JOB PROFILE DEBT RECOVERY ASSOCIATE OVERVIEW It s about you Do you enjoy working independently? Are you able to identify solutions and negotiate terms that will meet both the organization s and client s needs? Are you resilient, and able to persevere during interactions with clients that can sometimes be confrontational? Do you enjoy working to meet established deadlines and targets in a fast-paced environment? If so, Recovery Associate may be the role that offers you the right challenge and rewards. What is debt recovery? Debt recovery is about pursuing payments of debts owed by individuals or businesses to the organization. It involves taking reasonable steps to secure payment from those who have been delinquent and are legally bound to pay or repay money they owe to the organization. What is the role of (job)? Recovery Associates are responsible for contributing to the recovery of debt owed to the organization by applying established debt recovery procedures, advising clients of strategies for debt repayment as well as negotiating debt repayment schedules. Recovery Associates work to identify optimal solutions which reflect consideration of client needs, respond effectively to identify the root cause of the delinquency and mitigate risk to the organization. 1 P age
OVERVIEW, CONTINUED Work context for this role Recovery Associates typically work in a fast-paced, well structured environment with established routines, where there are deadlines and targets for the recovery process. Work volumes can fluctuate often as a result of what is occurring in the economy. The work can also be stressful as calls with clients can be confrontational from time to time Recovery Associates work regular daytime hours but may in some organizations be required to work flex workdays/hours including evenings and weekends in order to speak directly with the clients regarding their debts. Some Recovery Associates work in an office environment while others may work at a contact centre. They need to be able to work independently and demonstrate resilience when dealing with clients as discussions can sometimes be difficult. In larger organizations, there may be a referral process where the Recovery Associate s prime responsibilities are to negotiate payment arrangements for products and services at various stages of delinquency, take appropriate actions based on known risk factors, and refer past due amounts to a specialized collections recovery division for further collection efforts. Fluency in English and French may likely be an asset as well as fluency in other languages to meet client language needs. There may be more than one levels of Recovery Associate: Recovery Associate Senior Recovery Associate A Senior Recovery Associate handles longer-term, more serious, complex cases. 2 P age
OVERVIEW, CONTINUED Areas of focus Recovery Associates focus on contacting clients to recover the debt owed to the organization. They gather information from clients who are unable to maintain their financial obligations to gain a full understanding of their situation and work with these customers to identify an optimal solution. They ensure clients are aware of a variety of products and repayment options that are available to potentially resolve outstanding debts and provide advice to prevent further delinquencies. Recovery Associates may be involved in obtaining payment/resolution for the following sample list of overdue products and services: Credit cards and lines of credit Loan payments including term loans Mortgages Car payments Insurance premiums/policies Depending on the role of the Recovery Associate, in some cases, the appropriate action to resolve the delinquency issue may include: Negotiation of payment arrangements Refinancing Capitalization (long term financing options used by an organization such as stock issuance, utilizing retained earnings or taking on long-term debt) Seizures Legal action Repossession of asset or cancellation of policy or account Writing off the debt within the prescribed limits 3 P age
QUALIFICATIONS Qualifications for this role Knowledge requirements: Recovery Associates require specific knowledge of: Technical Skills: The specific products and services offered by the organization The organization s debt recovery policies and procedures Regulatory and legislative requirements (e.g., privacy and confidentiality requirements, lending and collection laws, bankruptcy laws) Basic accounting principles Financial counseling and receivables management practices and techniques Recovery Associates require specific technical skills: Soft Skills: Computer skills (e.g., proficiency in MS Office applications, spreadsheet proficiency, the systems and software the organization uses) Time management and prioritization skills (case/workload management) to effectively deal with workload Basic mathematical skills Recovery Associates require specific soft skills: Analytical skills to analyze the client s financial situation, and identify the root cause of the delinquency/issue Communication skills (written, verbal, active listening) to conduct verbal dialogue with clients to discuss the terms and conditions of their contractual obligations, understand their unique situation and determine how best to come to resolution Conflict management to resolve any conflict/issues as they arise with customers and determine how best to proceed Customer service orientation to develop a high quality, service-oriented relationship to preserve customer loyalty while minimizing loss to the organization Detail orientation to ensure the accurate inputting of information, and identification of solutions that support the calculation and analysis of financial situations Interpersonal understanding to display empathy while effectively managing sensitive and stressful situations, responding to customers in a professional, respectful manner and diffusing situations. Negotiation skills to obtain commitment from the client regarding debt repayment and/or resolution to the delinquency issue Organizational skills to be able to manage large and fluctuating work volumes and maintaining client files in good order Problem solving to arrive at the optimal solution to address the root cause of the delinquency and receive payment Resilience to effectively deal with sensitive and stressful situations as they arise and diffuse them while responding to customers in a professional, respectful manner Teamwork and collaboration to work effectively with others within and across groups (e.g., branch/line of business staff, business partners, customers) 4 P age
QUALIFICATIONS, CONTINUED Qualifications for this role, continued Applicable Experience: 2 years related working experience in consumer or commercial collections could be beneficial, customer service and/or dispute resolution Education, Certifications, Designations and Licenses: Positions typically require: Other Training: Post-secondary education (College or University) is preferable Additional certifications may include: n/a Professional Associations may include: n/a 5 P age
DUTIES Main duties The main duties of the Recovery Associate: Maximize recovery of assigned delinquent client accounts which are beyond the organization s past due tolerance Key Activities: Contact customers by telephone to notify them of the delinquency and determine the cause of the issue Consider the impact to the organization and identify solutions to help mitigate risk Negotiate a resolution within area of responsibility (e.g., repayment schedules, consolidation of debt into one account) while providing customer service Conduct investigative work as required (e.g., reviewing credit reports, conducting property searches) Follow established procedures, policies and guidelines during the recovery process Resolve discrepancies within area of responsibility Key Activities: Discuss client issues and concerns regarding delinquency Ask probing questions to determine the cause of the issue Conduct any research internally to verify delinquency Follow up with client to discuss findings and appropriate next steps methods of payment Escalate issues to appropriate parties to resolve discrepancy when required Apologize for any inconvenience if the discrepancy is not a result of the client s negligence (e.g., billing error, payment made but not yet received) Recommend referrals to collection agencies, litigation and/or repossession Key Activities: Determine when to refer client and situation to specialized recovery group. For example, situations may include client inability to pay, bankruptcy, refusal to pay, when contact with the client has been lost Provide specialized recovery group with detailed information and files pertaining to the situation Document cases that were referred to the specialized recovery group 6 P age
DUTIES, CONTINUED Main duties, continued Identify and implement methods to improve operational efficiencies Key Activities: Identify trends and common communication gaps in communicating deadlines to clients Identify areas for process improvement (e.g., reviewing key steps in the recovery process or client management system) Provide feedback to supervisor on monthly loss and write-offs, key gaps and suggestions for improvement Representative Job titles Depending on the organization you work for, Recovery Associates may hold various job titles: Collections Specialist Collector Collections Associate Credit Counsellor Collections agent 7 P age
CAREER PATH Moving into the role To move into a Recovery Associate role, you need to be a results-driven individual who is able to work independently, motivated to persevere despite the challenging interactions you may face on a day-to-day basis while demonstrating professionalism and ensuring the integrity and reputation of the organization. You also need to demonstrate empathy towards the client situation while being creative to find the best solution for mutual benefit to both the client and organization. It may be beneficial to have experience in financial counselling, customer service or dispute resolution. Progression beyond the role As you gain experience in the Recovery Associate role, you may move into more senior roles within Accounts Receivable both at the individual contributor and first time supervisory/management levels. You may move into financial counselling or other customer service oriented roles. Career Impacts External environmental factors impacting the role There are several external factors that can influence the qualifications for the role, including: Regulations and legislation such as insolvency laws, privacy laws, laws in regards to collection and repossession of assets as well as those pertaining to lending. The advancement of technology as Recovery Associates often work in a highly computerized environment and therefore need to possess more sophisticated computer skills. With the introduction of on-line banking and other technical money movement options, there are more options for Recovery Associates to provide their clients. However, this also requires that Recovery Associates be able to clearly explain these options. Demand The demand for this work has been increasing given the financial crisis which has increased the debt load of consumers. Work volumes tend to fluctuate as a result of these events and current economic conditions. While many organizations hire Recovery Associates as full time employees, some organizations outsource this role to a third party vendor. Compensation Compensation typically would consist of base salary and a bonus structure. 8 P age