Credit and Collections Controller Africa

We are hiring a Credit and Collections Controller Africa for a multinational pharmaceutical company.

Main Mission : 

The Credit & Collection Controller is responsible for the creation of regional accounts, timely collection of the receivables whilst respecting the internal controls and maintaining a balanced working relationship with the Business, Supply Chain and Customers. The jobholder will need to use his soft skills to establish good relationships with the customers and ensure we retain healthy receivable levels. Africa A/R environment is low volume, high value and high credit risk. 

Customer Relationship

• Proactive check-ins (through email/phone) with customer to ensure collection is on track and resolve invoicing disputes before they are due
• Visit customers locally, mainly in Tunisia & Algeria, and establish relationships and have a good understand on payment schedules
• Partner with commercial teams to set-up appropriate payment terms and perform necessary credit checks using rating agency reporting or conducting alternative analysis of financial statements in order to properly justify and document credit limit request
• Manage all customer claims, own the commissions file and control process, code and approve commissions when ready for payments
• Perform periodical AR reconciliations with customers and follow up in case of discrepancy
• Analyze held orders and determine if orders are to be released.
• Follow up with commercial teams on orders that are not released. 

Internal Controls

• Actively monitor issuance of new or updated sales and distributor contracts, as well as existing agreements, identify and own the required commissions and revenue recognition set-up, transactions and accounting
• Support Business, Finance and Supply Chain staff on domains intertwined with the collection activity like VAT, legal, invoicing, commissions, credit holds, delivery schedules, distribution contracts
• Partner with Accounting Center of Excellence to ensure proper booking and reporting of AR leger and support on all internal/external audit requirements, enquiries and coordination for the revenue and receivables cycle
• Apply correctly payment received against related invoices and actively a follow-up if necessary to match unapplied cash or credit notes with open invoices
• Understand and practice the requirements of the SOX and Internal Controls for the department with the ability to identify deficiencies in the requirements and support procedure changes to mitigate risk
• Calculate and propose AR write-offs, BDR adjustments including specific and generic reserve and inactive customer master file (CMF) deactivation in sales orders system
• Manage and implement AR securities if possible (Letters of credits, bank guarantees, insurance, pledge agreement, DDS, others)
• Proactive proposal to improve Cash Flow by factoring, avalization or other opportunities