Credit Controller

My client is a Top 40 law firm with offices throughout the UK are seeking an experienced Credit Controller / Credit Specialist to join their team in Liverpool. Having been recognised as the leading legal employer and 10th overall employer at the annual Britain's Top Employers awards 2023 and achieved record rankings in Chambers UK.

As a Credit Controller / Credit Specialist you will be a valued asset of the Finance department which is made up of many teams that work together to support the firms finance processes. The teams include accounts, billing, credit control, management information, matter maintenance, and treasury.

The successful candidate will have a certain level of experience, more suited to someone who has been a Credit Control professional for several years, rather than someone new to the profession.

Your key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Managing and minimising aged debt, whilst striving to achieve monthly cash collection targets. Your key focus being on debt 90 days or over.
• Working within a medium sized team but being able to prioritise your own portfolio of work throughout the month, as well as adopting a collaborative approach with various teams across the business, especially Legal Ops.
• It is essential for you to have wide ranging current experience of dealing with complex clients - including being able to reconcile any discrepancies.
• The role will involve you working closely with the Billing team and Cashiers team, ensuring all teams work as part of a tight knit unit on an ongoing basis.
• Gaining knowledge of all billing requirements and key contacts for your portfolio of accounts.
• Prioritising your workload throughout the month to most effectively hit debt reduction targets.
• Looking for better ways to work with the client to speed up the payment process of our bills.
• Acting as a main point of contact for all Credit Control queries on your portfolio of clients.
• Chasing overdue invoices by telephone, email & letter within agreed timescales.
• Sending out monthly client statements/letters.
• Handling disputed bills and negotiating to bring payment within the agreed terms.
• Providing accurate advice on billing queries and taking appropriate action.
• Undertaking account reconciliations as required.
• Working confidently on your own initiative and solving any problems arising within the department, reporting to the Credit Manager as necessary.
• Maintaining accurate records of all chasing activity using the Accounts Receivable Collections System (ARCS).
• Distributing monthly reports to fee earners, keeping them informed of aged debt.
• Understanding of SAR rules on moving client account monies to clear bills.
• Regular meetings with Fee Earners to ensure all debts are managed and minimised.
• Maintaining the confidence of Fee Earners and Partners through positive results.
• Travel to other offices if required.
• Participation in all Team Rota jobs.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and you will be expected to perform other duties and have other responsibilities that fall within the wider remit of the role. You will also ensure that you comply with the relevant company and client policies and procedures, and consistently work in accordance with our values.

About You

You must have previous relevant experience and a genuine and demonstrable interest in the above area of work. As the role is varied, we are looking for a flexible approach and that you can adapt to different tasks. We also require you to have/be:

Essential:

• Proven credit control experience
• Wide ranging experience of handling a large volume of invoices.
• Excellent decision making and problem-solving ability.
• A natural initiative and good sense of responsibility
• A confident, positive attitude
• Experience of face-to-face exposure with senior people within a business
• Accuracy and attention to detail with an aptitude for reconciliations
• Strong organisational skills/negotiation skills and Excel skills
• Knowledge or awareness of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management (CICM)
• Knowledge or awareness of Chartered Institute of Credit Management Quality Award (CICMQ)

It is essential that you are able to:

• Deal with and recognise the special requirements of clients
• Take a proactive approach and actions to resolve billing issues.
• Take a proactive approach to relationship building with the ability to manage difficult relationships.
• Adopt a flexible approach to working practices.

Ideally, we would also like for you to have (but these are not essential for the role):

• Experience working with colleagues up to Partner level.
• Familiarity with 3E accounting system
• Familiarity with ARCS system
• Willingness and ability to work overtime to meet deadlines if and when required.

Benefits:

• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rated for part time)
• Agile / working from home including provision of home office equipment*
• Healthcare cover/ Medicash
• Pension plan
• Life Insurance 4 x salary
• Interest free travel loan scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme including counselling, legal and consumer advice service
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounted dental scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Offers & discounts
• Great reward and recognition scheme

We strongly encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and disabilities. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustment at any stage of the application process.

This is a new and exciting opportunity to develop within the industry and to be part of a fast-paced dynamic firm.