Debt Recovery and Collection Lead

Job Purpose

• This role is responsible for managing Credit Operations (Collections Process & recovery) for Shell Operating Units and Lines of Business under FO scope.
• This role will be fully responsible for Collections and Recovery Process within support OU/LoBs with medium complexity of scope.
• The role requires maximizing commercial opportunities where credit can play a part in delivering strong margins whilst taking acceptable credit risks.
• This will require maintaining strong working relationships with several stakeholders from Finance, OTC and Sales Team with primary accountabilities such as:

Debt management

• Responsible for the efficient and effective management of credit risk on OU level according to Downstream Credit Manual (DCM) and direction from the credit authorities.
• Efficient and effective management of the accounts receivable by managing collection activities, minimizing overdue debts and negotiate and approve refinancing of overdue debts.
• Maintain sustainable cash flows through efficient collections and allocation of incoming payments and responsible for providing authorized approval for release of credit blocked orders and taking credit decisions, according to relevant MOA threshold (if applicable).
• Lead the PARCO commentary, Open Line item calls and DC review calls , OCC calls at appropriate frequency to manager DS India Credit KPIs. Maintain issue log, Project log, CO-Credit Log, and PE Credit Log to drive operational and strategic discussions
• Participate in engagement forums, Lead topic(s) in team/VM huddle. Onboard new joiners until Teach Back Sessions and continuous coach and drive motivation of the DCs by active engagement and providing real time feedback to ROMs to promote a culture of continuous people development.
• Responsible for establishing and adhering to a strong internal controls environment to ensure the integrity of financial results. Being a control owner for all applicable process step controls on the OU/LoB level and providing assurance that adequate and effective controls are in place to safeguard company assets.
• Taking full responsibility for the quality of the controls on the OU level and being the first contact person for internal and external auditors, as well as R&A.
• Build and develop a culture of Customer Care and develop networks with OTC, as well as Sales organization
• Additionally, this position will be responsible for engaging and managing effective relationships with key stakeholders within Finance Operations, Finance in the Business, OTC and Sales, to ensure that alignment of objectives takes place, delivery of functional plan is achieved, and targets are met.
• SMEs to support migration activities by ensuring proper handover and assess staff readiness together with line managers and Backup plan for team and Regular KT sessions .
• Drive people upskilling and future skilling team members. Champion the behaviors expected throughout the team. Lead, develop and evolve relationship other Risk Managers, ensuring sharing best practice and collaboration wherever possible.
• Embed learnings and follow LFI procedure, Ensure compliance with corporate and local policies and procedures, Ensure IO test passed successfully.

Debt Recovery

• Act as primary focal point on Debt Recovery portfolio and strategy matters to all key stakeholders. Responsible for formulating Debt Recovery Strategy for the specified business segments/OUs, underpinned by agreed RDS Credit Integrated Process Plan (IPP).
• Alignment with credit & finance managers on Credit Strategies via providing full transparency on portfolio performance to optimize bad debt recoverability.
• Provide credit functional insight into all decisions to manage debt recovery portfolio as set out in the DS Credit Manual.
• Responsible for DS India Credit Debt Recovery policy, Debt Recovery Credit KPIs (Strategic & Management) targets setting, the overall deliveries of these Credit KPIs/IPPs for the supported COBs. Ensure that relevant policies (e.g. DS Credit Manual) are fit for purpose for the supported debt recovery scope.
• Monitor and manage assigned portfolio of overdue accounts, ensuring timely follow-ups and resolution. Maintain sustainable cash flows through efficient collections of recognized bad debt.
• Liaise with customers through calls, emails, site visits, and formal meetings to recover outstanding dues. Calculate and advise on provisions when debts are considered doubtful in ensuring customers are appropriately reassessed to determine provisions for recovery, in relevant timeframe (as per the DCM) and relevant bad debts are appropriately handled and acted upon.
• Act as primary FP for internal/external auditors for debt recovery-related matters. Coordinate consolidation of relevant MI for the business to drive data-driven portfolio management.
• Negotiate repayment terms, settlements, and restructuring proposals, in line with credit strategy/DCM/DCG. Collaborate with external legal counsel, collection agencies, and internal legal teams for initiating legal action where necessary.
• Prepare recovery status reports and dashboards for highlighting key risks and recovery opportunities. Stay abreast of regulatory frameworks related to debt recovery and ensure full compliance in recovery processes.
• Support in developing and implementing debt recovery strategies and operational procedures and Identify early warning signals of potential defaults and suggest preventive measures.
• Realize and operationalize a range of digitalization agenda through relevant Credit IPP, as well as external market information, including delivery of off-the-shelf solutions for Debt Recovery process .

Job Knowledge, Skills &Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in finance/accounting

• Debt Recovery and Debt Management is highly required for this role.

• Bachelors in finance, Accounting or related business degree; MBA or Chartered Accountancy a plus.
• Strong commercial acumen
• Excellent interpersonal, communication (verbal and written), and stakeholder management skills. Must have the professional competence and confidence to work effectively with both internal and external customers.
• Strong influencing and negotiating skills with ability to make tough decisions and assume accountability for those decisions.
• Ability to work decisions / issues to a satisfactory conclusion while maintaining customer relationships.
• Must be positive, assertive, and self-motivated to achieve results. A strong team player and demonstrated evidence of leadership skills.
• Ability to analyze, interpret and visualize data to effectively convey insights and inform business decisions.

• Hindi Language required

Key Competences

Leadership

• Delivers Results
• Motivates, Coaches & Develops
• Displays Personal Effectiveness

Functional Competencies

• Risk Evaluation
• Advanced Financial Knowledge
• Credit Terminology and Process
• Commercial Mindset
• Negotiating
• Risk Management
• Business/Industry/Country Knowledge
• Financial Drivers for Credit
• Integrated Credit Position/Impact
• Business Partnering / CVP

Key Stakeholders:

• Regional Credit Leadership Team, NSMs, Risk Managers, Global Debt Recovery Analysts Community, if needed Commercial GMs, other CoEs Senior Stakeholders (Treasury, Tax, FTM), External Collection Agencies, External and Internal Legal