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- Tasks: Engage with customers to resolve billing issues and negotiate repayment plans.
- Company: Join Southern Water, a leader in transforming the UK's water industry.
- Benefits: Up to ÂŁ30,000 salary, generous pension, health benefits, and 25 days holiday.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for community volunteering.
- Why this job: Make a real difference while developing your skills in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in customer service or collections, strong problem-solving skills.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 30000 ÂŁ per year.
**Location:** Durrington (Hybrid working)
**Contract Type:** Permanent
**Hours:** Full time (37 hours per week)
**Salary:** Up to ÂŁ30,000 per annum
**About the role**
At Southern Water, our Collections team plays a critical role in supporting customers while safeguarding the financial sustainability of our services. As a **Collections Advisor**, youâll manage a diverse and highâvalue debt portfolio across both business and household customers, balancing compassion with commercial awareness. This is a fastâpaced, varied role combining phoneâbased collections, written correspondence and account management. Youâll take ownership of your accounts from first contact through to resolution, helping customers understand their bills, addressing issues and agreeing realistic repayment arrangements.
**What you will be responsible for:**
- Engaging with customers to understand the reasons behind nonâpayment and tailoring solutions to suit individual circumstances
- Taking ownership of accounts, resolving billing or account queries and negotiating sustainable repayment plans
- Managing a highâvalue and varied debt portfolio, including complex and longâstanding cases
- Handling inbound and outbound customer contact across multiple channels, including calls, emails and written correspondence
- Producing accurate bills and ensuring all account details and interactions are recorded correctly and consistently
- Working closely with internal teams, thirdâparty partners and escalating complex cases where appropriate
- Identifying and supporting vulnerable customers, including signposting to relevant internal and external support services
**What youâll bring to the role**
**Essential**
- Proven experience handling difficult or sensitive conversations with customers, ideally in a collections, credit control, sales or callâcentre environment
- Confidence using the telephone as your primary communication tool, alongside written customer communication
- Strong problemâsolving skills with the resilience to manage challenging situations professionally
- Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to maintain accurate records and account information
- Good numeracy skills and confidence using Microsoft Office applications
**Desirable**
- Previous experience in debt recovery, payment management, litigation support or credit control
- Experience managing customer accounts in a fastâpaced or targetâdriven environment
**About Southern Water**
Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britainâs water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With **ÂŁ7.8bn planned investment for 2025â2030**, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed. Youâll be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside experienced leaders and colleagues who are passionate about making a difference for our customers and communities. At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If youâre excited by this role but donât meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply â your transferable skills and experiences could be exactly what weâre looking for.
**Our Commitment to Diversity**
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.
**Additional information**
In line with Southern Waterâs security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, a criminal record (DBS) check and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all preâemployment checks, including security vetting. Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw an offer if these checks are not successfully completed.
**Our Benefits**
- Company and performance-related bonus
- Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution
- Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary
- Health benefits through a Cash Plan
- Two paid community volunteering days a year
- 25 days annual holiday
- Occupational health service
- Retail discount app
- We offer competitive maternity leave, and flexible return to work options
Collections Advisor employer: Southern Water group
Contact Detail:
Southern Water group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land Collections Advisor
â¨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company! Before your interview, do a bit of research on Southern Water. Understand their values, mission, and recent projects. This will help you tailor your answers and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
â¨Tip Number 2
Practice makes perfect! Role-play common interview questions with a friend or in front of a mirror. Focus on how youâd handle sensitive conversations, as this is key for a Collections Advisor. The more comfortable you are, the better you'll perform!
â¨Tip Number 3
Show off your problem-solving skills! Be ready to share examples of how you've successfully managed difficult situations in the past. Highlight your resilience and ability to negotiate repayment plans, as these are crucial for the role.
â¨Tip Number 4
Donât forget to follow up! After your interview, send a quick thank-you email to express your appreciation for the opportunity. Itâs a nice touch and keeps you fresh in their minds as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Collections Advisor
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Collections Advisor role. Highlight your experience in handling sensitive conversations and managing customer accounts, as these are key aspects of the job.
Showcase Your Skills: Donât forget to emphasise your problem-solving skills and attention to detail. Use specific examples from your past roles to demonstrate how you've successfully navigated challenging situations.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Avoid jargon and make sure your communication style reflects the professionalism we value at Southern Water.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows youâre serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Southern Water group
â¨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, make sure you understand the role of a Collections Advisor at Southern Water. Familiarise yourself with their services and the importance of managing customer accounts compassionately while ensuring financial sustainability.
â¨Practice Active Listening
During the interview, demonstrate your ability to handle sensitive conversations by actively listening to the interviewer. Show that you can empathise with customers' situations and tailor solutions accordingly, just like you would in the role.
â¨Showcase Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss specific examples from your past experiences where you've successfully resolved challenging situations. Highlight your problem-solving skills and resilience, as these are crucial for managing complex debt portfolios.
â¨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, donât hesitate to ask questions about the team dynamics or how success is measured in the role. This shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you gauge if it's the right fit for you.