CREDIT MANAGER
Coastal
Shared Services
Accountable for quality, standards, service and desired outputs within inter-related functional areas of responsibility. This role will work with various closely related concrete variables, requiring an understanding of the theory or practices underpinning inter-related functional processes. The role balances commercial growth support with effective credit risk management and cash flow optimisation.
Job Purpose
The purpose of the Credit Manager is to oversee the comprehensive management of accounts receivable across the Coastal region, optimising processes, ensuring full compliance with regulatory standards, and supporting the achievement of the organisation’s financial objectives. The role is responsible for managing the credit control function in both regions, optimising cash flow, minimising bad debt risk, ensuring efficient resolution of claims, and enforcing the company’s credit policy. It also involves resolving disputes, building strong relationships with customers, and providing essential support to the AR Supervisor, while leading and developing a high-performing credit team that contributes to sustainable sales growth.
Key Accountabilities and Outputs
Credit Risk & Policy Management
Develop, maintain and enforce the company’s credit policy and procedures.
Oversee credit assessments, limit approvals and ongoing risk monitoring of the debtor portfolio.
Manage Credit Checks and New Account Openings to minimise financial risk.
Monitor credit exposure, portfolio risk and ensure compliance with the National Credit Act and internal controls.
Ensure accurate application of the National Credit Act.
Monitor and review any special payment arrangements with customers.
Output: Controlled credit risk, compliant policy framework and protected working capital.
Accounts Receivable, Collections & Cash Flow Management
Lead and manage the end-to-end Accounts Receivable function.
Manage and effectively coordinate the processing of payments/collections and review of reconciliations.
Drive achievement of DSO, collection targets and reduction of overdue accounts.
Oversee accurate payment allocation, reconciliations and month-end processes.
• Ensure accounts are effectively monitored and maintained.
• Track and monitor performance of AR processes against KPIs and implement corrective actions
where necessary.
• Continuously review and identify gaps and opportunities for AR process optimisation.
• Design and implement AR Policies and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Automation of manual procedures and processes
• Effectively resolve customer disputes in relation to payments owed.
Claims Management & Stakeholder Relationships
• Ensure timely validation, processing and resolution of customer claims and disputes.
• Build strong partnerships with Sales, Finance, Operations and key customers.
General Operational & Financial Management
• Actively participate in operational planning and budgeting processes.
• Automate manual procedures and processes.
• Drive continuous improvement by streamlining and optimising relevant operational practices,
processes and systems.
• Ensure adherence to operational and financial frameworks of practices, processes, standards and
controls.
• Control costs and take the necessary action to mitigate any financial risks or non-compliance.
Team Leadership, Reporting & Governance
• Lead, coach and develop the credit control team; implement succession planning.
• Deliver accurate month-end reports and insights on credit risk and cash flow.
• Ensure audit readiness and continuous improvement of controls and processes
Qualifications and Experience
• BCom Degree (or equivalent) and/or Credit Management IV Diploma essential.
• Minimum 8 years’ experience in credit control, with at least 5 years in a management or supervisory
role.
• Proven experience in FMCG or manufacturing environments preferred.
• Strong proficiency in SAP (ECC/S4 HANA preferred) and advanced Microsoft Excel.
• Sound knowledge of the National Credit Act and credit risk principles.
• Engagement with multiple stakeholders in the business in order to support & deliver on objectives.
• Experience building robust business processes.
• Driving automation of manual processes.
Behavioural Competencies
Leadership & Collaboration
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Advanced communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to work under pressure in a high-volume environment.
• Meets commitments to team members or others in the organisation.
• Shares expertise and resources to help others address their needs.
• Seeks to include all those who can contribute to the most successful outcome and those who have a
stake in the results.
• Actively keeps all stakeholders informed.
• Attempts to reinvigorate team processes when progress is lagging: stays engaged even when not in
full agreement with the team’s direction.
Accountability
• Accomplishes assigned tasks and goals: takes necessary actions to keep progress against objectives
on track.
• Prepares a roadmap for success.
• Ensures that all who need to know, are clear about the plan.
• Takes full responsibility for own actions and outcomes, including mistakes.
• Always acts in the company’s best interest, regardless of whether it is difficult or unpopular.
• Ensures others are on track for achieving their goals.
Decision Making
• Organises information to make it easier to analyse or see trends.
• Anticipates consequences and formulates alternatives.
• Establishes clear decision criteria for making informed choices.
• Seeks relevant information to better understand situations and problems.
• Conducts appropriate analysis; neither makes snap decisions or over-analyses.
• Sees relationships between various facts, figures or other information.
Analytical Thinking
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• Able to take a complex task and breaking it down into manageable parts in a logical, detailed way.
• Thinks of multiple explanations or alternatives to a problem
• Able to identify the information needed to solve a problem effectively
• Performs tasks accurately and thoroughly, making adjustments to ensure needs are met
• Considers business priorities when making decisions or analysing the costs and benefits of various
alternative solutions.
Planning and Organising
• Manages time effectively, ensuring effective completion of tasks under stressful deadlines.
• Able to prioritise activities and resources, ensuring that results are achieved effectively.
• Able to evaluate progress and make appropriate adjustments to initial plans, ensuring a successful
outcome.
Key Qualities
Communication
• Communication requiring a high level of diplomacy and sensitivity
Problem Solving
• Proactive identification of functional problems related to a specific process or policy, determine cause
and impact, and choose the best alternative to solve the problem based on guidelines provided and
an understanding of the theory or practices underpinning the problem.
Relationships Maintained
• Groups of individuals at a senior management level inside the organisation
• Customer- and stakeholder-focused
Leadership
• High integrity and ethical leadership.
• Results-driven and accountable.
• Coaching and mentoring mindset.
• Resilience and professionalism.
