Collections Associate in Southampton

Let’s grow together! A Platinum Investors in People employer and an award-winning UK bank, focused on growth. Our customers include savers and businesses across the UK and, working together, we use our specialist expertise to help them achieve their ambitions and build a sustainable future. If you’re an experienced Collections Associate looking for an opportunity to grow in a friendly environment, we’re looking for you! We’re flexible, inclusive, committed to your wellbeing and passionate about you reaching your potential.

What you’ll be doing:

• Responsibility for early arrears cases, managing in line with Paragon SME Lending Recoveries policy.
• Manage a portfolio of customers in arrears, making sure they are contacted in a timely manner to obtain reasons for non-payment and seek confirmation and commitment to clear the arrears & bring the account up to date.
• Telephone arrears customers within agreed timescales and obtain comprehensive understanding of the customer situation.
• Operate within the company’s Vulnerable Customer policy focussing on appropriate customer outcomes & making sure all Vulnerable customers are logged in accordance with policy.
• Assess each arrears case and make recommendations to the Recoveries Manager, as to the most appropriate action to resolve the case, protecting the interests of Paragon and ensuring that we treat the customer fairly.
• Adhere to SME Lending's Forbearance Policy, ensuring the FCA principles of Treating Customer Fairly are always applied.
• Use early warning indicators, such as Watchlist & Experian Alerts to make informed decisions on early arrears cases & refer any cases of concern to the Recoveries Manager.
• Ensure all arrears cases have clear, up to date notes, on the lease administration system reflecting the current status & proposed next actions.
• Liaise with Asset Management to obtain an up to date valuation & highlight any potential shortfall to the Recoveries Manager, so a provision can be considered.
• Where arrears accounts require novation or re-write, refer to Recoveries Associate for completion.
• Where a Formal Forbearance arrangement is requested, submit a proposal into Credit for approval & prepare any required documentation.
• Prepare & document Asset Substitution requests & forward to Credit for authorisation.
• Ensure the SME Lending book operates within its agreed arrears tolerances.
• Contribute to the Monthly Arrears Review meeting highlighting any cases for discussion to the Recoveries Manager.
• Create ad-hoc direct debit payment requests as required.
• Prepare arrears and portfolio information for management as required.
• Ensure a consistently high quality of customer service to both external and internal customers is always provided.
• Log all customer complaints in line with SME Lending Complaints Policy.
• Adhere to company Values & Behaviours and carry out duties in accordance with them.
• Maintain regular interaction with the Sales Team/Broker & other internal departments to efficiently resolve issues.
• To undertake any other tasks as may be reasonably requested.
• To adhere to the companies Health and Safety policies together with any other policy or regulatory requirements.

About You:

What you’ll bring to the team:

• Minimum of 1 years experience within Collections or Arrears Management.
• Good working knowledge of the following Microsoft products: Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Thorough, organised, motivated and accurate.
• Good team player, but equally effective working on their own.
• Able to prioritise, manage time effectively and meet deadlines.
• High level of systems awareness and controls.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• High level of professionalism with a reliable, positive attitude.
• Flexible & able to adapt well to change.
• Able to understand the overall objectives of the company.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Strong telephone communication techniques.

Even if you don’t meet all the criteria, we encourage you to apply. At Paragon, we value diversity and we’re excited to hear from passionate individuals like you! If you’re ready to contribute to the team, please apply.

Further information on the role can be found in the Purpose and Performance Profile (PPP), which is downloadable on this page. Please note, applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We do not offer visa sponsorship.

Working hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 - 5.00 (1 hour lunch). This is a hybrid role with 2 days per week minimum in the office.

Inclusion: As a Disability Confident Employer, we want to ensure that our vacancies are accessible for everyone. If you have a disability, long term health condition or are neurodiverse and need us to adjust our recruitment process please get in touch with our recruitment team.

What can we offer you?

• Generous Holiday Allowance: Starting from 25 days and climbing to 30, you also get to enjoy a day off for your birthday, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. You can also buy or sell up to a week’s leave.
• Share Save Scheme: Annually, you have the opportunity to buy shares in Paragon at a discounted rate.
• Profit Related Pay: We share some of our annual profit with our eligible employees.
• Pension Plan: We contribute up to 10% of your annual salary towards your pension.
• Family Friendly policies: We offer enhanced parental pay and paid time off for fertility treatment.
• Employee Discounts: Enjoy exclusive discounts on entertainment, travel, shopping, motoring and more.
• Volunteering Day: Contribute to causes you care about with one volunteering day per year.
• Life Assurance and Personal Accident Cover.

Be flexible: We promote flexibility around how and where we work so that you can achieve a healthier work-life balance. We operate hybrid working, splitting our week between the office and home.

Be yourself: As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome diversity and care about inclusion. That’s why we want you to be your whole self at work. We believe an inclusive workplace is good for each of us, great for our customers and better for our business. Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Network meets regularly to share challenges, experience, and ideas to build a more equal, diverse, and inclusive business.

Be heard: We listen to your point of view, with our People Forum and regular employee surveys making sure you can use your voice and influence our future.

Be well: We will give you access to a range of tools and resources to support your wellbeing. This will include a digital GP service via our free Employee Assistance Programme, access to our Wellbeing team to connect you with the help you need to get more out of life and our Vitality at Work programme to provide you with discounted gym membership, fitness equipment and another multitude of wellbeing services.

Be better: We want you to reach your potential and, as a Platinum Investors in People employer, we’ll encourage you to learn and develop by building a personalised development plan together with your manager.