Senior Credit Control Officer

Job Specification: Senior Credit Control Officer Reports to: [Head of Finance] Team: Financial Solutions / Arrears Management Location: Brentford or Harlow People responsibility: Initially none, but expected to take on leadership responsibilities as the function scales. Role Purpose The Senior Credit Control Officer is responsible for the end-to-end management of arrears, repayment solutions, and debt recovery activities across the Credit Union. The role ensures that members in financial difficulty are treated fairly and ethically while protecting the organisation’s financial position, minimising loan losses, and ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations. This is a senior, analytical, and member-focused role requiring strong judgement, excellent communication skills, and the ability to balance commercial, regulatory, and ethical considerations. Key Responsibilities Arrears Management & Member Engagement Monitor the loan book daily/weekly to identify emerging arrears and potential high-risk accounts. Contact members in arrears via phone, email, SMS and written communication to understand circumstances, provide support, and agree appropriate repayment solutions. Conduct affordability assessments (aligned with FCA and industry standards) to determine realistic repayment plans, forbearance, or restructuring options. Manage sensitive conversations with members in financial difficulty in a compassionate, ethical, and solutions-oriented manner. Oversee the process for rescheduled or re-written loans, ensuring consistent application of internal policies. Credit Control Strategy, Policy & Process Develop, update and embed Credit Control policies, procedures, and workflows in line with regulatory expectations, internal risk appetite, and best practice. Identify control gaps, improve processes, and introduce new tools and technologies to enhance arrears collection efficiency and member experience. Ensure all member-facing teams understand basic credit control processes and can provide accurate information to members. External Debt Collection Oversight Determine when accounts should transition from internal arrears management to external debt collection, based on risk appetite, cost/benefit analysis, and member circumstances. Act as the primary liaison with third-party Debt Collection Agencies (DCAs), monitoring: performance KPIs, recovery rates, compliance with ethical and regulatory standards, value for money. Review DCA performance data and recommend continuation, escalation, or termination of mandates. Financial Analysis & Loan Loss Provisions Analyse arrears trends, delinquency migrations, roll rates, and recovery patterns to identify emerging risks. Provide monthly reporting for management and the Board on arrears, collections performance, and expected credit losses (ECL). Work closely with Finance to: calculate and validate loan loss provisions, understand the impact of write-offs on P&L, forecast impairment and recovery levels. Contribute to stress testing, scenario analysis, and forward-looking risk assessments. Data & Reporting Maintain accurate and detailed member account notes, arrears records, and repayment agreements. Produce high-quality management information, including: arrears by ageing category, new delinquencies vs cures, repayment plan performance, DCA outcomes, provisions and write-offs, Consumer Duty-aligned outcomes analysis. Support quarterly and annual reporting requirements, including materials for the Board, auditors, and potential investors. Risk, Compliance & Conduct Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regulatory expectations relating to credit control, Consumer Duty, forbearance, fair treatment of customers, and debt collection. Ensure all arrears and collections activity remains compliant with FCA Handbook, CONC, and internal policies. Handle member complaints relating to arrears or collections promptly, fairly, and in line with internal complaints procedures. Demonstrate high standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical judgement in all member interactions. Team & Leadership (as the function grows) Support the training, coaching, and development of junior team members. Help design team structure, performance metrics, and workflow standards for a growing arrears management function. Provide cover for the Head of Finance or Risk & Compliance Manager as needed on credit-related matters. Person Specification Essential Skills & Experience Significant experience in credit control, arrears management, or collections within a financial services organisation (bank, credit union, building society, or FCA-regulated lender). Strong understanding of ethical and responsible lending practices. Experience conducting affordability assessments and agreeing repayment solutions. Strong analytical capability, with the ability to interpret financial and member data to drive decisions. Excellent communication and negotiation skills, including the ability to manage sensitive conversations. High proficiency in Excel and core Microsoft applications. Experience managing relationships with external service providers or debt collectors. Proven ability to balance commercial objectives with fair customer outcomes. Desirable Experience working within a credit union or similar mutual financial institution. Understanding of IFRS 9 impairment principles (or willingness to learn). Experience building or improving credit control processes or systems. Experience in team leadership or mentoring. Qualifications Essential A finance-related qualification or equivalent relevant industry experience. Desirable Additional credit management, financial analysis, or regulatory qualifications (e.g., CICM, CeMAP, or similar). Conduct Rules (FCA) You must: Act with integrity. Act with due skill, care and diligence. Be open and cooperative with the FCA, PRA, and other regulators. Values & Behaviours Ethical, member-focused and compassionate. Highly organised and reliable. Analytical and commercially aware. Calm under pressure, able to manage complex or sensitive cases. Collaborative team player who contributes to a strong risk culture.