Collections Manager - Front End - Hyderabad

Overview

The Collections Manager at Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited (ABHFL) is responsible for managing the collections operations within a specified location, usually a metropolitan or state capital area, or multiple tier 2-3 cities. They focus on working with non-performing borrowers to devise effective recovery strategies while ensuring compliance with company policies and regulations. This role operates under the Risk function and reports to the Area Collections Manager.

Organizational Context

Part of Aditya Birla Capital Limited, ABHFL is a recognized housing finance company providing comprehensive housing finance products such as home loans, construction finance, and loans against property. The company aims for aggressive growth, targeting a fivefold increase over five years to achieve a leading position among Indian housing finance companies.

Job Context and Challenges

This role plays a critical part in managing delinquent portfolios with the aim of improving business profitability by efficiently reducing defaults and maintaining collections effectiveness. The Collections Manager is tasked with ensuring diligent follow-up on all delinquent accounts, early identification of stress signals in customer accounts, documenting collection activities, and adhering strictly to governance standards. Key challenges include negotiating repayments, working with legal and enforcement agencies, and providing strategic feedback on collection methods.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the collections process at the location level, streamlining operations to reduce financial losses from defaults.
• Monitor and flag delinquent customer accounts to identify early warning signs of payment issues.
• Engage with non-performing borrowers to negotiate recovery solutions that minimize losses.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for all collection activities to satisfy internal and regulatory standards.
• Resolve customer complaints related to collection processes, ensuring satisfactory outcomes for both the company and clients.
• Conduct regular audits of collection teams to verify compliance and effectiveness.
• Collaborate closely with internal legal teams and senior management for handling escalated and legal cases.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external agencies, including vendor management, to ensure timely debt recovery.
• Manage relationships with external collections agencies, overseeing training and performance.
• Engage with law enforcement and legal entities for expedited recovery on delinquent and written-off accounts.

Skills and Experience Required

• A graduate or post-graduate degree.
• 6-8 years of relevant experience as a Collections Manager or location head, preferably with exposure to credit functions and vendor management.
• Proactive and energetic with the ability to plan and execute collection strategies effectively.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership capabilities, including negotiation, analytical thinking, and communication skills.
• Good understanding of the mortgage market and fraud prevention techniques.

Working Relationships

Internal: Regular interaction with the Regional Manager – Collections, Risk teams, Operations, Underwriting, and Legal teams for portfolio updates, policy discussions, system updates, and legal case management. Frequency ranges from weekly to monthly.

External: Engagement with clients, channel partners, corporate customer relations teams, legal consultants, and industry peers for portfolio reviews, updates, exception reporting, legal discussions, and market intelligence on a daily to as-needed basis.