Prodigy Finance - who are we?

Prodigy Finance is a platform that delivers socially responsible financial services, making it possible for students from more than 150 countries to fulfil their dream of studying at the world’s top universities and schools by financing their international postgraduate studies whilst delivering competitive financial and social returns to alumni, institutional and private investors.

This borderless and innovative model enables education loan financing to students from across the globe whilst using predicted post-degree affordability rather than present-day salary. Since 2007, Prodigy Finance has extended over US$1.8 billion through the platform to fund over 35,000 students.

Prodigy Finance is fueled by impact investors and other privately qualified entities who invest in tomorrow's leaders whilst earning a financial and social return. Prodigy Finance’s borderless lending model enables students to apply for a loan based on their future earning potential and not just their current circumstances and credit history.

What will you do in the role?

The primary function of a Collections Administrator is to perform a wide variety of complex Collections duties and to manage short and long term forbearance processes. In this role, the Collections Administrator is responsible for establishing and maintaining inbound and outbound contact with customers as and when required, implementing the appropriate forbearance solutions, and meeting Collections & Recoveries goals. The successful candidate will be required to use initiative and a significant amount of good judgment in solving problems and decision-making.

What are some of the responsibilities of this role?

• Manage a portfolio of delinquent and/or post-default account collections in line with the standard operating procedures and set expectations.
• Initiate and maintain contact with delinquent and post-default borrowers across multiple channels.
• Manage arrears notifications and discussions through both one-on-one and volume communications processes across multiple channels.
• Work to understand the borrowers’ circumstances and determine the best solutions and processes that would assist them in their current situation.
• Use effective communication and negotiation skills to secure favorable repayment plans and settlements, and work with the borrowers to bring their payments up to date.
• Educate borrowers on repayment options and the consequences of non-payment.
• Identify and adequately support customers facing financial hardship in line with existing forbearance policies and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of all communications and payment agreements made with borrowers.
• Optimise Collections by following up on commitments to pay and respective statuses at the required frequency.
• Trace non-communicative borrowers using desktop trace, internal and external resources, and liaise with outsourced tracer to locate borrowers.
• Ensure that all borrower’s information held on record is up to date, complete, and accurate.
• Ensure full understanding of the Prodigy loan product, related processes, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Work on different systems and manage several manual processes.
• Manage daily, weekly, and monthly tasks in line with set expectations while maintaining SLA adherence.
• Maintain a high-quality score on assessments.
• Maintain proper account hygiene and action administrative requirements related to customer account management.
• Comply with all relevant laws and regulations governing debt collections practice.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements

What would the ideal candidate be great at?

• Have an empathetic yet firm approach to dealing with high net worth individuals
• Proven people management skills, preferably with people from different cultures and countries
• Advanced ability to follow procedures and policies to ensure and outcome
• Meet deadlines consistently
• Strong attention to detail and administrative discipline
• Proven listening, empathy and communication skills
• Proven ability to work in a high-pressure environments
• Proven ability to make independent decisions based on procedures and policies
• Proven ability to exceed performance targets in a fast-paced, high-volume, and high-quality customer services environment.
• Ability and willingness to deal directly with specific tasks and enquiries where required
• Advanced troubleshooting and multi-tasking skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to assess complex situations and use creativity to solve problems
• Established negotiation and objection handling skills
• Proven ability to operate independently
• Self-assurance and a confident manner
• Have the ability to debate in a constructive manner and to challenge conventional wisdom
• High motivated individual who is able to juggle multiple processes with different priorities and deadlines
• Effective portfolio management

Qualifications and experience

• Completed NQF Level 4
• Proven track record of reducing arrears on early, mid and late-stage delinquent accounts or post -default recoveries.
• International Collections experience – or at least, an international mindset required
• Experience in managing processes from beginning to execution and resolution
• Experience conducting financial assessments
• Experience in dealing with recovery processes under TCF principles
• Experience managing Collections and forbearance in a financial services regulatory environment against collections & recovery targets

Experience that would be nice to have (but we’ll trade off if everything else fits)

• Ideally, you will have experience with UK based consumer protection law and TCF principles
• Experience in a sales environment
• Experience in auditing Collections processes against regulatory framework
• Start-up experience. Sometimes, the earth moves beneath your feet at Prodigy Finance, so you've got to be comfortable with ambiguity, able to wear lots of hats and adapt easily