Credit Controller

UWC Sport; Bellville; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

University of the Western Cape is seeking an experienced Credit Controller to join the Student Credit Management team at the Main Campus in Bellville. The role focuses on the efficient collection of student fees and management of student debt in compliance with university policies.

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience in higher education debt collection, can drive high-volume telephonic collections, and will work with Excalibur, RealPay Debi Check, and Persal salary deduction processes.

Qualifications

• A relevant National Diploma or equivalent qualification at NQF 6.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in consumer credit control and debt collection.
• Higher education experience will be an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Student Debt Collection: Engage with students, parents, sponsors, and walk‑in clients via telephone, email, and face‑to‑face interactions to collect outstanding fees.
• Account Management & Reconciliation: Reconcile student accounts and facilitate financial clearance during registration periods.
• Payment Defaults & Settlement Arrangements: Monitor payment defaults and follow up promptly and consistently to resolve outstanding debts.
• Reporting & Liaison: Prepare regular reports on collection performance and liaise with internal departments and external contacts to ensure seamless debt management.
• System And Process Enhancements: Support new system initiatives to minimise paperwork and streamline the collection process.

Skills

Excalibur Debt Management System

RealPay Debi Check processing

Persal salary deductions

High-volume telephone calls

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Financial systems literacy

Negotiation and decision-making

Query management

Education

National Diploma or equivalent (NQF 6)

Tools

Excalibur Debt Management System

RealPay Debi Check processing

Persal salary deduction processing

Job description

Title of Position

Credit Controller

Post Number

5283

Faculty/Department

University of the Western Cape -> Finance & Services -> Student Credit Management

Type of Position

Permanent - Full Time

Location

Main Campus - Bellville, WC ZA (Primary)

Closing Date

7/10/2026

Role Clarification & Key Performance Areas

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Credit Controller to join our dynamic Student Credit Management team. In this role, you will be responsible for the efficient collection of student fees and the effective management of student debt, ensuring full compliance with university policies, statutory obligations, and payment arrangements. The ideal candidate brings hands‑on experience in the higher education debt collection environment, is confident driving high-volume telephonic collections, and is comfortable working across debt management, debit order, and payroll‑deduction systems. Reporting to the Specialist Student Debtors.

Key Responsibilities

Student Debt Collection:

• Engage with students, parents, sponsors, and walk‑in clients via telephone, email, and face‑to‑face interactions to collect outstanding fees.
• Conduct high-volume outgoing telephone calls to conclude settlements and payment plans, and to follow up on defaulted payment arrangements.
• Use the Excalibur Debt Management System to view data, capture payment arrangements, and record follow-up actions.

Account Management & Reconciliation:

• Reconcile student accounts and facilitate financial clearance during registration periods.
• Capture and process RealPay Debi Check payment mandates, debit order documentation, and Persal salary deduction arrangements to maintain accurate records.

Payment Defaults & Settlement Arrangements:

• Monitor payment defaults and follow up promptly and consistently to resolve outstanding debts.
• Negotiate and process settlement arrangements and payment plans in line with standard operating procedures.

Reporting & Liaison:

• Prepare regular reports on collection performance.
• Liaise with internal departments (staff, faculties, Student Representative Council) and external contacts (sponsors, parents, potential students, vendors) to ensure seamless debt management.

System And Process Enhancements:

• Support new system initiatives (e.g., Google Suite applications, Excalibur system upgrades) to minimise paperwork and streamline the collection process.

Minimum Requirements

• A relevant National Diploma or equivalent qualification at NQF 6.
• A minimum of 5 years' experience in consumer credit control and debt collection.

Key Competencies & Skills

• Demonstrated experience using the Excalibur Debt Management System, or similar debt management tools.
• Demonstrated experience with RealPay Debi Check payment processing, or similar.
• Demonstrated experience processing Persal salary deductions, or similar.
• Demonstrated experience conducting high-volume outgoing telephone calls to conclude settlements and payment plans, and following up on defaulted payment arrangements.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Strong communication (verbal and written) and telephone skills, with a demonstrated ability to sustain high call volumes.
• High attention to detail and ability to work accurately under pressure.
• Proficiency in using modern financial and student debt management systems.
• Sound critical thinking, negotiation, and decision‑making capabilities.
• Strong query management and resolution ability.
• Higher education experience will be an advantage.

In your application, you are encouraged to highlight your strengths and include anything else you deem exceptional and outstanding to be considered by the selection panel. In addition, please attach a cover letter motivating your suitability, a detailed curriculum vitae including contact details of three referees, and your highest qualification to your online profile.

DISCLAIMER: By applying for the position, you consent to the University sharing your application, including curriculum vitae, with University stakeholders to process the application. In line with the University’s commitment to diversifying its workforce, preference will be given to suitably qualified applicants in line with our Employment Equity Targets. The official retirement age at UWC is 65 years. The University reserves the right to not make an appointment, make an appointment at a different level, seek additional candidates and may conduct competency assessments.