Credit Controller

Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Salary: £28,000–£33,000 per annum
Hours: Full-time, 39 hours per week
Working Pattern: Office-based

About the opportunity

We are recruiting an experienced Credit Controller to join an established business based in Stoke-on-Trent. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys taking ownership of the full credit control process, from initial customer credit assessments and account management through to debt collection, credit risk management and reporting.

Working closely with the Finance team and wider business, you will play an important role in protecting cash flow, managing customer relationships and ensuring appropriate credit controls are maintained. This is a hands-on, start-to-finish credit control position where you will have responsibility for managing customer accounts, making informed credit decisions and supporting the commercial needs of the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the full credit control process, managing customer accounts from initial credit assessment and account setup through to ongoing monitoring and debt recovery.

• Manage a substantial B2B sales ledger, proactively monitoring outstanding balances, chasing overdue invoices and securing payment commitments.

• Build and maintain effective relationships with customers, resolving account queries and disputes to ensure payments are received within agreed terms.

• Manage relationships with credit insurers and brokers, including credit limit applications, reviews, increases and changes to existing cover.

• Assess customer creditworthiness, recommending appropriate credit limits, payment terms and trading arrangements.

• Monitor customer credit exposure, insurance cover and account activity, identifying potential risks and taking appropriate action.

• Review customer credit holds and order-release requests, working with internal departments to balance commercial requirements with financial controls.

• Ensure compliance with credit insurance policies, reporting requirements and claims procedures.

• Produce regular aged debt, credit exposure and collection reports, highlighting potential cash flow concerns.

• Work closely with Sales, Customer Service, Operations and Finance to resolve issues affecting customer accounts and payment timescales.

• Identify opportunities to improve credit control processes, procedures and working practices.

About You

• Previous experience in a full-cycle Credit Controller or Credit Management position, with the ability to manage the process from start to finish.

• Experience managing a substantial B2B sales ledger and high-value customer accounts.

• A background within manufacturing, engineering, industrial or a similar business-to-business environment would be highly advantageous.

• Previous experience dealing with credit insurers and credit brokers, including managing credit limits and insurance cover, would be a significant advantage.

• Good understanding of credit risk, customer exposure, debt collection and credit management procedures.

• Confident assessing customer accounts and making informed decisions around credit limits and payment terms.

• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with the confidence to manage challenging customer conversations and work with internal stakeholders.

• Highly organised, analytical and proactive, with the ability to manage competing priorities and take ownership of the ledger.

A formal accountancy qualification is not essential. Relevant credit management qualifications would be beneficial.

What We Are Looking For

This role would suit an experienced Credit Controller who enjoys having full responsibility for their ledger rather than focusing solely on debt chasing.

The ideal candidate will have experience within a manufacturing, engineering or industrial environment, alongside a good understanding of credit insurance and managing customer credit exposure.

You will be comfortable managing the entire credit control cycle, from assessing new customers and setting credit limits through to collections, insurance management, risk monitoring and reporting. Experience within manufacturing, particularly where credit insurance forms part of the day-to-day credit management process, would be particularly beneficial.

What's on Offer?

• Salary of £28,000–£33,000, depending on experience.

• Company pension.

• Cycle to work scheme.

• Health and wellbeing programme.

• Life insurance.

• On-site parking.

• Sick pay.

• Full-time, permanent opportunity within an established business.