Vacancy – Credit Control Manager – Sheffield (Renishaw)

Sutton McGrath Hartley Ltd; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days’ annual leave

Health cash plan

Aegon pension

Life assurance

Eye tests

Social events

Volunteering opportunities

Staff discounts on Wills, LPAs and住宅(M

Job summary

SMH Group is seeking a Credit Control Manager to own a centralised cash collection function across the group. You will establish effective debt collection processes and lead a team to improve debtor days while protecting client relationships.

Working with the Financial Controller and senior leaders, you will define policy, oversight, and performance targets, while driving automation and onboarding of acquired practices into the central function.

Qualifications

• Experience in end-to-end credit control and cash collection across multiple entities.
• Ability to design and implement group-wide credit control policies and procedures.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills with experience in performance management.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end credit control and cash collection across all Group entities.
• Lead and develop the Credit Controller(s) including objective setting and appraisals.
• Design and implement a group-wide credit control policy and SOPs.
• Act as senior escalation point for debt resolution while protecting client relationships.
• Monitor payment plans, advise on actions for high-risk debts, including potential legal steps.
• Collaborate with partners and finance to resolve billing disputes promptly.
• Ensure accurate cash allocations and maintained debtor ledgers.
• Produce reports on aged debt, debtor days, and collection performance.
• Maintain forecasts for cash flow, month-end closing and bad debt provisioning.
• Identify system and process improvements to drive efficiency and scalability.
• Support acquisition due diligence and onboarding of new practices.
• Build relationships with senior stakeholders to support timely payment.

Skills

Credit control

Cash collection

Leadership

Team coaching

Policy design

Stakeholder management

Job description

The SMH Group offers a comprehensive suite of financial services to our clients including Accountancy, Financial Services, Wills & Probate, Commercial Finance, Residential Mortgages and Corporate Finance. We have over 240 employees across our 11 offices throughout the Yorkshire/Derbyshire region.

At SMH Group we truly believe our people are our greatest strength which is why we want to give them the confidence to grow and shape their future. As we continue to grow as a business we strive to be guided by our core behaviours – Client Centric, acting as One Firm, and Caring by doing the right thing for our people, clients and communities. As clients and our people at the fore front of everything we do, we leave no stone unturned to deliver consistent and impactful results. We foster a culture of respect, support, and inclusion within our teams.

If you’re looking to be part of a purpose-driven team we’d love to hear from you.

Job Purpose

The Credit Control Manager is a newly created Group role with end-to-end ownership of the centralised credit control function. The role will establish a consistent, commercially effective approach to cash collection across all entities, improving debtor days, reducing bad debt exposure and freeing client-facing teams to focus on their clients.

Working closely with the Financial Controller, partners and operational leaders, the postholder will define the Group’s debt collection strategy, policy, escalation framework and performance targets, and will lead the team responsible for delivering them.

The role will also support the Group’s growth agenda by improving and automating processes, providing reliable cash collection insight and leading the onboarding of acquired practices into the central function. This is an opportunity to shape a high-profile function from the ground up and build a model that scales with the Group.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end credit control and cash collection process across all Group entities, from invoice issue through to receipt allocation and ledger maintenance.
• Lead, coach and develop the Credit Controller including objective setting, performance management, appraisals, workload allocation and leave approval.
• Design, document and implement a Group-wide credit control policy, standard operating procedures, chasing cadence, payment terms and escalation routes.
• Act as the senior escalation point for internal and external debt resolution queries, balancing firm collection with the protection of client relationships.
• Agree and monitor payment plans and recommend proportionate next steps for persistent or higher-risk debts, including service suspension, legal recovery and court action where appropriate.
• Work with partners, fee earners and finance colleagues to investigate and resolve billing disputes promptly and address root causes of late payment.
• Ensure cash receipts are allocated accurately and promptly and that time write-outs, invoicing and debtor ledgers are complete and accurate within the relevant systems.
• Produce timely reporting on aged debt, debtor days, lock-up, collection performance and bad debt risk by entity, office, department and partner, with clear commercial commentary and actions.
• Maintain reliable collection forecasts to support rolling cash flow forecasting, month-end reporting, bad debt provisioning and write-off recommendations.
• Identify and implement system, workflow and automation opportunities that improve efficiency, control and scalability without compromising accuracy.
• Support acquisition due diligence by reviewing debtor ledgers and collection practices, and lead the onboarding, ledger clean-up, process alignment and training required for acquired practices.
• Build strong relationships with partners, managers and fee earners, coaching colleagues on billing and engagement practices that support timely payment.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the scope and seniority of the role.

Performance KPIs

KPI Target / Expectation

Debtor days Reduce Group debtor days significantly from the existing level of 65 days, with agreed milestones and sustained performance.

Overdue debt and collection performance Deliver agreed reductions in aged and high-risk debt, supported by accurate forecasts, documented actions and effective escalation.

Centralisation and acquisition integration Onboard all Group entities and acquired practices to the central function, with consistent processes, clear ownership and demonstrable compliance.

Process improvement and control Deliver measurable automation and efficiency improvements while maintaining accurate ledgers, timely cash allocation and robust controls.

Management information Provide complete, accurate and timely reporting with clear commentary, risks and actions for Finance and senior leadership.

Key Skills & Attributes

• Deep knowledge of credit control, collections, accounts receivable and the commercial drivers of cash conversion.
• Commercially astute and client-focused, with sound judgement on when to negotiate, elevate or recommend recovery action.
• A self-starter who takes ownership, sets clear priorities and is comfortable building a new Group function.
• Resilient, tenacious and diplomatic, with the confidence to challenge constructively and influence change.
• Clear and adaptable communicator, able to build credibility with clients, colleagues, partners and senior leaders.
• Highly organised and analytical, with strong attention to detail and the discipline to manage a large and varied ledger.
• Improvement-minded and pragmatic, with a focus on scalable processes, effective controls and measurable outcomes.
• Collaborative team player who is comfortable working in a growing business where priorities may evolve.

Willing to travel occasionally to other Group offices across Yorkshire and Derbyshire

Our benefits and perks

• Competitive salary and benefits package, including 25 days’ annual leave, an annual leave purchase scheme, Aegon pension, Health cash plan and life assurance.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• The opportunity to build and lead a new Group function with visibility to senior leadership.
• A role at the heart of an ambitious, private equity-backed Group with clear plans for growth and acquisition.
• A supportive and inclusive working environment, with opportunities for personal and professional development as the Group grows
• Eye tests
• Social events
• Volunteering opportunities
• Staff discounts on Wills, LPAs and residential mortgages