Credit & Collections Representative (German Speaker)

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

Credit & Collections Representative – German Speaker

Location: Paisley / Inchinnan, Scotland | Hybrid – 3 days per week onsite
Permanent | Full time | Core hours: 8:00am–4:30pm

Build your career in an international team where your ideas are valued

When you join Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll be part of a global organisation doing work that matters. With annual revenues of approximately $40 billion and significant investment in R&D, we give our people the resources and opportunities to make meaningful contributions to the world.

We’re looking for a German-speaking Credit & Collections Representative to join our Accounts Receivable team in Paisley.

This isn’t simply a role about chasing payments.

You’ll take ownership of a portfolio of up to 300 customer accounts, working across the credit and collections lifecycle while investigating more complex account issues, identifying root causes and partnering with teams across the business to find solutions.

You’ll primarily support German customers so fluent German (written and spoken) is essential.

And if your background is in Customer Service rather than Finance? We’d still like to hear from you. We’re interested in people with strong judgement, confidence and customer communication skills who are motivated to develop their expertise in Credit & Collections.

What will you do?

You’ll take ownership of an allocated customer portfolio, balancing effective debt collection with strong customer relationships and sound credit decisions.

On a typical day, you could be:

• Proactively speaking with customers, primarily by telephone, to understand outstanding invoices and agree payment timelines.
• Prioritising high-value invoices and critical accounts to maximise collections.
• Investigating complex account issues and carrying out root-cause analysis to find sustainable solutions.
• Assessing and maintaining credit limits for new and existing customers in line with company policy.
• Reviewing accounts and making decisions around credit holds and the timely release of customer orders.
• Partnering with Customer Care, Commercial, Sales and other internal teams to resolve account issues.
• Investigating customer queries and disputes and coordinating with relevant teams to reach a prompt resolution.
• Reviewing complex accounts and recommending appropriate next steps to your Supervisor.
• Working with customers and the Cash Allocation team to ensure payments and credits are correctly allocated.
• Keeping customer records, actions, disputes and follow-ups accurate and up to date within our systems.
• Working towards agreed collection targets and Service Level Agreements.
• Identifying opportunities to improve existing processes and bringing fresh ideas to the team.
• Supporting and mentoring colleagues joining the wider Order-to-Cash organisation.

You’ll also ensure activities are completed in line with Thermo Fisher Scientific policies, internal controls and Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.

Who are we looking for?

Fluency in German and English (written and spoken) is essential, as you’ll regularly communicate with German-speaking customers.

Beyond that, we’re looking for someone who is confident communicating with customers and stakeholders, enjoys solving problems and is comfortable taking ownership.

You’ll ideally bring:

• Experience within Credit & Collections, Accounts Receivable or a related environment; or strong Customer Service experience with an interest in developing within Finance.
• Excellent customer communication and relationship-building skills.
• Confidence handling challenging conversations and negotiating effectively with customers.
• Good judgement and the ability to work independently when investigating issues.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• The ability to prioritise effectively while managing multiple accounts and responsibilities.
• A collaborative approach when working with colleagues and stakeholders across different functions.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, including Excel and Outlook.

Previous experience with systems such as Oracle E1, SAP or CForia would be advantageous, as would a qualification in Accounting, Finance or a related discipline – but neither is essential for the right candidate.

Meet the team

You’ll report to the Supervisor, Accounts Receivable and become part of a supportive, international team based in Paisley.

The team believes in supporting one another and celebrating success together. They’re also keen to welcome people who bring new perspectives and can look at existing ways of working differently.

What we offer

We want our colleagues to feel supported both inside and outside of work. Alongside your salary, you will have access to a comprehensive and flexible UK benefits package designed around your health, financial wellbeing and lifestyle.

Why join us?

This role offers an opportunity to develop much more than traditional collections experience.

You’ll gain exposure to end-to-end credit management, complex account investigations, root-cause analysis and cross-functional problem solving, while working within a highly international environment.

If you’re fluent in German, enjoy working with customers and want a role where you can combine communication, analysis and problem solving, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today and help us make a difference at Thermo Fisher Scientific.