Credit & Collections Team Lead

About AskRose: AskRose is an HMRC-registered tax agent which works tirelessly to help UK State Pensioners check if they could potentially be due an increase to their State Pension payments after years of underpayments caused by missing information on their National Insurance records and HRP credits. As we continue to support those affected, we are expanding our in-house team in Altrincham, Greater Manchester to meet an incredible demand for help and guidance The Role We are looking for a Credit Control Team Leader to lead our Payment Collections function, turning won claims into collected cash and making sure every case keeps moving until it is paid, disputed or escalated This is a working Team Leader role, not a purely supervisory one. You will own your own portfolio of cases and make outbound calls every day, alongside leading a team of 3–6 Credit Controllers and Payment Collection Officers. Expect roughly 60% hands-on collections work and 40% leadership, coaching and reporting, with the balance flexing around volumes, absence and month-end. You will report to the Credit Control Manager, who remains the escalation point for disputes, complaints and complex cases Key Responsibilities: Leading the team Lead, motivate and support a team of 3–6 Credit Controllers and Payment Collection Officers on a day-to-day basis Set, monitor and drive daily and weekly KPIs, call volumes, contact rates, cash collected, promise-to-pay conversion and case ageing Allocate caseloads fairly across the team and rebalance when volumes, absence or escalations demand it Run daily huddles and regular one-to-ones; identify performance gaps early and address them constructively Coach on call quality, negotiation technique, objection handling and written chase content Carry out call listening and QA checks, giving clear, documented feedback against the agreed standard Onboard and train new starters, and keep process notes and call guides up to date Act as first point of escalation for the team on day-to-day queries, referring disputes, complaints and complex cases to the Credit Control Manager promptly Report on team performance, cash collected, ageing debt and blockers to the Credit Control Manager Your own caseload (hands-on) Own a portfolio of cases end-to-end, keeping every case progressing with no case left dormant Call government departments to chase the status of outstanding payments to our customers Track expected payment dates, log responses and feed updates into the CRM Contact customers across the full collections journey: outbound calls, structured email cycles, SMS and letters Confirm receipt of payment from the relevant government body and arrange settlement of our fee Negotiate sensible repayment plans where appropriate, within Credit Control Manager guidelines Handle inbound calls, emails and post from customers regarding payment, fee queries or disputes Personally handle the tougher or higher-value cases the team escalates to you Maintain accurate, audit-grade notes in the CRM on every interaction Compliance and customer care Follow the vulnerability framework on every call: spot signs, adapt approach, escalate where needed, and hold the team to the same standard Refer disputes, complaints and complex cases (deceased estates, deputyships, vulnerable customers) to the Credit Control Manager promptly Stay within Consumer Duty principles and the agreed Terms of Engagement at all times Keep call recordings and written correspondence to standard across the team, not just your own cases What We're Looking For To succeed in this role, you will ideally have experience in one of the following: Team Leader, Senior Credit Controller or Supervisor within a collections, credit control or claims environment Credit controller or collections agent at a claims firm, legal services business, lender, utility, telecoms company or DCA, ready to step up into your first leadership role Contact centre Team Leader who has handled payment-related calls in a regulated environment Anyone with strong outbound calling experience, a track record of converting conversations into cash, and the credibility to lead others doing the same Experience & Skills ~3+ years’ experience in collections, credit control or payment-focused customer contact ~ Experience leading, supervising or mentoring a team, formally or informally (e.g. as a senior or 2IC) ~ Comfortable being measured on both your own collections numbers and your team’s ~ Confident, professional telephone manner and comfortable making a high volume of outbound calls daily ~ Confident using KPI and performance data to spot issues and drive improvement ~ Strong written communication for email, SMS and letter chase, and for reporting upwards ~ Strong written, verbal and numerical skills ~ Comfortable working and logging information in a CRM ~ Calm, resilient and organised, able to switch between your own caseload and supporting the team You Can Boost Your Application With Experience dealing with elderly or vulnerable customers Experience speaking to government departments or large institutions on customer matters Familiarity with Consumer Duty or FCA-style compliance frameworks Experience carrying out call QA, coaching or training within a collections team Experience building or improving a collections process, chase cycle or reporting pack What We Offer You Salary: £32,000 – £36,000 per annum (dependent on experience) Bonus: KPI-driven bonuses Holiday: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays Facilities: On-site gym and shower facilities Progression: A genuine route into Credit Control Management as the team grows