Summary
A credit manager is responsible for protecting a company’s assets by investigating and assessing the “credit worthiness” of potential customers. Specifically, a credit manager may be tasked to do credit reviews of existing customers, assess credit worthiness of potential customers, and work on the application of a credit policy. Credit managers are also assigned in ensuring the company has a good mix of sales and bad debt losses.
Duties
A credit manager often has a long list of duties and responsibilities. The tasks can be divided as management and credit operations tasks. As for the management tasks, a credit manager is tasked to maintain the organizational structure of the department in order to meet the set of objectives and goals; to facilitate relations with collection agencies; to foster a good relationship with insurance providers, credit reporting agencies, and the sales department. Meanwhile, as for the credit operations, a credit manager is mainly expected to work on the corporate credit policy to be imposed. Other tasks of credit managers include working on customer credit files, monitoring credit granting and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Education and Training Requirements
Most companies prefer credit managers with relevant educational background. Someone who finished a degree in finance, accounting, business administration, and economics could make of a good credit manager. The requirements depend on the preferences of the company. Some employers do not put bearing on the college degree, while some consider it as the most important requirement.
Knowledge and Skills Requirements
For those who want to be a credit manager, effective interpersonal skills are important since it is about managing a group of people. A credit manager should also be someone who can work effectively within a team and has the ability to solve problems under pressure. Credit managers should also be creative thinkers. They should also be professional, confident, and motivated when they collect payments.
Working Conditions
Credit managers work inside the office. Depending on the accounts they handle, credit managers may also be assigned to do field works to talk with existing and potential clients. Most managers in this industry work under pressure due to their financial duties. This job is often a traditional full time job with 40 hours a week reporting requirement.
Salary
Earnings are still dependent on the skills, experience, and education of a credit manager. The size of the company employing the credit manager is also a factor. The average annual salary of credit managers is pegged at $72,329.
