Collections Representative - Lending

Are you searching for a new opportunity? We have an opening for a Collections Representative!  

You’ll probably know Hastings Direct as a digital insurance provider, but did you know we also have a growing unsecured lending business? We have a competitive product on market-leading systems offering customers guaranteed eligibility and real rates through price comparison websites (PCWs).  

We have over four million customers but know there’s an even bigger opportunity out there and have ambitious plans to become The Best and Biggest in the UK market. We’ve made huge investments in our data and tech capabilities over the past few years, along with nurturing our 4

Cs culture.  

Working Hours/ Shift Patterns:
You will work 37.5 hours per week on a Monday to Friday 9:00 – 17:30 No weekends or bank holidays .

Training:
The main training period runs for the first 4-6 weeks and takes place face to face in the office. 

Our approach to Hybrid Working:
With hybrid working, you have more flexibility, as you usually only have to visit our office once or twice a week and work remotely for the rest of the time. You can always opt to work from the office more frequently if that suits you better. When we organise training and events you may be required to attend in person for the duration. 

Salary:
The starting salary is £26,850 plus benefits. There will be opportunities for further salary progression with the right focus on personal development. 

Location:

Our fantastic Bexhill office, which is next to the seafront, and only a short walk from Collington station.

Team Overview

As a Collections Representative in Lending, you will support customers who have fallen behind on their loan repayments, helping them understand their options and agree sustainable solutions that reflect their individual circumstances.

This is a specialist collections role and requires a minimum of two years' experience working within a financial services collections, recoveries or arrears environment. You should be confident having conversations about arrears, affordability, vulnerability and financial difficulty, whilst delivering positive customer outcomes.

You will engage with customers through inbound and outbound calls, email and digital channels, working to understand the reasons behind financial difficulties and identifying appropriate repayment or forbearance solutions. You'll play an important role in supporting vulnerable customers, helping customers regain control of their finances and reducing arrears, whilst balancing business objectives and regulatory requirements.

Job Details 

• Manage inbound and outbound collections activity across a portfolio of customers in arrears.

• Understand the root cause of a customer's financial difficulty and identify the most appropriate support strategy.

• Negotiate affordable and sustainable repayment solutions that meet customer needs and business requirements.

• Utilise the range of available forbearance options to support customers experiencing financial difficulty.

• Identify, support and appropriately manage vulnerable customers in line with regulatory expectations and company policy.

• Deliver fair customer outcomes whilst balancing commercial performance and arrears reduction objectives.

• Manage customer complaints in an effective manner and in line with company policies.
• Maintain accurate customer records and document all decisions clearly and comprehensively.

• Be a self-starter and proactively manage work queues in an efficient and effective manner on a day-to-day basis.

• Be a team player, supporting colleagues and suggesting process or system improvements where necessary.

Transferable/Essential Skills We Would Love You To Have

• A minimum of 2 years' experience working within a financial services collections, recoveries or arrears environment.

• Strong customer communication and negotiation skills.

• Ability to have challenging conversations with empathy, professionalism and confidence.

• Experience assessing affordability and discussing financial difficulty with customers.

• Experience identifying and supporting vulnerable customers.

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

• Ability to manage competing priorities in a…