Collections, Credit & Pricing Team Leader

Please Note: The deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the job posting end date.

Job Title: Collections, Credit & Pricing Team Leader

Location: Kingston Head Office

Work-Level: 1C

JOB PURPOSE

The primary purpose of the role is to be the process owner within the business for Credit Control, Collections, and on-invoice Pricing. The individual will not manage the transactional day-to-day operations, but will be key part of escalations for pricing ,collections and credit control. They will leverage their knowledge of customers and Unilever commercial processes to drive value-adding initiatives and enhance process efficiency. As the lead, they will resolve complex issues, contribute to selected projects, and serve as the primary escalation point for any problems. A key initial deliverable will be to embed the organisational changes and system changes within the Pricing process that will drive up the level of right first time activity and therefore eliminated non-value adding work. Ongoing, the individual will be responsible for continuously enhancing processes and systems to ensure the seamless achievement of business KPIs.

The Pricing, Credit Control, and Collections teams are also situated in our 3PSP, working to manage our risk profile and manage debt recovery. Therefore, the role requires strong relationship building skills and the ability to hold others to account across the Unilever and 3PSP teams.

This role will collaborate closely with CD teams, the Head of Customer Operations, and the UKI Financial Controller to drive effective processes, operational governance, and financial controls.

The role has customer facing elements, building relationships with key contacts in the customers (as and when required) to help address issues within Credit Control, Collections, or Pricing.

The role offers a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate leadership and deliver through others (with direct line management responsibility) and develop a range of influencing techniques.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• To ensure all members of the Credit Control, Collections and Pricing team perform their core role responsibilities with integrity and holding the team accountable to deliver their KPI’s and targets through regular Governance calls on pricing and overdues

• To have a full operational awareness of the O2C roles and to be able to technically lead for resolution of complex issues, considering the wider business impact.
• Be first point of contact for 3PSP Pricing team and 3PSP Collections and Credit Control team lead for escalations.
• Propose and implement changes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the end-to-end processes.

• Ensure financial controls are operating as per the GFCF and taking corrective action if deficiencies are found and escalated where required.
• Represent Unilever in commercial operational matters, such as interactions with Customer Accounts teams and supporting the price claims rejection process where customer interaction is required.
• Escalate invalid claims/deductions to the appropriate CD and Finance managers for resolution with the customer.
• Where necessary build relationships to positively influence customer behaviour in line with Unilever’s operational & leadership expectations.
• This role may be expected to coach / educate CD on price management fundamentals
• Ensure smooth execution of daily/monthly tasks, co-ordinating internally and holding people to account. This will include the timely and accurate completion of key month-end reports and postings.
• Review the risk management of our customer profile and recommend courses of actions and highlight early warning signs.
• Drive Cash Performance Metrics/Price Claims Resolutions
• Direct line management responsibility, ensuring the team have the required skills and competencies to do their roles through providing support, coaching, development and mentoring.

ALL ABOUT YOU

Skills Profile

• Good skillset in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong internal and external stakeholder management.
• Excellent quantitative analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to adapt style
• Strong problem-solving skills and an ability to think logically.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities effectively to ensure that essential tasks are completed
• Ability to manage time effectively and to plan workload.
• A proactive mindset, seeking to avoid problems before they arise.
• Strong ability to hold peers and managers accountable on a consistent basis and having the courage to have difficult conversations, sometimes with more senior individuals
• Curiosity to drive transformational change
• Experience with SAP or other ERP software.

• Experience working in customer service, finance or commercial roles.
• A basic understanding of the customer balance sheet and P&L

NOTES

Please apply via this portal as e-mail applications may not be processed and include your Future Fit Plan if possible.

By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to be applying for other positions.   

Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact your Talent Partner Sophie whall on sophie.whall@unilever.com

What we offer

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all. 

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, including about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (unilever.com).

Location

In June 2020 we announced our plan to consolidate a number of Unilever’s offices across the South East of England into a new Unilever campus in Kingston-upon-Thames in or around early 2025. However, on the 08 August 2024 we announced to our existing staff our proposal to retain our central Head Office in London, 100 Victoria Embankment (“100VE”) until our lease expires in 2027. As a result of this new proposal, we will be consulting with our existing staff, and new joiners who join during this period of consultation at 100VE, on the proposal made in August 2024. During consultation we will clarify the future location of each team and function. This means your role will either be based in 100VE until 2027 or in Kingston-Upon-Thames from early 2025. As we are yet to commence consultation on the proposal you agree, until such a time when consultation has concluded, your normal place of work as set out in the enclosed Statement of Terms & Conditions will be 100VE. You agree that on the conclusion of the consultation your place of work will be 100VE or 100VE until early 2025 and then Kingston-upon-Thames ("the locations") and you will be notified of which of the locations will be your place of work after that consultation ends.

Relocation to the UK

Please be aware if you are applying for this role from outside the UK, if successful, your application will be treated as a self-initiated Change Location Outside of Country (CLOC) transfer. This means any relocation costs must be self-funded with the potential to reclaim some specific pre-approved expenses up to £5,000. Please speak to your Talent Partner if you have any questions.