JOB SCOPE:
The Head of Collection is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing and directing the full spectrum of debt collection activities for the organization's consumer and/or commercial loan portfolio. Based in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, this role manages a team of approximately 25 collection officers and team leaders, driving recovery performance, compliance, and continuous process improvement. The incumbent will play a pivotal role in minimizing non-performing loans (NPLs) and ensuring sustainable portfolio health.
PRIMARY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead, coach, and manage a team of ~25 collection staff including team leaders, negotiators, and field officers across all delinquency buckets (pre-due, early, mid, and late-stage collections).
- Set, monitor, and achieve monthly and quarterly collection KPIs including roll rates, Cure rates, Impairment movement and promise-to-pay (PTP) fulfillment.
- Develop and implement segmented collection strategies aligned to customer risk profiles and delinquency buckets.
- Oversee field collection operations, skip tracing, legal referrals, and repossession activities in compliance with Hire Purchase Act and relevant regulatory guidelines.
- Collaborate with Recovery (Repo) , Loan Origination (business) , Finance and Legal teams to escalate and resolve high-risk accounts and negotiate payment arrangements.
- Conduct regular performance reviews, coaching sessions, and training programs to upskill collection officers in negotiation, compliance, and digital tools.
- Prepare and present collection performance dashboards, NPL reports, and recovery trend analyses to senior management.
- Manage and negotiate with external collection agencies, repossession agents, and legal counsel to maximize recovery outcomes.
- Ensure all collection activities adhere to the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) fair-debt collection practices, and internal policies.
- Continuously review and improve collection SOPs, call scripts, workflow systems, and digital engagement strategies
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Minimum Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or any other related field.
- Minimum 5-8 years of progressive experience in collections, credit recovery, or related financial services roles, with at least 3–5 years in a managerial/leadership capacity.
- Proven track record of leading large teams (20+ staff) in a fast-paced financial institution, fintech, or licensed moneylender environment.
- Strong knowledge of Malaysian lending regulations including BNM guidelines, Hire Purchase Act, Moneylenders Act 1951, and PDPA 2010.
- Demonstrated ability to analyse portfolio data, identify trends, and implement data-driven recovery strategies.
- Excellent leadership, interpersonal, and negotiation skills with high emotional intelligence.
- Fluent in Bahasa Malaysia and English; proficiency in Mandarin or other local dialects is an advantage.