Job title: Head of Collections and Recoveries
Reporting to: Chief Risk Officer
Location: Cape Town

ALL STAFF APPOINTMENTS WILL BE MADE WITH DUE CONSIDERATION OF THE COMPANY’S EE TARGETS

WHAT WE DO

Lula is an innovative and human-focused FinTech company on a mission to help small businesses optimise their cash flow. Our purpose is to help SMEs manage their businesses better, faster, and more simply, so they can spend more time doing what they love.

If you’re looking for a new place to call ‘home’ that believes in the potential of the broader SME landscape in South Africa and a place where you’ll work with awesome people - then Lula’s the place for you!

We’re making business banking fast, human, Lula!

OUR VALUES

Collaborative - we’re a clan and work together as a team, always towards a common goal

Committed - we’re accountable and follow through no matter the challenge

Curious - we look for better ways to do things and make a positive difference

Connected - we stay close to, learn from and look to understand each other and our customers

Compassionate - we go out of our way to care about our colleagues, our customers and our community

OVERALL PURPOSE

At Lula, we’re on a journey to revolutionise SME funding as a fast-growing fintech company with a bold mission to fuel the growth of South Africa’s small businesses. We’re seeking a visionary and results-driven Head of Collections and Recoveries to lead our collections strategy and operations.

In this role, you’ll combine strategic insight with operational excellence to optimise our collections and recoveries processes. As a key leader, you’ll drive efficiency, implement innovative approaches, and balance recovery outcomes with maintaining positive customer relationships and ensuring full regulatory compliance.

If you’re an experienced collections leader passionate about fintech, skilled in managing teams, data-driven decision-making, and delivering impactful results, we want to hear from you. Join us and shape the future of collections at Lula!

As the Head of Collections and Recoveries at Lula, your role will involve:

Strategy Development: Develop and implement strategic plans and objectives for the Collections and Recoveries team in alignment with Lula's goals.
Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement best practices, innovations, and emerging technologies to enhance collections efficiency, recovery rates, and customer experience
Team Leadership: Provide strong leadership to the collections and recoveries team, fostering a culture of excellence, professionalism, and collaboration
Policy and Procedure Management: Develop and maintain collections and recoveries policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations
Portfolio Analysis: Monitor and analyse the delinquent portfolio to identify trends, risk factors, and opportunities for process improvements
Debt Recovery: Oversee the collections process, including early-stage collections, negotiations, and legal actions, to maximize debt recovery while minimizing losses
Customer-Centric Communication: Ensure the team maintains professional and respectful communication with customers in all collection efforts, upholding Lula's reputation
Performance Metrics: Establish and monitor performance metrics, KPIs, and reporting systems to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the collections and recoveries operations
Vendor Management: Manage relationships with external debt collectors and legal partners to optimise recoveries and minimise expenses
Compliance and Regulations: Collaborate closely with the Head of Legal to remain on top of industry regulations, ensuring that Lula's collections practices adhere to the necessary legal requirements
Data Analysis: Utilise data analytics and technology to enhance decision-making and identify potential opportunities for improving collection processes
Budget Management: Develop and manage the department budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources
Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments, such as Credit, Sales, CX and Business Operations teams, to align strategies with broader business objectives
Training and Development: Provide training and development opportunities for team members to enhance their skills and knowledge in collections and recoveries
Ad-Hoc Projects: Be prepared to engage in other ad-hoc projects as needed to support the team's objectives

THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Grade 12 achieved
Finance or business degree is preferable
A minimum of 5 years of experience in a leadership position in a collections and/or recoveries environment, preferably within the financial services industry and preferably with experience dealing with business debtors
A proven track record of consistently meeting and surpassing targets, demonstrating your ability to deliver results.
Previous experience in mentoring and guiding team members, showcasing your leadership and coaching abilities.
Exceptionally strong numerical ability to navigate complex financial data and make informed decisions.
The capability to thrive in a dynamic, ever-changing environment with multiple moving parts, and a demonstrated ability to drive and implement changes and improvements.
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively interact with clients, stakeholders, and team members.
A knack for building and maintaining positive relationships with people, contributing to a collaborative team environment

THE COMPETENCIES WE’RE AFTER

As Head of Collections and Recoveries, you should possess the following competencies:

Leadership: History of strong leadership, building strong teams and thinking strategically
Problem-Solving: Exhibit exceptional problem-solving skills, with the ability to think outside the box and make quick decisions
Organizational Skills: Maintain a high level of organization and attention to detail in your work
Influence: Possess excellent influencing skills to contribute effectively to decision-making
Resilience: Show resilience in the face of challenges and adapt to evolving situations
Team Player: Embrace a team-player mindset, always ready to support your colleagues and go the extra mile for the team and Lula
Start-up Mentality: Understand that we're all in this together and be eager to roll up your sleeves and actively contribute to our mission

Please note that all appointments are subject to our background checking process, which may include Credit, Criminal and any other job inherent checks