Overview

Our client is looking for a Collections Officer – SME Lending (Australian Regulations) to manage overdue loan portfolios in a fully remote capacity. In this role, you will be responsible for proactively engaging with business borrowers, evaluating delinquent accounts, and negotiating practical repayment solutions to minimize default risk. Operating in the Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) window, you must balance firmness, strong commercial acumen, and empathy while maintaining strict compliance with financial regulations and debt collection guidelines. You will actively manage a dedicated ledger of overdue commercial and SME loans, accelerate cash recovery, and work directly with operations to protect company capital.

Schedule:

• Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM AEST (Sydney Time) with a 1-hour unpaid break

Responsibilities

• Direct Debt Recovery & Negotiation: Proactively contact overdue business borrowers via phone, email, and SMS to negotiate realistic payment plans, loan restructures, and full settlements.
• Portfolio & Arrears Management: Maintain active oversight of delinquent ledgers (early to late-stage arrears), prioritizing high-risk accounts to reduce days sales outstanding (DSO) and lower default rates.
• Ledger Hygiene & Activity Tracking: Accurately document every debtor interaction, payment arrangement, broken promise-to-pay (PTP), and financial assessment within the CRM and loan management system.
• Financial Assessment & Risk Analysis: Review bank statements, cash-flow data, and business circumstances to assess real capacity to pay and design viable, sustainable repayment plans.
• Dispute Resolution & Operational Collaboration: Investigate billing or contract disputes alongside customer support and underwriting, removing friction that delays payment settlement.
• Hardship & Legal Escalations: Identify uncooperative debtors, fraudulent accounts, or businesses entering formal insolvency. Prepare detailed case files and documentation for debt recovery agencies or legal counsel.
• Target Achievement: Consistently meet and exceed monthly cash collection, contact rate, and arrears-reduction benchmarks.
• Process Optimization: Share regular feedback with management on recurring collection obstacles, borrower trends, and system improvements to boost recovery yields.

Requirements

• Minimum 2–4 years of experience as a Collections Officer, Debt Recovery Specialist, or Credit Control Specialist. Prior experience in B2B collections, SME lending, equipment finance, mortgages, or Australian financial services is strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to manage difficult commercial conversations, overcome debtor objections, and secure firm commitments while maintaining professionalism.
• Familiarity with Australian credit reporting conventions and regulatory standards (e.g., ASIC/ACCC debt collection guidelines, Privacy Act) is highly advantageous.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills, capable of liaising professionally with Australian business owners and finance directors.
• Basic capability in reading profit and loss trends, bank statements, and credit bureau reports to evaluate genuine borrower hardship versus willful non-payment.
• High emotional intelligence, persistence, and a results-oriented approach to hitting collection targets in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with modern loan origination systems (LOS), collections software, CRMs, and Microsoft Office (intermediate Excel skills).

Independent Contractor Perks

• Permanent work from home
• Immediate hiring
• Health Insurance Coverage for eligible locations

Note

Please click the "APPLY" button to complete your application, including the assessment questions, technical check, and voice recording. Your hourly pay rate will be established based on your performance in the application process; submissions with all requirements fulfilled will receive priority review.

One application, multiple possibilities: When you apply, our team reviews your background against all current openings, not just this one! If a different role fits your skills, we'll get in touch! We also encourage you to keep exploring our job board and apply directly to any position that excites you.