Marshmallow

Senior Collections Operations Manager

Marshmallow

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Hybrid

Location: London • United Kingdom

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Job Level

Senior

About the role

  • Own day-to-day performance of pre- and post-cancellation collections activity, ensuring delivery against cash, cure and coverage targets.
  • Drive consistent, repeatable execution of high-impact recovery levers (e.g. forward-flow card charging and structured retry strategies).
  • Ensure operational cadence across in-house recovery, external handover, and longer-dated balance strategies.
  • Monitor and optimise recovery timing, treatment sequencing, and channel effectiveness to improve early-stage recovery and reduce aged debt.
  • Embed data-led targeting into collections activity, including optimisation of charging windows, retry logic, and treatment strategy.
  • Work closely with Engineering and Analytics to automate charging, messaging, and account progression through the recovery journey.
  • Reduce manual interventions and fragmented processes by driving system integration and workflow improvements.
  • Continuously test and refine recovery strategies to increase sustainable run-rate performance rather than episodic uplift.
  • Operationalise and manage Debt Collection Agency (DCA) handovers following completion of in-house recovery cycles.
  • Support preparation for strategic balance sheet levers such as debt sale, including eligibility definition, operational readiness, and governance.
  • Ensure appropriate controls and oversight of third-party partners, maintaining regulatory compliance and strong customer outcomes.
  • Partner closely with Claims, Finance, Compliance, Product, and Data teams to ensure the collections operation is supported end-to-end.
  • Ensure customer-liable balances are created and transferred into collection strategies within agreed SLAs to maximise recoverability.
  • Support integration of data sources payment tooling to improve targeting and affordability-aware engagement.
  • Contribute to planning cycles, translating business objectives into operational execution plans.
  • Ensure collections activity adheres to FCA requirements and Consumer Duty principles.
  • Maintain robust oversight of vulnerable customer treatment, affordability considerations, and fair engagement practices.
  • Identify operational risks within the recovery journey and implement scalable mitigations.
  • Support audit, compliance reviews, and third-party governance requirements.
  • Lead and develop team leaders and frontline collections colleagues, building a high-performance, accountable culture.
  • Embed clear KPIs aligned to cash recovery, cure performance, quality, and customer outcomes.
  • Coach managers to use data effectively in performance management and decision-making.
  • Contribute to organisational design and workforce planning as recovery strategy evolves.
  • Champion continuous improvement and ownership across the team.

Requirements

  • Demonstrable experience in collections, arrears, or recoveries within an FCA-regulated environment.
  • Strong operational leadership experience, including managing frontline teams and performance in a high-volume environment.
  • Proven track record of improving recovery performance through process optimisation, automation, or data-led decisioning.
  • Experience working with external recovery partners (e.g. DCAs) and understanding of end-to-end debt lifecycle management.
  • Strong understanding of regulatory requirements, including Consumer Duty and vulnerable customer considerations.
  • Commercially aware, understanding the relationship between inflow, recovery rate, timing, and bad debt economics.
  • Comfortable operating both strategically and tactically, being able to define priorities and get into the detail of execution.
  • Highly collaborative, with experience working cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Finance, and Compliance.
Benefits
  • Flexible working: Spend two days a week with your team in our collaborative London office, and own your own working hours.
  • Competitive bonus scheme - designed to reward and recognise high performance.
  • Flexible benefits budget - £50 per month to spend on a Ben Mastercard meaning you get your own benefits budget to spend on things you want. Whether that’s subscriptions, night classes (puppy yoga, anyone?), the big shop or a forest of houseplants. Pretty much anything goes.
  • Mental wellbeing support – Access therapy and mental health sessions through Oliva.
  • Learning and development – Personal budgets for books and training courses to help you grow in your role. Plus 2 days a year - on us! - to further your skillset.
  • Private health care - Enjoy all the benefits Vitality has to offer, including reduced gym memberships and discounts on smartwatches.
  • Medical cash plan - To help you with the costs of dental, optical and physio (plus more!).
  • Tech scheme - Get the latest tech for less.
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
collectionsarrearsrecoveriesprocess optimisationautomationdata-led decisioningdebt lifecycle managementperformance managementKPI developmentworkflow improvements
Soft Skills
operational leadershipcollaborationcoachingstrategic thinkingtactical executionhigh-performance cultureaccountabilitycontinuous improvementcustomer engagementrisk identification