Payments & Collections Manager

Position Overview

Reporting to the Manager, Customer Experience – Billing Services, this position is responsible to provide leadership to a team of employees responsible for the execution of daily payments processing and collections activities.   This position is expected to manage payments, collections and dispute activities, and continuously improve internal processes to incorporate best practices and optimize the customer experience.
 
In addition to the effective and efficient delivery of payments and collections services, the Payments & Collections Manager is a passionate advocate for opportunities that positively impact customers and employees, as well as an advocate for the customers’ voice in decisions throughout the company that affect customer experience, particularly in the areas of payments and collections.

The Payments & Collections Manager collaborates with leaders throughout Customer Service and the rest of the company, to provide a customer experience that demonstrates our collective values of being safe, collaborative, respectful, progressive and customer centric.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, guidance and empowerment to teams responsible for the execution of daily payments processing and collection activities to manage cash flow and associated costs; oversee the identification and collection of customer-related account receivables to meet service level targets. Ensure all payments made by customers are processed onto customer bills in an accurate and timely manner, all outstanding accounts receivables are actioned and bed debt expenses are minimized.
• Collaborate with the leadership team in the development and maintenance of service level metrics; identify problems/issues and initiate applicable corrective action to protect revenue and cash flow. Manage accounts receivables; reconcile daily payment amounts to ensure accuracy and completeness. Provide expertise in the resolution of escalated collection issues and complex payment processing problems and technical issues.
• Manage collection agency and payment processor performance and collaborate in the resolution of related issues. Maintain departmental budgets, including bad debt expense; identify and investigate variances; make recommendations on bad debt experience rates and forecast expense. Participate in audit requirements and maintain key controls around revenue and payment policies.
• Provide leadership and direction to, as well as support and development of a diverse team that includes both management and unionized staff utilizing progressive and effective management techniques. Oversee, coordinate and delegate work assignments to meet operational demands and stakeholder needs. Ensure appropriate staffing levels are maintained and employees are hired with appropriate experience, skills, knowledge and behavioural competencies. Facilitate the effective handling of escalated or complex issues and provide ongoing support in the completion of day-to-day activities.
• Provide coaching and development, set performance expectations and conduct regular performance reviews with direct reports. Monitor work queues of staff and measure against service level targets. Liaise with Human Resources/Labour Relations staff on related issues. Conduct employee objective setting sessions. Recognize and reinforce individual and team accomplishments.
• Maintain departmental policies, processes, procedures, service quality indicators and performance metrics in accordance with applicable regulations and tariffs; ensure effective controls are in place and related compliance regulations are met. Provide leadership in the effective implementation and utilization of resources, tools, software and systems; ensure opportunities to integrate and use best practices in collections and payments processes are utilized.
• Promote sharing of information and best practices with others. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with field staff to enable streamlined processes between office and field work portions of the collections process; ensure customer escalations are handled in an effective manner including negotiating dispute settlements.
• Participate in the improvement of standards, policies and procedures leading to the continuous enhancement of service quality and customer satisfaction. Identify technological, quality and productivity enhancements. 

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, finance or related field from an accredited post-secondary institution, plus 5 years’ recent, related experience working in a leadership capacity or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Valid BC Driver’s License.