Early Stage Collector

Kawasaki; California (MO); On-site; USD 28,929 - 37,195; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

401(k) match

Employee discounts on products

Life and Disability benefits

Generous PTO policy

Onsite fitness center

Up to 12 paid company holidays

Job summary

Kawasaki in Foothill Ranch, CA is seeking a qualified candidate for a role focused on engaging customers and negotiating payment arrangements. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience in early-stage collections, excellent communication skills, and a solid grasp of relevant laws and regulations.

This position offers an opportunity to contribute to a team that emphasizes compassion and professionalism while ensuring compliance with industry standards. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and competitive salary.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years experience in early-stage collections.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Detail-oriented and organized.
• Knowledge of debt collection laws.

Responsibilities

• Proactively engage customers to address delinquency.
• Negotiate payment arrangements based on customer needs.
• Maintain a customer-centric and brand-focused approach.
• Document customer interactions accurately.
• Collaborate with internal departments for account management.

Skills

Empathy

Negotiation

Detail-oriented

Communication

Organizational skills

Education

Associate’s degree in Finance or Business

3+ years in early-stage collections

Tools

Loan Servicing Systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Join the newly established captive finance company of the leading global brand, Kawasaki Motors, based in Foothill Ranch, CA. Our commitment to innovation and quality has made Kawasaki a trusted name in the powersports industry. We provide our customers with exceptional products and services, including top‑notch retail finance solutions. Join our team and be part of a dynamic company that values excellence, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement. Together, we can help our customers embark on their next adventure with confidence and ease.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage Customers with Empathy & Purpose: Proactively reach out to customers through phone, email, text, and other approved communication channels to address early-stage delinquency and always delivering a positive experience.
• Negotiate with Compassion and Professionalism: Collaborate with customers to understand their financial situations and negotiate payment arrangements that align with both customer needs and company objectives. Demonstrate empathy in conversations around financial difficulty, offering hardship support options such as structured payment plans. Monitor accounts to proactively intervene before they advance into later stages of delinquency, focusing on preserving the customer relationship and reducing loss exposure.
• Maintain a Brand-Forward Approach: Represent the company with integrity and professionalism in every interaction, ensuring a customer‑centric experience that upholds our brand values and long‑term relationships.
• Identify and Escalate Specialized Issues: Accurately recognize and route sensitive account matters, including insurance claims, bankruptcy filings, title questions, suspected fraud, payment research, cease and desist request to the appropriate teams for resolution.
• Support Resolution Through Research: Conduct payment history reviews and account research to assist customers in understanding their balances, account terms and available options to keep their accounts current.
• Document with Precision: Document all customer communications, payment arrangements, escalations, and outcomes accurately and promptly in the Loan Management System (LMS) to ensure continuity and compliance.
• Conduct Basic Skip Tracing: Utilize available tools and resources to perform basic skip tracing efforts for locating customers and assets.
• Handle Complaints Professionally: Respond to verbal complaints with calm, solution‑oriented communication, escalating matters when necessary while maintaining detailed records for follow‑up.
• Collaborate Cross‑Functionally: Work closely with internal departments including Customer Service and Titles, to ensure seamless, accurate and consistent account management.
• Ensure Regulatory and Policy Compliance: Adhere to all applicable federal and state laws including FDCPA, Rosenthal Act, Regulation F, FCRA, TCPA, GLBA, EFTA, SCRA, Bankruptcy Code Sections 362 & 524, UDAAP, and internal company policies and procedures.

Support Team Initiatives

Contribute to departmental goals by assisting with special projects, process improvements, and other operational tasks, as well as other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in Finance, Business, or other related field preferred: equivalent work experience will be considered.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in early-stage collections within the Auto, Powersports and consumer finance industry is required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a strong focus on empathy, emotional intelligence, and active listening. Ability to de‑escalate tense conversations while maintaining professionalism and customer trust.
• Strong negotiation, interpersonal and detail-oriented skills.
• Proven ability to negotiate payment arrangements with tact, respect and a solution-oriented mindset, even in sensitive or emotionally charged situations.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with a commitment to accurate documentation and adherence to company procedures, legal requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Comfortable using Loan Servicing Systems and CRM tools; proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Outlook). Experience in dialer platforms and digital communication tools is a plus.
• Strong knowledge of relevant federal and state debt collection laws and guidelines including, FDCPA, Rosenthal Act, Regulation F, FCRA, TCPA, GLBA, EFTA, SCRA, UDAAP, Bankruptcy Code Sections 362 & 524.
• Consistently promotes a positive, inclusive, and respectful team environment built on trust, open communication, and mutual support. Demonstrates professionalism in all interactions and actively contributes to a collaborative workplace culture that values teamwork, integrity, accountability and shared achievement. Supports a healthy and productive work environment by encouraging transparency, solution-focused dialogue, and alignment with the company values and goals.
• Ability to work onsite in Foothill Ranch, CA.

Profile Differentiators

• Previous experience in early-stage debt collection or similar roles within the powersports or automotive finance industries.
• Familiarity with skip tracing tools, digital communication platforms, and loan servicing systems.
• Strong knowledge of collection laws and regulatory compliance.

$21.00-$27.00hr based on experience and qualifications

Benefits

To support your health and wellness goals, Kawasaki provides a comprehensive benefits program dedicated to the well‑being of our employees and their families.

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Medical, Dental, Vision and Pet insurance
• 401(k) match
• Life and Disability benefits
• Generous PTO policy
• Up to 12 paid company holidays
• Employee discounts on Kawasaki products
• Onsite fitness center

KMRF is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with KMRF is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.