Credit Control Manager
DB Foods | Poole, BH12
£45,000 - £50,000 per annum, depending on experience
40 hours per week | Monday to Friday
Full-time | Permanent | Office-based
Take ownership of our credit function and make a real impact on cash flow
DB Foods is looking for an experienced and commercially focused Credit Control Manager to take ownership of our debtor book and lead our Credit Control function.
This is a key position within our Finance team, with responsibility for maximising cash collection, reducing debtor days and overdue debt, minimising bad debt risk and ensuring robust credit-control processes are in place across the business.
You’ll lead and develop the Credit Control team while working closely with Sales, Customer Service, Finance, credit insurers and external legal partners to resolve issues, remove barriers to payment and protect the company's cash flow.
A key part of the role will be providing clear, accurate and meaningful reporting to the Finance Director and wider senior management team, ensuring they have visibility of debtor performance, cash collection, risk exposure and areas requiring action.
This is an opportunity for an experienced Credit Controller or Credit Manager to take genuine ownership of a busy credit function and have a direct influence on the financial performance of a successful business.
The Role
As Credit Control Manager, you will own the end-to-end credit-control process, from assessing new customers and setting appropriate credit limits through to collecting overdue debt and managing complex disputes and recoveries.
You will set clear objectives for the Credit Control team, monitor performance against agreed targets and ensure collection activity is focused on the accounts and balances presenting the greatest risk.
You’ll also act as a key link between Finance and the commercial teams, working collaboratively with Sales and Customer Service to resolve disputes and ensure payment is collected in line with agreed terms.
Key ResponsibilitiesCredit Control & Cash Collection
- Own and manage DB Foods' debtor book, ensuring cash is collected in line with agreed payment terms
- Set clear targets for the Credit Control team, including cash collection, DSO and overdue debt reduction
- Monitor the aged debt ledger and prioritise collection activity accordingly
- Proactively manage overdue accounts and escalate high-risk balances promptly
- Negotiate firmly but professionally with customers to secure payment
- Identify potential bad debt risks and take appropriate action to minimise exposure
- Manage account queries, credit notes and customer statements to ensure they do not unnecessarily delay payment
- Reconcile the debtor ledger and ensure customer accounts remain accurate and up to date
Reporting & Senior Management
- Produce and circulate a weekly outstanding debt report, clearly tracking overdue balances by customer and ageing category
- Provide regular reporting to the Finance Director and senior management on debtor days, cash collection performance, overdue debt, bad debt provisions and overall risk exposure
- Analyse debtor trends and identify areas requiring corrective action
- Provide clear commentary and recommendations alongside reports rather than simply presenting figures
- Prepare management information for Finance and commercial meetings
- Ensure senior management has clear visibility of significant risks, disputed accounts and collection performance
Team Leadership & Management
- Lead, manage and develop the Credit Control team
- Set clear objectives, KPIs and collection targets
- Monitor individual and team performance against agreed targets
- Allocate workloads and ensure collection activity is appropriately prioritised
- Coach and develop team members to improve performance, capability and confidence
- Provide guidance on complex customer accounts and difficult collection situations
- Promote a proactive, professional and results-focused culture within the team
- Lead by example and ensure the team consistently follows agreed credit-control procedures
Credit Management & Risk
- Own and enforce the company credit policy
- Assess the creditworthiness of new and existing customers
- Set and review appropriate customer credit limits
- Support the onboarding and credit assessment process for new customers
- Manage relationships with credit insurers and credit reference agencies
- Ensure appropriate credit insurance cover is maintained and renewed
- Liaise with credit insurers regarding claims, cover and customer risk
- Take the lead in pursuing overdue and disputed debt through solicitors, debt collection agencies and other appropriate legal channels
Commercial & Cross-Functional Working
- Chair weekly debt collection calls with the Sales team, reviewing key accounts, agreeing actions and removing collection blockers
- Build strong relationships with Sales and Customer Service to resolve customer queries and disputes delaying payment
- Work closely with Finance to ensure accurate reporting and appropriate bad debt provisioning
- Act as the key point of contact for credit-control matters across the business
- Balance the need for effective credit control with maintaining positive and commercially appropriate customer relationships
Process Improvement
- Lead and champion credit-control process improvement and automation initiatives
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reporting and cash collection
- Work with Finance and IT to develop improved systems and processes
- Explore opportunities to automate manual credit-control activities and management reporting
- Ensure credit-control procedures are regularly reviewed and continuously improved
Month-End & Financial Control
- Support the Finance team during month-end close
- Ensure accurate debtor ledger reconciliations
- Review and support appropriate bad debt provisions
- Ensure customer account information, statements and credit notes are accurate and up to date
- Maintain appropriate controls across the credit-control function
About You
We’re looking for an experienced credit professional who combines strong technical credit-control knowledge with proven leadership and commercial awareness.
You’ll ideally have:
- Proven experience in Credit Control or Credit Management, including at least two years in a supervisory or management capacity
- A strong track record of reducing DSO and overdue debt
- Experience managing a busy debtor book and delivering measurable cash-collection results
- Previous experience managing, coaching and developing a Credit Control team
- Experience producing and presenting management reports to senior management and/or Directors
- Strong Excel skills, with confidence working with aged debt reports, reconciliations and large volumes of financial data
- Good working knowledge of credit insurance, credit referencing and debt recovery processes
- Experience setting or reviewing customer credit limits
- Strong negotiation skills and the confidence to have difficult conversations with customers
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with Sales, Customer Service and Finance
- A proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues before they become significant debts
- Experience with ERP or accounting systems
- A strong understanding of financial controls and month-end processes
- The ability to analyse information, identify risk and turn data into clear recommendations
- A confident, resilient and commercially focused approach
Desirable
- Experience within the food, FMCG or manufacturing sector
- CICM qualification or currently working towards a CICM qualification
- Experience with finance process improvement and automation
- Experience using Microsoft 365 tools to improve reporting and processes
What We Offer
- £45,000 - £50,000 per annum, depending on experience
- 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday
- Full-time, permanent position
- Office-based role in Poole, BH12
- Company pension scheme
- Staff discounts on selected products
- Supportive, friendly and collaborative working environment
- Career development and progression opportunities
- On-site parking
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Training and development opportunities
Why Join DB Foods?
This is a genuine opportunity to take ownership of the Credit Control function and make a measurable difference to the business.
You’ll have direct visibility with the Finance Director and senior management, responsibility for the performance and development of the Credit Control team, and the opportunity to influence how DB Foods manages credit risk, cash flow and customer relationships.
Your reporting and analysis will directly support management decision-making, while your leadership will help drive improvements in DSO, cash collection and overdue debt reduction.
If you're an experienced Credit Control professional looking for a role where you can lead a team, influence senior management and have a direct impact on the financial performance of a successful business, we’d love to hear from you.
Ready to Apply?
Click Apply and send us your CV today.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Pay: £45,000.00-£50,000.00 per year
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Poole BH12 4NU: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- How many years of Credit Control Management experience do you have?
- Do you have any experience within the food, FMCG or manufacturing sector from a Credit control side?
Work Location: In person
