Head of Collections & Recovery Operations

Network Finance; Randburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Network Finance in Randburg is seeking a Senior Manager to lead centralized collections and recoveries operations across multiple portfolios. You will drive performance, shape strategy, and oversee remediation initiatives to protect profitability and compliance.

Ideal candidates have extensive senior management experience in collections or credit management, with a proven ability to influence executive leadership and optimize ROI.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in senior management within collections, recoveries, legal collections, or credit management environments.
• Proven track record of leading large-scale collections and recovery operations.
• Demonstrated success in delivering commercial performance across acquired portfolios.
• Experience engaging with executive leadership and providing strategic business recommendations.
• Strong people leadership experience across multiple management layers.

Responsibilities

• Drive collections and recovery performance across multiple portfolios, ensuring targets are met.
• Provide strategic leadership for centralized inbound collections operations, ensuring service excellence and efficiency.
• Identify performance bottlenecks and implement optimization across people, process, technology, and strategy.
• Lead remediation plans and performance improvement initiatives to maximize portfolio returns.
• Maintain compliance with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Advise executive leadership on operational strategy, performance trends, risks, and investment decisions.
• Manage operational expenditure and productivity targets while delivering sustainable growth.
• Build and maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships across leadership levels.

Skills

Collections leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Data analytics

ROI optimization

People leadership

Education

Degree in Commerce/Economics/Law

Postgraduate qualification advantageous

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Drive collections and recovery performance across multiple portfolios, ensuring the achievement of revenue, margin, and profitability targets.
• Provide strategic leadership for centralized inbound collections operations, ensuring service excellence and operational efficiency.
• Identify performance bottlenecks and implement optimization initiatives across people, process, technology, and strategy.
• Lead remediation plans and performance improvement initiatives to maximize portfolio returns.
• Maintain compliance with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Advise executive leadership on operational strategy, performance trends, risks, and investment decisions.
• Manage operational expenditure and productivity targets while delivering sustainable business growth.
• Build and maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships across multiple leadership levels.

Job Experience and Skills Required

Qualifications:

• Degree in Commerce, Economics, Law, or a related field.
• Postgraduate qualification advantageous.

Experience:

• Minimum 8 years' Senior Management experience within collections, recoveries, legal collections, or credit management environments.
• Proven track record of leading large-scale collections and recovery operations.
• Demonstrated success in delivering commercial performance across acquired portfolios.
• Experience engaging with executive leadership and providing strategic business recommendations.
• Strong people leadership experience across multiple management layers.

Skills & Competencies:

• Advanced understanding of collections, recoveries, litigation, and credit risk management.
• Strong knowledge of the National Credit Act, Debt Collectors Act, Consumer Protection Act, Prescription Act, and related legislation.
• Experience with campaign management, dialer strategies, workforce management, and operational optimization.
• Exceptional analytical and commercial acumen with the ability to interpret data and drive ROI-focused decisions.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational execution.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting capabilities.