Credit Control Team Leader

The role

THE OPPORTUNITY

The UK Credit Control team has undergone a recent transition and period of growth demanded by an ever evolving International business. With the introduction of a new finance system, managing the relationship and collections for some of the Firm’s international Key Clients as well as providing a high quality service to the UK Partnership this is a role that requires flexibility and drive.

As a Credit Control Team Lead you will support us in managing the Firm’s overall debt, and enjoy a great deal of interaction with other areas of the business as well as external clients. Working with the Credit Control Manager you will provide support by providing key debt reports to be presented to key stakeholders and key personnel. Assisting with driving collections on the UK ledger ensuring Partner KPI’s are achieved and pro-actively reducing aged debt whilst continuing a positive relationship with both our internal and external clients. Specifically, you’ll be working within our Firm’s International Credit Policy to ensure cash collection targets are achieved and ensuring Partners compliance to the policy.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Driving collections of some of the Firm’s key international clients
• Acting as an escalation point for aged debt to ensure that focus is maintained and secure payment to reduce the Firm’s bad debt profile
• Support Credit Control Manager and other key stakeholders with data insights by creating comprehensive and compelling reports and data analysis
• Identify client disputes and ensure prompt resolution by working with both internal and external clients whilst ensuring escalation procedures are adhered to at all times
• Assist with monitoring teams compliance to driving collections inline with the International Credit Policy and providing accurate performance metrics for the team
• Monitoring and ensuring quality is maintained across the team by way of monthly reports and providing accurate quality metrics for the team
• Monitor the Group Inbox and ensuring team are working e-mails within agreed SLAs
• Support the Firm’s personal development initiatives and any departmental projects
• Provide a high standard of customer service at all times
• Liaise and assist Partners in all aspects of credit control to ensure Firm and personal KPI’s are achieved by way of telephone and face to face meetings when required
• Assist Management with ad hoc tasks and/or team projects as and when requested

ABOUT YOU

• A significant Credit Control experience in a legal or/and professional service environment 
• Passion for data analysis with at least intermediate level Excel skills (pivot tables and charts, formulas, etc.)
• Experience of managing a team of Credit Controllers, building engagement, setting clear objectives and driving performance 
• A successful track record of working towards monthly cash targets 
• Experience in dealing with and reducing aged debt (6 months+) 
• ICM, CIMA or AAT qualification or/and pursuing further qualifications to enhance career development will be an added advantage 
• Successful track record driving continuous improvement – managing projects and initiatives end to end
• Proficient in using all Microsoft programmes in particular Excel to assist with reporting requirements 
• Knowledge of SAP would be an advantage but not essential
• Process management skills, with high attention to detail and being able to visualise and deliver a lean, effective process to achieve desired outcomes
• Comfort with ambiguity: can act differently depending upon situation, shift gears when necessary, can set strong but flexible standards
• Learning on the fly: open to change, relentless and versatile learner, experiments and will try various methods to reach solutions, quickly grasps the 
• essence of the underlying structure
• Drive for results: approach challenges with high levels of energy, manage complexity, conflicting expectations and challenging deadlines
• Managing diversity: clear communicator, lays-out work in a well-planned, organised manner, good at establishing clear directions, sets stretching objectives
• Credibility: build trust and rapport to develop effective relationships, internally and externally
• Great communication skills – able to flex to different ways of working and communicating

We’re looking forward to meeting individuals who like us – have previously led teams and delivered exeptional service. Sounds like you? – apply!

ABOUT US
DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES
In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING
We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING
In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.