Automotive Finance
Position Summary
This is a position for our client.
The Manager, Collections & Recoveries will lead the development, implementation and ongoing management of the collections and recovery operations.
Working closely with the company’s clients, internal departments, technology partners and third-party service providers, the Manager will establish effective policies, procedures, workflows, controls and reporting. Collection strategies, delegated authorities, escalation requirements, performance measures and vendor arrangements will be developed and managed in alignment with each client's requirements.
The Manager will lead the internal Collections team, with primary responsibility for delinquent retail automotive lease accounts less than 120 days past due. The role will also oversee accounts referred to third-party collection agencies, skip-tracing providers, bailiffs, repossession agents, legal counsel and other recovery-service providers, both before and after 120 days when appropriate.
This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong automotive-finance collections experience, sound judgment and the ability to build effective operations in a regulated, customer-focused environment.
Key Responsibilities
Program Development and Implementation
· Collaborate with clients and internal stakeholders to design, implement and maintain portfolio-specific collections and recoveries processes.
· Develop policies, procedures, process maps, authority limits, escalation protocols and operational controls.
· Translate approved collection strategies into account segmentation, work queues, contact strategies, correspondence, system controls and reporting.
· Establish procedures for payment arrangements, returned payments, customer hardship, disputes, complaints, settlements, voluntary surrenders, repossessions, bankruptcies, deceased customers, abandoned vehicles, suspected fraud, unauthorized exports and other material risks.
· Participate in system design, configuration, data validation, user-acceptance testing, implementation planning and operational-readiness activities.
· Maintain complete, current and auditable process documentation and continually improve processes based on client requirements, regulatory developments, portfolio results and industry best practices.
Collections and Recoveries Operations
· Manage day-to-day collection activity for assigned retail automotive lease accounts, primarily those less than 120 days past due.
· Implement risk-based collection strategies designed to cure delinquency, minimize losses and ensure professional and fair customer treatment.
· Monitor delinquency queues and prioritize accounts based on days past due, account history, customer circumstances, vehicle exposure and other risk factors.
· Review complex or higher-risk accounts and determine or recommend appropriate collection, escalation or recovery action within established authorities.
· Approve or recommend payment arrangements, settlements, voluntary surrenders, repossessions and other account resolutions.
· Manage significant customer escalations, complaints and sensitive account circumstances.
· Ensure accounts are referred promptly and accurately for third-party collections, skip tracing, legal action or repossession when required.
· Escalate circumstances that may require recovery action before 120 days, including suspected fraud, unauthorized export, abandonment, insurance default or other material risks.
· Coordinate the handoff of recovered vehicles to the appropriate storage, inspection, remarketing or disposition process.
Client and Vendor Management
· Maintain strong working relationships with client and internal operational, financial, legal, compliance and technology stakeholders.
· Collaborate with clients to establish collection strategies, service standards, delegated authorities, escalation requirements and performance measures.
· Provide timely reporting and recommendations concerning delinquency, account outcomes, emerging risks and operational performance, and participate in regular client governance and portfolio-performance meetings.
· In collaboration with clients, establish and manage relationships with collection agencies, skip tracers, bailiffs, repossession agents, legal counsel and other recovery providers.
· Support vendor selection, due diligence, contracting, onboarding and performance reviews.
· Establish and monitor assignment rules, service levels, reporting requirements, fee controls and compliance expectations.
· Review vendor recommendations, expenses and performance, escalating deficiencies and implementing corrective actions where required.
· Confirm that vendors maintain appropriate licences, insurance, security practices and regulatory compliance.
Team Leadership
· Recruit, onboard, train and lead a high-performing bilingual Collections team.
· Establish clear objectives, quality standards, productivity expectations and accountabilities.
· Manage workloads, staffing requirements, schedules and capacity to support national customer coverage.
· Provide regular coaching, feedback and professional development.
· Conduct call and file-quality reviews to ensure collection activity is effective, accurate, professional and compliant.
· Maintain current training materials, procedures and job aids, and foster a culture of accountability, sound judgment, collaboration, respectful customer treatment and continuous improvement.
Performance Compliance and Controls
· Establish and monitor portfolio-specific KPIs in collaboration with clients and internal stakeholders.
· Report on delinquency, roll rates, cure rates, customer contacts, promises to pay, repossession and redemption activity, recoveries, complaints, productivity, quality and vendor performance.
· Analyze portfolio trends and recommend improvements to collection strategies, workflows and resource allocation.
· Ensure all collection and recovery activity complies with applicable legislation, regulatory requirements, contractual obligations, client requirements and internal procedures.
· Maintain effective controls over customer information, payments, settlements, repossession decisions, vendor assignments and account adjustments.
· Ensure accurate records are maintained for customer contacts, account decisions, approvals, complaints and enforcement activity.
· Support client reviews, audits and regulatory inquiries and promptly escalate material operational, compliance, financial or reputational risks.
Qualifications and Experience
· Minimum eight years of progressive experience in consumer collections, recoveries or loss mitigation, preferably within automotive finance, retail leasing, banking or another secured consumer-finance environment.
· Minimum three to five years of experience leading a collections or recoveries team.
· Strong knowledge of retail automotive lease or loan collections, vehicle repossession and third-party recovery processes.
· Experience managing collection agencies, skip tracers, bailiffs, repossession agents, legal counsel or comparable providers.
· Experience developing or materially improving collections policies, procedures, workflows, controls and reporting.
· Experience implementing, configuring or testing a collections, loan-servicing or lease-servicing platform is strongly preferred.
· Working knowledge of Canadian requirements affecting consumer collections, privacy, insolvency and secured-asset recovery.
· Fluency in English and French, written and spoken, is required to support customers, clients and vendors across Canada.
· Post-secondary education in business, finance, accounting, legal studies or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent relevant professional experience will be considered.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and experience with collections, lease-servicing, workflow or customer-relationship-management systems.
· Experience with reporting and analytics tools such as Power BI is an asset.
Skills and Attributes
· Strong operational and people leadership.
· Proven ability to design and implement new processes.
· Sound judgment and effective decision-making.
· Excellent negotiation, conflict-resolution and escalation-management skills.
· Strong analytical, organizational and communication capabilities.
· Collaborative approach to working with clients, colleagues and external partners.
· High degree of integrity, discretion and attention to detail.
Compensation
The expected base salary range for this position is $100,000 to $125,000 annually, depending on the successful candidate's experience and qualifications.
The Company also offers a competitive benefits program and may provide performance-based incentive compensation.
Employment Equity and Accessibility
This posting is for a newly created position. The Company is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process.
