Third Parties Performance & Strategy Manager (Credit Control) Hybrid

Third Parties Performance & Strategy Manager (Credit Control) (37 hours per week, Permanent)

Location: Hybrid working with Salvus House, Durham as a base

Salary: £45,196 - £51,142 plus a discretionary bonus potential of up to 8% of annual salary

Job Level: C

Reporting to: Head of Credit Control & Collections

We want our people to have a great work-life balance and support flexible working in terms of a hybrid model and varying start and finish times in some teams where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.

ABOUT US

Wave is a leading national business water retailer helping over 300,000 customers across the UK to benefit from the non-household water market. We’re dedicated to helping businesses lower water use, be more water efficient and reduce costs – all which helped us earn Water Retailer of the Year 2021 and again in 2023. Our vision is to be the most customer-focused utility delivering value and efficiency in everything we do, making a positive difference to the environment and society.

The culture at Wave is like nowhere else. We’re committed to a happy, healthy place to work, and have a working environment which supports continuous learning and development, one where people can really flourish. Our people are at the centre of everything we do. Joining us means you’d be part of a team of over 300 people working flexibly across two UK based offices. You’ll find a real focus on employee wellbeing and some great benefits too. We expect great things from you and we give great things back.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

Wealth

• Excellent pension scheme - we will double match your contribution, up to a maximum of 5% employee contribution and 10% from Wave
• Bonus potential
• Perkbox membership with a vast range of perks - high street savings (fashion retailers, supermarkets and restaurants), discounted cinema tickets, travel and holiday discounts and online fitness classes
• Income protection scheme
• Personal accident insurance
• 4x salary life assurance
• Free onsite parking

Time off

• 24 days holiday rising to 26 (plus bank holidays)
• A day off for your birthday
• Half a day on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve
• The option to buy holidays
• 1 day paid volunteering

Wellbeing

• Hybrid/Flexible working
• Healthcare cash back scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Annual conference and Christmas party
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Free flu shots

Family Friendly

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Enhanced shared parental and adoption leave
• We care about you as an employee and have a range of resources available to both you and your family

THE ROLE IN A NUTSHELL

Wave’s Credit Control function is comprised of 3 teams – Customer Payments (responsible for timely and accurate allocation of customer cash), Credit Control (responsible for direct customer contact to resolve accounts with unpaid bills), and Third Parties (responsible for the relationship and performance of our external collections panel working on Wave’s behalf). We collaborate closely, working towards the same goal of reducing Wave’s customer debt book.

This role will lead the Third Parties team, playing a pivotal part in the strategic direction of Wave’s external collection suppliers, as well as the day-to-day management of performance.

You will be an integral part of the Credit & Collections team, as well as the wider Finance community. If you have strong analytical, leadership and relationship building skills, then this role might be a good fit for you.

WHAT WILL YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

- Regular performance reviews with a panel of around 6 (subject to change) third party agencies working on Wave’s behalf to collect cash and reduce debt.

- Leadership of a small internal team to resolve third party queries/associated work within agreed SLAs.

- Keeping up to date with market insight and leading on the strategic direction of our Third Parties to ensure they remain effective and improve against baseline.

- Keeping stakeholders informed on third party performance and emerging trends through regular update sessions.

WHAT DO WE NEED FROM YOU?

We’re looking for an experienced leader who’s able to continuously drive performance within an everchanging industry.

Key skills/experience

- Experience in managing third party collections agencies, ideally within the utilities sector.

- A strong grasp of the drivers of credit risk, knowing how to track and mitigate it.

- The ability to convey complex messaged with concise, fact-based explanations.

- Highly numerate, with analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Please refer to the essential criteria in the job description as this is what you will be shortlisted against.

Wave is committed to making a positive difference to the environment and society in which it operates. If you are excited to join a dynamic growing business which cares about its people, we would love to hear from you.

BE YOURSELF – OUR DIFFERENCES MAKE US STRONGER

Wave is proud to be an inclusive employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. We will take into consideration any adjustments or individual requirements at any stage of your recruitment journey. If you require any additional support related to menopause, neurodiversity, or any other reason, please do let us know by contacting [email protected].

Please ensure you attach your CV and a covering letter so we can get to know more about your skills and experience and why you are suitable for this role. We will not be able to consider applications without a covering letter.

Closing date: 4pm on 28 March 2024

Interviews are planned for week commencing 08 April 2024