Credit Controller
We’re looking for a proactive, resilient and innovative Credit Controller to join our Finance Team located at our Head Office in Islington.
£40,000.00 per annum, working 35 hours per week.
Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You’ll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren’t token gestures - we’ve thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• A generous pension – we will contribute up to 8% and life assurance cover up to 3x Pensionable Salary (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
• Fully paid induction programme and further training
• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
• Online wellbeing resources
• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff’s commitment and contribution
• Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
The Senior Creditor Controller (Income) will play a key part in the Business’s income processing activity. The successful candidate will undertake the timely collection of a portfolio of service contract debtors, as well as collect care fees from self-funding and local government authority residents. The role will interact with a wide range of stakeholders to
deliver excellent customer service that will augment effective relationships between finance, the wider business and external parties to mitigate against barriers to payment.
The working pattern for this role is: Monday to Friday 9am-5pm
What you’ll do:
• Reduce debt by collecting payments on time and within agreed payment terms and credit limits, using email, telephone and written follow-up.
• Ensure cash received is allocated to the correct accounts, and investigate, analyse and follow up on any underpayments or overpayments with the relevant team.
• Regularly reconcile accounts to ensure payments have been allocated correctly.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with key customers and internal stakeholders.
• Arrange and attend internal and external liaison meetings as needed to reduce debt risk and address barriers to payment.
• Review overdue historical debt and prepare reports identifying amounts that may qualify for write-off under the Bad Debt provision.
• Follow the escalation process for contested or non-recoverable debts after all recovery options have been explored, and present findings to the Finance Income Manager at scheduled debtor balance review meetings.
• Analyse Sales Ledger variances, identify potential issues, and agree action plans with the Finance Income Manager.
• Prepare a weekly debt summary by customer account, covering debt movement, current-year debt, accruals, cash collected, overdue balances, payment issues, required actions, and analysis of high-value outstanding debt.
• Contribute to regular reports and management information on credit control performance, debtor ageing and cash flow forecasting, including debt analysis for Senior Management.
• Arrange and lead regular internal debt review meetings with Heads of Operations and Managers to discuss payment issues.
• Work with Income colleagues to confirm the debt position, identify issues or corrective actions needed to secure payment, and use the Sales Ledger system to investigate and resolve queries.
• Manage workflow approvals for finance system submissions to ensure invoices are raised correctly.
This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead
About you:
• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joining local activities to encourage service-user involvement.
• Approachable and open behaviour
• Prefers working as part of a group or team
• Is calm and resilient, and does not allow emotion to affect judgement
• Has a practical and logical approach and is naturally well organised
• Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic, diverse environments
• Is confident and has strong self-esteem
• Communicates respectfully, clearly and sensitively
• Is customer-focused
• Is committed to excellence, personal improvement and a ‘can do’ attitude
• Can respond positively to challenging and diverse behaviours
• Is numerate and confident working with figures
What you’ll bring:
Essential:
- At least two years’ experience in a Senior Credit Controller role
- Commercial exposure to the Income function
- Excellent time management skills, with the ability to manage own workload and meet agreed deadlines
- Excellent attention to detail
- Ability to work effectively under pressure
- Excellent IT and communication skills
Desirable:
- Experience of working in a social housing organisation
- Experience of working with SUN
- Experience of working with CSB and Collect Plus
- Graduate or AAT qualified
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
• We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• We are Caring and Compassionate.
• We are Inclusive and Trusted.
• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.
Credit Controller in Islington employer: Look Ahead Care and Support
Look Ahead is an exceptional employer that prioritises the well-being and development of its staff, offering a supportive work culture where kindness and compassion are at the forefront. With generous benefits including up to 30 days of annual leave, a robust pension scheme, and award-winning learning opportunities, employees are empowered to thrive in their roles while making a meaningful impact in the community. Located in Westminster, this role as an Enhanced Support Worker allows you to be part of a dedicated team transforming lives, all while enjoying a flexible working environment across multiple sites.
Contact Details:
Look Ahead Care and Support Recruitment Team
