Western Cape: Debtors Manager posted by Communicate Finance

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Debtors Manager to lead our Credit Control function, responsible for managing a team of credit controllers and building strong relationships with key customers, distributors, and internal departments. The successful candidate will ensure timely and effective collection of outstanding debt, manage customer claims, and drive month-end processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Credit Control function, including direct oversight of a team of credit controllers
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with key customers, distributors, and internal departments (Finance, Supply Chain, Sales, Customer Services)
• Ensure timely and effective collection of all outstanding debt in line with agreed targets and customer terms
• Manage and resolve customer claims, including returns, shortages, pricing issues, rebates, markdowns, and trade promotions, ensuring minimal backlog
• Oversee accurate payment allocations, customer reconciliations, and key account management
• Review, authorise, and regularly reassess customer credit limits
• Manage credit holds and order releases, ensuring consistent and commercially sound decision-making
• Drive month-end processes, including statement distribution and debtor communications
• Monitor and achieve targeted Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)
• Prepare and present ageing analyses and over-60-days outstanding reports
• Provide accurate forecasting of DSO, accounts receivable balances, and cash inflows to support cashflow planning
• Manage and coordinate legal collections processes where required
• Support internal and external audits, including year-end statutory audits
• Ensure compliance with relevant credit legislation and internal credit policies
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives, including system and process enhancements (ERP/SAP focus)
• Train, coach, and develop team members, providing regular feedback and performance guidance

Requirements

• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in a Credit Control or Credit Management role
• FMCG or high-volume environment and dealing with large national retail or key accounts experience
• Proven experience managing and developing a credit control team
• Strong working knowledge of South African credit legislation including the National Credit Act
• Solid understanding of end-to-end order-to-cash processes
• Advanced proficiency in ERP systems Microsoft Excel

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification
• Credit Management level 1, 2, 3 highly beneficial