Collections Specialist - SME in London

Collections Specialist - SME in London

London Full-Time 35000 - 45000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Own complex arrears cases and deliver tailored repayment solutions.
  • Company: Join Marshmallow, a forward-thinking company making migration easy.
  • Benefits: Flexible working, competitive bonuses, and personal development budgets.
  • Other info: Inclusive culture with excellent career progression opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact while supporting your colleagues in their growth.
  • Qualifications: Experience in collections and strong communication skills required.

The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 £ per year.

About Marshmallow

We exist to make migration easy. A systemic problem of this magnitude requires a team of curious thinkers who relentlessly pursue solutions. Those who constantly challenge the why, dismantle assumptions, and always take action to build a better way. A Marshmallow career is built on a cycle of continuous growth, with learning at its core. You will be challenged to raise the bar on your capabilities and supported with the right tools and guidance to do so. This ensures you can deliver impactful work and drive change. If life at Marshmallow sounds like it could be for you, explore our Culture Handbook to find out more. Move our mission, and your career, forward.

What you'll be doing

  • Take ownership of the most complex, sensitive, or high-risk arrears cases, including vulnerability, affordability challenges, and escalated complaints.
  • Deliver tailored, sustainable repayment solutions aligned to Consumer Duty and FCA expectations.
  • Act as a subject matter expert for complex forbearance, vulnerability handling, and judgement-based decision making.
  • Provide structured coaching and day-to-day development support to less experienced colleagues, including 1:1s, case reviews, and live or near-live feedback.
  • Support the onboarding and development of new starters, helping them build confidence and consistency in regulated customer interactions.
  • Act as a point of escalation for complex case queries, sense checking decisions and outcomes before they are finalised.
  • Review colleague cases and interactions to identify learning opportunities and quality improvements.
  • Analyse trends in arrears performance, broken arrangements, QA findings, and complaints to highlight risks and improvement opportunities.
  • Work closely with Team Leaders, QA, and Compliance to reinforce standards and close capability gaps.

Who You Are

  • A confident, credible collections professional recognised for strong judgement and decision making.
  • Comfortable supporting and coaching colleagues earlier in their careers.
  • Able to give clear, constructive feedback that improves performance and quality.
  • Calm and empathetic when handling complex or sensitive customer situations.
  • Highly organised, able to balance individual case ownership with supporting others.
  • Trusted by peers and leaders as a go-to expert.
  • Curious and improvement focused, spotting patterns and acting on them.
  • Strong advocate for fair customer outcomes and regulatory compliance.

What we're looking for from you

  • Significant experience in regulated collections, credit control, or debt recovery.
  • Demonstrated success handling complex, vulnerable, or high-risk arrears cases.
  • Strong understanding of FCA requirements, Consumer Duty, and Vulnerable Customer guidance.
  • Experience supporting the development of less experienced colleagues.
  • Excellent communication and influencing skills.
  • Strong written skills for case notes, feedback, and customer communications.
  • Confidence analysing QA insight and identifying improvement opportunities.
  • Preferred but not essential experience in insurance, motor finance, or claims-based recoveries.

Performance Measures

Success in this role is measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics to ensure effectiveness in both debt recovery and customer experience. Key performance indicators (KPIs) include:

  • Quality Assurance: High QA outcomes on specialist cases and measurable improvement in colleague quality following support.
  • Customer Outcomes: Fair, sustainable arrangements and reduced escalations.
  • Compliance: Zero material regulatory breaches.
  • Capability Uplift: Clear evidence of improved judgement and confidence among supported colleagues.
  • Team Contribution: Positive influence on standards, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.

Perks of the job

  • Flexible working - Spend 2 days per week with your team in our new collaborative London office.
  • Competitive bonus scheme - designed to reward and recognise high performance.
  • Flexible benefits budget - £50 per month to spend on a Ben Mastercard meaning you get your own benefits budget to spend on things you want.
  • Sabbatical Leave - Get a 4-week fully paid sabbatical after being with us for 4 years.
  • Work From Anywhere - 4 weeks work from anywhere to use, with no need to come to the office.
  • Mental wellbeing support – Access therapy and mental health sessions through Oliva.
  • Learning and development – Personal budgets for books and training courses to help you grow in your role. Plus 2 days a year - on us to further your skillset.
  • Private health care - Enjoy all the benefits Vitality has to offer, including reduced gym memberships and discounts on smartwatches.
  • Medical cash plan - To help you with the costs of dental, optical and physio (plus more!).
  • Tech scheme - Get the latest tech for less.
  • Plus all the rest; 33 days holiday (including bank holidays), pension, cycle to work scheme, monthly team socials and company-wide socials every month!

Our Process

We break it up into a few stages:

  • Initial call with our Talent Acquisition Manager (approx. 25 mins via Zoom).
  • Technical Interview with our Head of Collections + 1 other team member (60 minutes).
  • Final Culture Interview (1 hour).

Background checks

As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy environment, we’ll carry out standard background checks, including a DBS and a Cifas check. These help ensure there are no ongoing criminal proceedings and support the prevention of fraud and other forms of serious misconduct. If anything of concern is identified, it may affect your eligibility for certain roles or services. Feel free to ask our Talent Acquisition team if you have any questions about this!

Diversity and Inclusion

Everyone belongs at Marshmallow. We want to hire people from all walks of life with the passion and skills needed to help us achieve our company mission. To do that, we're committed to hiring without judgement, prejudice or bias. We encourage everyone to apply for our open roles. Gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or background does not affect how we process job applications. We're working hard to build an inclusive culture that empowers our people to do their best work, have fun and feel that they belong.

Recruitment privacy policy. We take privacy seriously here at Marshmallow. Our Recruitment privacy notice explains how we process and handle your personal data. To find out more please view it here.

Collections Specialist - SME in London employer: Marshmallow

At Marshmallow, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a dynamic and supportive work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a Senior Android Engineer in London, you'll benefit from our commitment to employee growth through mentorship and continuous learning opportunities, all while contributing to meaningful projects that empower migrants in the UK. Join us to be part of a team that values your expertise and encourages you to take ownership of your work in a hybrid environment.

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Contact Details:

Marshmallow Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Collections Specialist - SME in London

Tip Number 1

Get to know the company culture before your interview. Dive into Marshmallow's Culture Handbook and see how you can align your values with theirs. This will help you show that you're not just a fit for the role, but for the team too!

Tip Number 2

Practice makes perfect! Prepare for common interview questions related to collections and customer service. Think about your past experiences and how they relate to the challenges you'll face as a Collections Specialist.

Tip Number 3

Show off your coaching skills! Since you'll be supporting less experienced colleagues, think of examples where you've helped others grow. This will highlight your leadership potential and make you stand out.

Tip Number 4

Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in being part of the Marshmallow team.

We think you need these skills to ace Collections Specialist - SME in London

Regulated Collections
Credit Control
Debt Recovery
Judgement-Based Decision Making
Coaching and Development
Communication Skills
Analytical Skills

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Expertise:When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in regulated collections and handling complex cases. We want to see how your skills align with the role of a Collections Specialist - SME, so don’t hold back!

Tailor Your Application:Take a moment to customise your application for Marshmallow. Use language from the job description and reflect our values in your writing. This shows us that you’re genuinely interested in the role and understand what we’re all about.

Be Clear and Concise:We appreciate clear communication, especially when it comes to written applications. Keep your sentences straightforward and avoid jargon. This will help us easily understand your qualifications and experiences.

Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!

How to prepare for a job interview at Marshmallow

Know Your Stuff

As a Collections Specialist, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of FCA requirements and Consumer Duty. Brush up on these regulations before the interview, and be ready to discuss how you've applied them in past roles.

Showcase Your Coaching Skills

Since this role involves supporting less experienced colleagues, think of examples where you've successfully coached or mentored others. Be prepared to share specific instances where your feedback led to improved performance.

Handle Complex Scenarios with Ease

You’ll likely face questions about managing sensitive customer situations. Prepare by reflecting on challenging cases you've handled, focusing on your calmness and empathy. Use the STAR method to structure your responses.

Be Curious and Improvement-Focused

Marshmallow values curiosity and a drive for improvement. Think about times when you identified trends or patterns in your work and took action to enhance processes. Highlight your proactive approach during the interview.