acting as an advocate for proactive credit control, you will encourage timely debt management by initiating collection activity at agreed trigger points and applying escalation protocols where appropriate, all in line with the firm's policies and procedures.

Building strong relationships is central to success in this role. You will work closely with partners, clients, and internal teams, providing expert guidance on credit control matters and promoting best practice across the business. Your ability to communicate clearly and influence stakeholders will help ensure a collaborative, solutions‑focused approach to debt recovery.

Beyond day‑to‑day responsibilities, you will contribute to shaping the future of credit control within the firm. This includes supporting process improvements, leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, and participating in departmental projects and initiatives that strengthen financial operations and client service delivery.

Key responsibilities

Debt management & cash collection

• Drive proactive cash collection across your portfolio, using tailored strategies to optimise recovery and maintain strong client relationships.
• Monitor and reduce aged debt (90+ days), focusing on improving lock‑up (debtor days) and mitigating the risk of bad or doubtful debts.
• Collaborate with the Cashiers team to resolve unallocated cash and manage overpayments, ensuring ledger accuracy.

Stakeholder engagement & advocacy

• Build trusted relationships with partners, fee earning teams and clients, acting as a professional intermediary for credit control matters.
• Lead regular meetings with partners and managers to provide proactive support and share insights on debt management and lock‑up performance.
• Advocate best practice in credit control, promoting adherence to policies and escalating issues or barriers where necessary.

Operational excellence & compliance

• Maintain accurate and detailed collection notes to support decision‑making and reporting.
• Ensure all credit control activity aligns with agreed trigger points and escalation protocols, delivering timely and effective action.
• Resolve queries promptly and professionally, escalating complex issues as appropriate.

Continuous improvement & project support

• Identify opportunities to enhance credit control processes and contribute to system improvements that drive efficiency and accuracy.
• Support departmental projects and initiatives aimed at strengthening financial operations and improving working capital efficiency, including strategies to reduce lock‑up and accelerate cash realisation.
• Share feedback and ideas to help shape future credit control strategies and technology adoption.

About you

Professional experience & knowledge

• Proven experience in credit control within a professional services environment, with a track record of improving cash flow and reducing lock‑up (debtor days).
• Strong understanding of credit control processes and collection strategies.
• Good understanding of VAT rules and implications, with the ability to identify potential issues and elevate them promptly to management.
• Hands‑on experience with modern practice management or collection systems.
• Elite 3E experience, with good knowledge of AR reports/metrics, is desirable.

Skills & competencies

• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage competing deadlines during peak periods.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret debtor data, identify trends and support‑decision‑making.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to negotiate effectively and maintain a clear, professional telephone manner.
• High standard of written communication for accurate reporting and correspondence.
• High computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel, and familiarity with finance systems such as Elite 3E.

Personal attributes

• Confident, diplomatic, and approachable, with a client‑focused mindset.
• Commercially aware, resilient, and adaptable to changing priorities.
• Motivated, proactive, and committed to delivering results.
• A collaborative team player with a positive and enthusiastic attitude.

Education

• Strong educational background.

Reward & Benefits

• A 35‑hour working week with flexibility around the core hours of 10am‑4pm
• Agile working policy giving you the option to work from home for up to 3 days per week.
• 25 days annual leave. After 5 years' service, the entitlement will be increased by 1 day.
• In addition, employees are entitled to buy or sell up to 5 days holiday a year.
• Contributory pension scheme (The firm will contribute 5% of salary on a matched basis with employee from their date of joining).
• Life assurance cover of 4 x annual salary.
• Eligibility for the firm's Profit‑Sharing Plan that runs from October to September each year. The scheme enables staff to share in the profits of the firm. Payment is usually c£1,000. Paid in December.
• New client referral scheme. Members of staff introducing a new client to the firm have the potential to receive a referral payment of up to 10% of the first year's total fees.
• Eligibility for the discretionary bonus scheme. This is based on both individual performance and firm performance.
• Private Medical – entitled to join on successful completion of probationary period.
• Staff have access to health assessments, cancer screenings and health cash plans through the flexible benefits programme.
• Access to a number of additional benefits with preferential rates under the flexible benefit programme, health cash plans, health screening/GP support, critical illness cover, dental and travel insurance, Techscheme, Cyclescheme, Gymflex and a Workplace ISA.

The organisation

Saffery LLP is an adviser to individuals and businesses across a range of sectors, providing market‑leading accountancy, audit, business advisory, tax and VAT services. Founded in 1855 by Joseph John Saffery, it is currently the 15th largest accountancy firm by UK fee income.

We pride ourselves on our informal and inclusive culture, building an environment where people can be themselves and enjoy challenging, interesting, rewarding careers.

When you work with Saffery, the well‑respected accountancy firm where heritage meets ambition, you work with people who know your name. Who know you as a human being, not just a job title. Everyone belongs here. Always.

Saffery is a proud member of Nexia, a leading, global network of independent accounting and consulting firms.