Credit Controller, EMEA at Kao

Founded in Japan in 1887, Kao is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives with our high-quality products and services to create a Kirei Life for all – a beautiful life that respects the needs of our consumers and customers as well as the planet. We never compromise on quality and craft our products with care for the consumer and the environment.  As a company driven by purpose and strong corporate values, we pride ourselves to be listed among the World´s Most Ethical Companies since 16 consecutive years. 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.

The Credit Controller supports the organization’s financial health by prioritizing daily tasks to focus on those with the greatest impact, staying mission-driven to enable sustainable growth, and approaching each interaction professionally with a solution-oriented mindset to build trust with stakeholders. The role also contributes to continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to streamline processes, share insights, and enhance the efficiency of the credit and collections function.

Key Requirements:

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.
Prioritize 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 behavior 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’ll need:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, preferably in Accounting or Finance.
Fluent in English; knowledge of other European languages such as German, French, or Dutch is an advantage.
3+ years of experience in a Credit and Collections environment.
Experience working in a changing environment with a strong focus on process improvement.
Experience leading projects and/or implementing process improvements.
Ability to prioritize your workload effectively and deliver results.
Relevant system knowledge (preferably SAP/S4Hana) and strong proficiency in Excel.
Detail-oriented with the ability to manage shifting priorities.

How we work: Having been selected among the World´s Most Ethical Companies for 16 consecutive years, we are a company with a purpose and strong corporate values. We never compromise on quality and craft our products with care for the consumer and the environment. At Kao, each employee can actively shape their job and their career. We work collaboratively to achieve our common goals, always aiming to deliver the best for our customers.

What we offer: 

A friendly and flexible work environment with the possibility to work remotely.

You will get a competitive salary, 25 holidays (+2 days extra) – based on a 40h work week, and free Kao products. At Kao we are very supportive of charity and volunteer work. To facilitate this, Kao provides for one extra day off per year to do volunteer work.

We also offer ongoing development via our own Kao Academy and LinkedIn Learning, and the opportunity to enhance your skills and deliver tangible results.

At Kao your voice will be heard. Your opinion really counts. We believe that change comes from taking opportunities into your own hands, so we value and reward entrepreneurial thinking and innovation.

Hiring Process: Kao embraces the diversity and the individual personalities of its people because we believe it is diversity that makes us strong. Therefore, we welcome applications from all areas of the global community. 

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