Collections and Customer Relations Manager

Overview

Help to Buy Wales (HtBW) provides shared equity loan to buyers of new-build homes and has been delivered through the Development Bank of Wales since inception in 2014. The scheme supports the purchase of new build homes in Wales purchased through a registered HtBW builder.

Initially, all HtBW loans were CCA regulated until 28^th July 2014 when an exemption came into force. All loans since then are exempt from consumer credit regulations.

Key information

Job purpose

To manage all operational aspects of the Collections and Complaint Handling team, building the department which is still in its infancy.  The role holder will work with Senior Management to implement the Arrears, Collections & Recoveries, Vulnerable Customer, TCF and Complaints policies, developing associated systems, processes and procedures, and working with the Learning & Development trainer to deliver necessary training on treatment of Vulnerable Customers and Complaint handing across the whole HTBW team,  and any future requirement for recruitment of additional staff.

Management of existing Complaints process and procedures in compliance with Financial Conduct Authority requirements.

Under the direction of the Fund Manager  (FM), responsible for coordinating the day to day administrative and collections activities within the HTBW Post Sales Arrears & Collections Team. Ensure that internal targets and those of the Welsh Government Housing and Regeneration Department are met.

Embedding new procedures, and managing a team of Collections Executives, the role requires supervision, coaching and development of the team in order to achieve KPI’s. To do this the post holder will be required to break down targets, delegate workloads and monitor performance and ensuring the team are collecting outstanding balances at the required speed, achieving this through proactive monitoring of calls and statistics.

As an ideal candidate for this role, should be an experienced Team Leader, Manager or performance coach with a proven track record of working within a similar fast paced environment, collections experience and knowledge of collections systems is essential.

The investment period for the Help to Buy – Wales fund has been extended to 2023, with the possibility of a further extension, as the scheme moves into its 3^rd phase.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Develop a full understanding and knowledge of the compliance requirements, company policies and departmental procedures pertaining to your role.

• Undertake monitoring work on client portfolio as directed by the FM. This may include pursuing cancelled direct debits and arrears, sending out statements, sending out letters informing of changes to the direct debits.
• Provide technical guidance and knowledge where required for HTBW team members. To include the training of any technical related scenarios to all team members.  
• Assist in creating and implementing sound workflows, processes and procedures that are also fully compliant with FCA rules & guidance for the CCA regulated loan book.
• In the event of a breach of the FCA rules notify Senior Managers as soon as practicable and work with them to remediate the breach as quickly as possible and where appropriate any necessary disclosures to the FCA.  
• To seek and develop opportunities for change on current working practices.
• To proactively line manage and motivate HTBW Collections and Customer Relations Executives, driving continuous improvement. To identify training and development requirements and act as a coach to ensure best practice.
• Actively manage individual and team performance and competence including conducting one to ones, performance feedback, conducting performance reviews, absence management, peer checks and managing resource requirements.
• To act as a point of escalation for your team. To be able to handle a range of different situations and react accordingly with tact diplomacy and empathy to diffuse potentially tense confrontations in a positive and calm manner.
• Identify vulnerable customers and deal with them in line with the Vulnerability and TCF policy.
• Keep up to date with all regulatory requirements and ensure the team comply with the operating guidelines. Ensure compliance with customer due diligence and anti-money laundering regulations and suggest training as necessary.
• Ensure rigorous GDPR and information security standards are maintained by the team at all times.
• Ensure any requested operational or performance monitoring reports are delivered on time and communicate accurate information for internal and external customers.
• Ensure that Centrac and Result are updated to allow the recording of relevant information for Customers in the Help to Buy – Wales’s scheme. Ensuring required information fields are maintained and complete, whilst proactively utilising individual reports, to ensure all mandatory fields have been updated.
• First line daily operational responsibility to delegate and pro-actively manage workloads of the team to ensure SLA requirements are met, including own caseload and has overall accountability for the performance and output of the department.
• Adhering to all KPI/SLA response times when processing documentation, as stipulated and agreed with Welsh Government and as contained in the Fund Management agreement.
• Deputise for the Post Sales Team Manager in their absence, by upskilling in Post Sales TM duties.
• Any other task defined by the fund manager to meet the operational needs of the department (this post will require occasional out of hours working).

Knowledge, skills, abilities and experience

Essential

• Knowledge in recoveries and collections.
• Experience of line management.
• Experience of performance management, coaching/121’s, disciplinary.
• Experience of working in a customer service environment where the customer experience is treated as a priority.
• Experience of FCA and CCA requirements from working in a regulated financial services business. 
• A responsible attitude
• Experience of dealing with serious complaints with an understanding of basic customer complaint policies.
• Ability to adhere to strict administrative procedures in relation to the delivery of required SLA’s.
• Effective communicator maintaining a professional manner at all times
• Self-starter, be able to take initiative and motivate others in a target driven environment.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Confident in own decision making skills.
• Ability to prioritise and organise work under pressure.
• Educated to a good standard of general education-GSCE, NVQ level 2/3 or equivalent standard
• Experienced in adhering to Collection processes including ‘TCF’ and Customer Vulnerability

Desirable

• Experience of working with Target RESULT arrears collections software/or similar
• Second charge mortgage experience.
• Knowledge/experience of Land registry applications
• Welsh speaker. 
• Driving Licence.

Other requirements

• IT literate to include the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Dynamics and Sharepoint, CRM, Finance systems.

Apply

To apply for this role, please go to https://recruitment.developmentbank.wales/