Soft Collections Consultant

Arcs; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 223,000 - 268,000; Full time

Job summary

ARCS in Sandton, Johannesburg, seeks a Soft Collections Consultant to manage a portfolio of funded SME/B2B clients and monitor accounts after funding. You will identify early warning signs in payment behaviour and business activity, follow up on overdue amounts, and resolve repayment queries with a firm but fair approach.

The role is frontline and client-facing, requiring investigative thinking, strong communication, negotiation skills, and the ability to maintain positive client relationships

Qualifications

• 3-4 years' experience in a customer service environment.
• 3-4 years' experience in collections.
• Experience within SME/B2B finance, lending, or a fintech environment is essential/preferred.
• CRM familiarity, Salesforce advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Monitor client activity post-funding to identify early warning signs of payment issues.
• Investigate causes of payment delays and changes in client activity.
• Contact customers to discuss overdue amounts and negotiate payment plans.
• Maintain records of contact, collection attempts and payments received.
• Compile regular reports on overdue accounts and progress.

Skills

Customer service experience

Collections

CRM systems (Salesforce)

Education

Matric

Diploma or degree (advantageous)

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Soft Collections Consultant ARCSJHB - Northern Suburbs, Gauteng, ZA

Soft Collections Consultant

Type: Permanent
Sector: Financial Services
Location: Sandton, Johannesburg
Salary: R20,000.00 - R24,000.00 CTC per month
Essential Experience: SME/B2B finance, collections, lending, or a fintech environment

Intro

An established financial services organisation is seeking a Soft Collections Consultant to manage a portfolio of funded SME/B2B clients. The role focuses on monitoring client accounts after funding, identifying early warning signs in payment behaviour and business activity, following up on overdue amounts, and resolving repayment-related queries and complaints.
This is a frontline, client-facing position that requires a combination of investigative thinking, strong communication, negotiation skills, and the ability to maintain positive client relationships while managing collection activities effectively.
The successful candidate will be comfortable engaging directly with clients regarding outstanding payments, asking the right questions to understand the underlying reasons for payment delays, and maintaining a firm but fair approach throughout the collection process.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Monitor client activity, performance and turnover following funding to identify early warning signs relating to payment behaviour or business conduct.
• Investigate and clarify the causes of payment delays, concerns or changes in client activity, including payment delays and turnover fluctuations.
• Report findings and relevant account developments to the appropriate internal stakeholders.
• Monitor accounts receivable and identify overdue accounts requiring follow-up.
• Contact customers regarding outstanding amounts and negotiate appropriate payment plans where required.
• Use investigative tools and techniques to locate and re-establish contact with customers who are difficult to reach or uncontactable.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of client contact, collection attempts and payments received.
• Resolve customer queries and complaints relating to repayments in a professional and effective manner.
• Compile and submit regular reports on overdue accounts and repayment progress.
• Manage an allocated caseload effectively while maintaining consistent monitoring and follow-up.
• Build trust and rapport with clients while maintaining appropriate boundaries during sensitive payment discussions.
• Identify the underlying reasons for accounts falling behind and obtain clear, honest explanations through effective probing and questioning.
• Remain organised, resilient and composed when managing sensitive payment conversations and a growing caseload.

Requirements

• Matric is essential.
• 3-4 years' experience in a customer service environment.
• 3-4 years' experience in collections.
• Experience within SME/B2B finance, lending, or a fintech environment is essential/preferred.
• Working understanding of basic bookkeeping principles, including payment terms.
• Familiarity with CRM and/or collections systems, such as Salesforce, is advantageous.
• A business-relevant diploma or degree is advantageous but not required.
• Clear and confident verbal communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking ability.
• Excellent probing and investigative skills.
• Ability to build trust and rapport quickly with clients.
• Ability to handle sensitive payment conversations with resilience and composure.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple accounts and follow-ups effectively.
• Comfortable making outbound calls and having direct conversations regarding money and outstanding payments.