Credit Controller, EMEA
Key Skills
Job Description
We are Kao, listed as one of the world’s most ethical companies for the last 20 years. Our EMEA brand portfolio spans across three sectors; Consumer Care (John Frieda, Guhl, Bondi Sands, Bioré, Jergens, Curél), Professional Hair (Goldwell, Oribe, KMS Hair, Kerasilk), and Molton Brown. Our corporate philosophy, The Kao Way, guides us in everything we do – acting with integrity, courageously driving innovation, and treating each other with trust and respect. About our role: As a Credit Collector, you’ll play a key role in supporting our financial performance and sustainable growth, with a particular focus on serving our business and customers in Italy. Beyond managing outstanding receivables and maintaining healthy account balances, you’ll act as a proactive, value-adding business partner. By prioritising high-impact activities, building trusted stakeholder relationships, driving results with a solution-oriented approach, and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, you’ll help strengthen our credit and collections function and contribute to the wider success of the organisation. What you will do: Proactively Manage and Collect Outstanding Receivables; Ensure timely follow-up on overdue accounts, maintain accurate records of collection activities, and work closely with customers to resolve payment issues while maintaining positive relationships. Prioritise High-Impact Activities; Focus daily efforts on accounts and actions that drive the most value—such as high-risk or high-value receivables—ensuring efficient use of time and resources Collaborate as a Business Partner; Act as a liaison between finance and commercial teams, providing insights into customer payment behaviour and supporting decision-making with data-driven recommendations. Contribute to Process Improvement; Identify recurring issues, inefficiencies, or bottlenecks in the collections process and propose or support initiatives to streamline operations and enhance performance. Ensure Compliance and Reporting Accuracy; Adhere to internal controls, company policies, and regulatory requirements while maintaining up-to-date and accurate documentation for audits and performance reporting. What you will need: Bachelor/ Master educational level preferably in the Accounting and finance field Required languages: Italian: C2/native-level proficiency. English: fluent. 3+ years’ experience in a Credit and Collection environment. Experienced working within a changing environment with a continued focus on process improvement. Experience in running projects and/ or process improvements Ability to prioritize your own workload and getting things done. Relevant system knowledge (preferably SAP/S4Hana) and proficiency in Excel. Detail oriented, and able to manage shifting priorities. At Kao, we believe the diversity of our teams strengthens our global mission. Here we trust and respect each other, collaborating in a friendly and inclusive work environment to achieve great results. What you can expect from us: An entrepreneurial environment where passionate and innovative teams come together. Respect, teamwork and collaboration are at the heart of how we work. A workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, with opportunities to get involved in initiatives such as Mental Health First Aiders, our Charity Committee, and DE&I communities A broad range of benefits, including flexible working, competitive salaries, health and wellbeing offers, pension schemes, insurance options, and more… Learning and development opportunities Your voice matters here, we value entrepreneurial thinking and innovation from our teams. To find out why 33,000 people across the Globe work at Kao please visit: https://candidate-brochure.kao.com/kao-emea/full-view.html https://www.kao.com/emea/en/careers/ Discover careers at Kao and how we live our purpose, Kirei – Making Life Beautiful. https://kao.voyse.io/ Our Privacy Policy: https://www.kao.com/emea/en/privacy/
Core Responsibilities
Manage overdue receivables, prioritize high-risk and high-value accounts, and work with customers to resolve payment issues while maintaining positive relationships. Partner with finance and commercial teams, improve collections processes, and ensure compliance and accurate documentation and reporting.
Requirements
A bachelor's or master's educational level is preferred, ideally in accounting or finance, along with at least three years of credit and collections experience. The role requires native-level Italian and fluent English, process-improvement and project experience, strong prioritization and attention to detail, and preferably SAP/S4HANA and Excel proficiency.
Benefits
- Flexible Working
- Competitive Salary
- Health and Wellbeing Offers
- Pension Schemes
- Insurance Options
- Learning and Development Opportunities
About Kao EMEA & Americas
Industry: Personal Care Product Manufacturing
Company size: 10,001+ employees
This is the official account of Kao in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and the Americas region with our main hubs in London (UK), Darmstadt (Germany), Amersfoort (the Netherlands) and Cincinnati (USA). We focus on our Beauty Care business with premium brands in three business sectors: Consumer Care, Salon and Molton Brown. Our Consumer Care business represents iconic skin and hair care brands that are recognized for their innovation and quality across the globe, including John Frieda, Guhl, Bioré, Bondi Sands, Curél and Jergens. Our Salon Business is committed to unleashing the creativity of stylists, salons and consumers around the globe. With our brands Goldwell, Oribe, KMS Hair, Kerasilk and Varis, stylists have everything in their hands to create beautiful show-stopping hair representative of the individuality of their clients. Our London-based luxury brand Molton Brown, offers fragrance, body and bath products found only in our exclusive Molton Brown stores, high-end department stores and travel retail, as well as five-star hotels around the world. All three business sectors are driven by the same values and beliefs: We strive to create a Kirei life for people, society and the planet through creation and innovation that enables more sustainable lifestyles. The Japanese word kirei, meaning “clean, well-ordered, and beautiful,” reflects our purpose. And because our people are our greatest asset, we foster an environment where everyone can grow, flourish and help us make life beautiful. Globally, Kao has strived to deliver value to the life of people everywhere in the world since the company's founding in 1887. As a Japan-based manufacturer of personal care and household products, cosmetics, and specialty chemicals, Kao creates high-value-added products and services that provide care and enrichment for the life of all people and the planet.