Senior Credit Controller - Cape Town

Ecowize; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 500,000 - 800,000; Full time

Job summary

Ecowize is seeking a Senior Credit Controller to lead the end-to-end credit and collections process for a complex, high-volume debtor portfolio in Cape Town. The role requires a results-driven professional with strong analytical, problem-solving and negotiation skills who can operate independently under pressure and protect working capital through proactive account management.

You will build stakeholder relationships, drive continuous improvement and provide insights to management to optimise

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in end-to-end credit and collections.
• Strong analytical and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work independently under pressure and manage high-volume portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage collections for a complex, high-value debtor portfolio.
• Lead proactive collection strategies to meet weekly and monthly targets.
• Deliver on DSO and aging targets with minimal overdue balances.
• Resolve disputes within 48 hours and ensure contractual compliance.
• Prepare detailed monthly reports highlighting trends and risks.
• Collaborate with sales and finance to align terms and improve cash flow.

Skills

Credit control

Collections

Analytical skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Job description

Ecowize is looking for a results-driven, experienced and detail-oriented Senior Credit Controller to join our Finance team in Cape Town. The successful incumbent will be responsible for leading the end-to-end credit and collections process for a complex, high-volume debtor portfolio, ensuring strong cash flow and optimal working capital through proactive account management, effective risk mitigation, and the timely resolution of payment-related issues.

This role requires a hands-on professional with strong analytical, problem-solving and negotiation skills who can work independently under pressure and take full ownership of portfolio performance. The successful candidate will build strong stakeholder relationships, resolve customer challenges at source, drive continuous improvement, and provide proactive insights and recommendations that support the organisation’s financial and operational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Own and Strategically Manage a Complex, High-Value Debtor Portfolio

• Own and manage collections effectively to ensure weekly and monthly targets are met.
• Lead proactive collection strategies to achieve weekly and monthly targets while maintaining strong customer retention and compliance with company policies.
• Deliver on collection, DSO, and aging targets as set by management, with a focus on reducing overdue balances in critical accounts.
• Drive resolution of escalated disputes within 48 hours, ensuring contractual compliance and customer satisfaction.
• Perform advanced reconciliations for complex accounts, including escalations from internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure accurate allocation of receipts and remittances, proactively engaging customers to resolve unallocated cash.
• Act as a strategic partner to internal teams, influencing decisions that impact credit risk and working capital.
• Collaborate with the billing team to ensure all supporting documentation (invoices, credit notes, and purchase orders) is correctly distributed and obtained.
• Work alongside billing clerks to follow up on outstanding purchase orders and ensure invoices are GRV’d (Goods Received Vouched) promptly to avoid delays in payment.
• Prepare comprehensive monthly reports that highlight trends, risks, and opportunities in key account performance, including recommendations for improvement.
• Provide actionable insights to management, influencing strategies for collections, credit limits, and customer engagement.

2. Develop, Implement, and Enforce Advanced Credit and Collections Strategies

• Design, implement, and continuously improve advanced credit and collection strategies tailored to the portfolio of accounts, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Sales, Operations, Finance) to align payment terms, resolve bottlenecks, and improve the customer experience while improving collections as well.
• Analyze end-to-end credit workflows to identify gaps, risks, and opportunities for automation or process improvement.
• Drive initiatives that reduce disputes and accelerate collections, leveraging data insights and best practices.

3. Ensure Accurate and Timely Allocation of Receipts, Reconciliations, and Account Maintenance

• Prepare detailed statements, client status reports, and reconciliation summaries for high-value accounts, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
• Resolve complex queries promptly, both internally and externally, related to payments, outstanding invoices, and allocation discrepancies independently.
• Proactively identify recurring issues in allocation and reconciliation processes, recommending and implementing improvements to reduce errors and delays.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Treasury, AR, Operations) to ensure alignment and efficiency in cash application processes.
• Provide management with actionable insights on allocation trends, unallocated cash, and reconciliation challenges for decision-making.

4. Act as a Senior Point of Contact and Trusted Advisor

• Champion effective communication and process efficiency, acting as an ambassador for best practices and continuous improvement.
• Ensure professional, proactive engagement with clients, resolving disputes promptly without escalation and maintaining trust.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, positioning the company as a trusted partner.
• Lead professional written and verbal communication with customers, including those in arrears, ensuring clarity and compliance.
• Collaborate with internal teams and lead collection meetings, influencing strategies to resolve escalations and improve outcomes.
• Identify systemic issues impacting collections and elevate with recommendations, contributing to process enhancements across the business.

5. Identify, Lead, and Drive Continuous Improvement Initiatives

• Analyze end-to-end credit and collections processes for accounts to identify bottlenecks, risks, and inefficiencies.
• Develop and implement improvement plans and SOPs, ensuring alignment with business objectives and stakeholder needs.
• Leverage data and performance metrics to recommend process enhancements that reduce disputes, accelerate collections, and improve DSO.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Finance, Sales, Operations) to ensure improvements are embedded and sustained.
• Champion automation and technology adoption where applicable to streamline workflows and enhance accuracy.

6. Support Strategic and Operational Initiatives as Required

• Undertake ad hoc tasks and projects aligned with business priorities, providing expertise and leadership to ensure successful outcomes.