Debtors Accountant

OttoBauthentic; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 400 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services provider in Johannesburg seeks a Debt Collection Manager responsible for managing the debtors' ledger, optimizing collections, and providing exceptional customer service. The ideal candidate will have a BCom degree and 3-4 years of relevant experience. Strong communication and problem-solving skills with proficiency in Microsoft Excel are essential. This role offers opportunities for process improvement and close collaboration with internal teams.

Qualifications

• 3-4 years of experience in debt collection and payment processing roles.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with integrity.

Responsibilities

• Manage and optimize the debtors' ledger, ensuring timely collection of outstanding debts.
• Implement effective debt collection strategies to minimize outstanding debts.
• Receive and process payments, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

Skills

Debt collection strategies

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving

Attention to detail

Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Education

BCom degree (Finance, Business Administration or related)

Job description

Job Summary

• You will be responsible for managing and optimizing the debtors' ledger, ensuring timely collection of outstanding debts, resolving customer queries and processing payments efficiently.
• This role requires an eye for detail, strong communication skills, a proactive approach to problem‑solving, and the ability to work collaboratively with internal teams and external clients

Key Responsibilities

Debt Collection

• Implement effective debt collection strategies to minimize outstanding debts.
• Contact debtors via phone, email, and written correspondence to resolve payment disputes.
• Maintain accurate records of all communication arrangements with debtors.
• Monitor and follow up on overdue accounts, initiating legal and debt insurance action when necessary.
• Send out monthly statements to all debtors.

Payment Processing

• Receive and process payments from debtors, ensuring accuracy and compliance with company policies.
• Reconcile payments received with outstanding invoices and update the debtors' ledger accordingly.
• Collaborate with the debtors to resolve any discrepancies or issues related to payments and elevate any unresolved matters to management for intervention and assistance.

Debtors Ledger Management

• Maintain and update the debtors' ledger with accurate and up‑to‑date information.
• Allocate all payment in accordance with customer remittances.
• Perform regular reconciliations of the debtors' ledger to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Generate reports on outstanding debts, aging analysis, and collection performance for management review.

Customer Service

• Provide excellent customer service to debtors, addressing inquiries and concerns in a professional and timely manner.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders, including sales and customer service (operations) teams, to resolve customer issues and improve debt collection processes.
• Attend regular meetings with debtors to build relationships and resolve queries.

Compliance and Documentation

• Submission of monthly reports required by clients.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant debt insurance processes for non‑paying customers.
• Maintain proper documentation of all debt collection activities, including correspondence, payment agreements, and legal proceedings.

Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to streamline debt collection and payment processing procedures.
• Implement improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction.

Education

• BCom degree (undergraduate) Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.

Experience

• Proven experience (3-4 years) working in debt collection and payment processing roles.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast‑paced environment.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in data entry and record‑keeping.
• Problem‑solving skills and a proactive approach to resolving issues.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with integrity.