Credit Controller - Sappi Global Business Services

Sappi Global Business Services requires a Credit Controller to manage a portfolio of customers in line with approved credit policies and procedures. Make recommendations of preventative controls to avoid non-compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, loss of revenue, deterioration in cash and bad debts. Identify risks and alert management timeously, to address and to implement mitigating controls where necessary.

This role reports to the Finance Officer: Accounts Receivable

The main responsibilities of this job are:

Cash Forecasting

• Prompt processing and timeously executing cash management process
• Updating movements and maintaining the daily cash forecast file including continuous tracking of cash movements and proactively identifying deviations, which should be investigated and brought to the attention of the Finance Officer: Accounts Receivable

Cash Collection

• Process all payments due including overdue balances, invalid claims, interest charges, discount disallowed and incorrect deductions
• Applying reason codes on SAP to open items and process interest calculation timeously for late payments. Confirm rebates and process refunds within the policy. Approval to be obtained on all refunds
• Processing of customer statements
• Maintain and upkeep the Masterdata on SAP

Credit Analysis

• Maintain confidentiality when dealing with customers' information including financial information
• Assess creditworthiness of new and existing customers
• Accurate maintenance of the Credit Management Tool on SAP
• Complete bi-annual customer reviews
• Obtain authorisation/approval to open new accounts in terms of pre-determined authorisation levels including master data set-up.
• Obtain security (bank guarantees, suretyships, cross-company guarantees etc if applicable) and liaise with management and legal to ensure the correct and relevant information and approval is obtained. Including updating the security register
• Monitor customer accounts and provide Sales Departments with up to date account status on an ongoing basis
• Ensure that the highest possible coverage is obtained to reduce the customer risk to Sappi and the Bank
• Maintain Master record changes by updating customer records accurately and in a timely manner
• Check billing documents on the customer account to ensure document types are correct
• Investigate anomalies by correcting entries that are not standard and rectifying them before the final submission is completed

Reporting

• Extract and analyse the Overdue Analysis Report in line with the customer reviews and make recommendations on credit risk exposure
• Prepare credit exposure report and investigate credit exposures on an ongoing basis
• Download insurance report and check against SAP insured limits and take necessary action to change or update any limits in line with approvals
• Set up monthly meetings with Sales within two weeks of the calendar closing, including agenda and minutes
• Populate reports for monthly sales meetings
• Extraction of Master Data changes with first level checking
• Data gathering for internal and external auditors.

General

• Make recommendations for improvements i.e. RoadMap initiatives, potential Robotic Process Automation, Order to cash initiatives including testing, data gathering, attending training, workshops etc.
• Adhoc reporting as needed

The ideal candidate should have:

• Grade 12
• Minimum 2 Years’ Credit Risk Management and Assessment experience
• Relevant Credit Management qualification
• Finance Degree or Diploma or equivalent
• Sound knowledge of MS Office and SAP FI
• Advanced Excel skills