WAYNE ALLAN PALMER
Guildford,Australia
Summary
Dynamic credit management professional with extensive experience in shared services and transformational environments. Proven ability to drive continuous improvement through innovative methodologies and foster a culture of growth. Skilled in leading strategic initiatives and collaborating with stakeholders to resolve complex challenges and deliver impactful outcomes. Track record of completing projects on time and within budget, supported by strong troubleshooting skills and a commitment to operational excellence.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
National Credit & Revenue Manager
The Salvation Army
07.2019 - Current
- A strategic leadership role responsible for driving transformation across national credit and revenue operations. Tasked with delivering an efficient and scalable Shared Services model by reengineering processes, championing innovation, and embedding automation aligned with the organisation’s strategic goals.
- Actively contributed to the Shared Services Leadership Team, ensuring all initiatives delivered measurable progress against strategic objectives.
- Provided hands-on leadership through structured coaching and mentoring to uplift operational capability and drive a culture of continuous improvement.
- Oversaw the development and deployment of scalable, automated Accounts Receivable processes across all divisions, including feasibility studies for new systems.
- Introduced performance metrics and dashboards to monitor and report AR outcomes in line with organisational KPIs.
- Delivered timely and data-driven financial reports covering performance, compliance, revenue, and contract obligations on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
- Led the design and governance of master data systems for accurate and consistent billing practices.
- Directed end-to-end AR processes including billing, customer receipting, debt recovery, dunning strategies, and sub-ledger reconciliations.
- Administered bad debt and risk procedures in compliance with TSA’s financial authority and governance frameworks.
- Unified billing systems and introduced streamlined billing protocols across national operations.
- Built and nurtured strong relationships across internal departments and external partners, ensuring collaborative resolution of challenges and alignment with business priorities.
- Co-developed robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with key stakeholders, establishing shared goals and delivering integrated, customer-focused outcomes.
- Led a national team of up to 18 AR professionals, fostering a high-performance culture through structured performance management, coaching, and recognition.
- Drove change leadership initiatives by setting clear performance expectations, delivering consistent feedback, and implementing targeted development plans.
- Championed career development through mentoring, succession planning, and capability-building programs tailored to individual growth paths.
- Reengineered the National Invoice-to-Cash process, introducing automation tools that generated savings equivalent to 2 FTEs.
- Project-led the implementation of daily receipting and reconciliation across 850 sites, enhancing cash flow transparency.
- Designed and launched a commercial reporting framework paired with an automated collections system, streamlining debt management.
- Reduced 60+ day outstanding debts from 55% to 0.5% (as of June 2024), significantly improving working capital.
- Project-led the implementation for banking and receipting processes across 650 centres, enhancing cash flow transparency, consistent and accurate monthly reconciliations.
- Standardised national procedures for bank account reconciliations and debtor invoicing, improving consistency and compliance.
- Introduced a new national operating structure, optimising team design and reducing resource needs by 3 FTEs.
- Delivered end-to-end automation of receipting and payment processing, enabling daily reconciliation of national bank accounts.
National Credit Manager
Wesfarmers Industrial & Safety Pty Ltd
Greystanes
06.2018 - 06.2019
- Manage Centralised Transition of Credit Team from Qld to NSW (44 FTE)
- Management of Debtor accounts, 21,000 active with Collection balances ~ $900m PA
- Lead the Credit Function to meet best practice.
- Ensure the team achieves set KPI’s and metrics
- Manage Credit Risk Design and implement the corporate credit policy
- Ensure that exposure is minimised through the effective implementation of risk management strategies
- Approve a credit scoring model to best support customer on boarding efficiency
- Implement strategies to ensure cash targets and DSO reductions are achieved
- Drive continuous improvement of processes and practices
- Ensure customer credit files are accurately maintained
- Act as a key decision maker for proposed credit limit amendments following periodic Credit Reviews
- Drive the implementation of the formal dispute resolution process
- Maintain a department structure sufficient to meet all goals and objectives
- Manage the legal process to maximise cash flow and mitigate exposure
- Manage relations with external Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies and service providers along with
- Manage outsourced mail and invoice provider/s
- Manage relations with all stakeholders as the Head of National Credit Services
- Manage appropriate objectives to ensure performance is optimised
- Properly motivate the credit and collections staff
- Oversee the management of the department’s performance
- Comply and adhere to company policies and procedures
- Led national transition project, successfully centralising New Accounts, Credit Risk, General Markets Debtors (20,000+ accounts), and AR operations from QLD to NSW—realigning 20 FTEs to Sydney while retaining 21 FTEs in QLD for seamless continuity.
- Developed executive-level reporting by designing and implementing Debtors Month-End EXCO Board Reports, enhancing financial visibility for senior leadership.
- Built interactive dashboards integrating sales structure and credit risk data, enabling real-time decision-making and sales-credit alignment.
- Optimised customer onboarding by streamlining the New Accounts process, reducing turnaround time from 5 days to 48 hours through workflow automation.
- Realigned national collection strategies to mirror and support the Strategic Sales Structure, driving improved cash flow and AR efficiency.
- Redesigned customer-facing documents including Statements and Invoices, improving readability, branding consistency, and reducing payment disputes.
- Established structured business partner meetings with national and state-level AR teams, strengthening cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
- Recovered over $7M in aged debt Aged 2 year + through targeted remediation campaigns and proactive collection initiatives.
- Transformed promotional account billing processes, aligning them with standardised collection procedures—mitigating $1.1M in potential revenue leakage.
- Revived and modernised delinquency letter program, resulting in a 45% increase in related collections through consistent customer engagement.
- Acted as business process owner in collaboration with PwC, leading cross-functional workshops to resolve systemic process inefficiencies and strengthen end-to-end AR operations.
National Credit Manager
Rexel Group Holdings Pty Ltd
North Ryde
11.2016 - 06.2018
- In conjunction with the Chief Financial Officer develop procedures for investigating, granting and controlling credit and collecting accounts due while complying with Rexel Credit Policy and legal and ethical standards
- Manage relationship with Trade Insurer, ensuring all Policy requirements are met
- Liaise with external and internal customers in the administration of the trade receivables ledger to ensure it accurately represents individual debtor payment terms and credit limit
- Accountability and ownership of all Credit & Accounts receivable functions, 28 team members including 4 direct reports
- Management of 77,000 Debtor accounts, 23,000 active with balances ~ $1b PA
- Approve credit applications within delegated authority and submit to NCI for approval where authority level is exceeded
- Monitor debtor exposure against approved credit limits and initiate a formal review of the trading history for increase in credit limit where appropriate
- Identify process improvement & ongoing industry best practices
- Compile timely performance reports relevant to the activity of the credit department
- Liaise with external collection agency on litigation matters and establish contractual arrangements for the ongoing provision of this service
- Control bad debt recoveries and monitor bad and doubtful debt provisions ensuring provisions are maintained at an appropriate level.
- Identify staff training requirements and initiate programs for the professional development of credit staff
- Designed and implemented a branch-specific Aged Trial Balance (ATB) tool, enabling branch-level visibility and early action on overdue accounts, resulting in a 40% reduction in inbound calls to the Credit team.
- Automated proactive and delinquency letter workflows, leading to a 33% improvement in collections for accounts under $10K.
- Developed a simplified collections strategy targeting customers trading outside terms, improving cash flow and reducing overdue debt.
- Restructured the Credit Department to better align with evolving business needs, enhancing cross-functional collaboration and operational agility.
- Introduced automation of Credit Hold business rules, reducing manual intervention and lowering inbound call volumes by 25%.
- Delivered a national 'Credit Process Roadshow', providing branch teams with clarity on credit procedures and addressing common FAQs to boost internal engagement.
- Redesigned the Credit Application form to strengthen compliance and minimise exposure to uninsured credit risk.
- Implemented real-time Call Centre performance dashboards ('Wall Board Monitors'), improving visibility of customer service metrics and promoting service excellence.
- Launched an online credit application platform, integrating automated approval workflows and business rule logic to accelerate decision-making and improve the customer onboarding experience.
State Credit Manager NSW / ACT
Fletcher Building Group / Laminex Pty Ltd
Prospect, NSW
06.2016 - 10.2016
- Provide sound commercial advice to management in matters pertaining to credit and to assist Branch sales management to maximize debts through increased sales and to minimize debtors through improved and effective debt collections.
- Minimising Bad and Doubtful Debts
- Achieve Monthly collection targets
- Provide leadership, supervision and development of core credit tasks to Credit Officers.
- Ensure monthly KPIs for Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and % Overdue debt is met and/or report on
- Provide the means whereby all requests for credit limit increases are completed in line with the credit
- Preparation of month end reports
- Educate and train Branch Sales Manager’s and Sales Staff in the concept of credit management to
- Review all major accounts with credit limits in excess of $100,000
- Manage customers on credit hold and release sales orders as required.
- Provide trade references as required.
- Manage performance reviews of Credit Officers
- Liaise with (Debt Collectors, Solicitors Mercantile Agents)
- Being a State based role I was unable to utilise the skills I have gathered in owning and being accountable for the complete process. Limited innovations and process improvement opportunities.
National Credit Collection Team Leader
Lion Pty Ltd
Sydney Olympic Park, NSW
06.2012 - 05.2016
- Management of 60,000 Debtor accounts – $7b PA
- Attend to preparation and review of management reports; maintaining knowledge of balances outstanding and facilitating identification of potential issues.
- Provide an environment enabling strong and improved team member engagement whilst promoting training and development ensuring the sustainability of a high performing team
- Management of all Lion People Process requirements
- Supporting, training and motivating the Credit Team to enable achievement of work standards and strategic goals
- Team Leader for 6 Direct & 35 Indirect members
- Member of the Credit Leadership Team and Credit Steering Committee
- Develop and implement KPI's in line with stakeholder Service Level Agreements
- Continuously review operational processes and procedures to maximise efficiency and productivity and minimise costs.
- Implementing strategies to optimise cash collection and promote adherence to trading terms
- Drove a higher people engagement: Team Engagement Survey 65% 2012 to 85% 2015
- Designed, Developed and Implemented a Lion Credit Induction presentation for new team members
- Lion Stakeholder Business Engagement improvement within Order To Cash measurement from 68% in 2012 to 87% in 2015
- Continual process re-engineering / streamlining architecture of Lion Credit aligning with changing business requirements and best commercial practises. Savings over 3 years 8 FTE’s
- Succession planning for National Collections Team Leader.
- Ensure strong DSO / Aged Debt performance and minimal Bad & Doubtful Debt
- Design and implement collection strategies to maximise penetration of debtors and continuously improve working capital
- Design and implement key policies and initiatives; improving working capital of the company whilst increasing the skills capability of credit team members
- Manage Claims / Invoice process from a Collections perspective
- Liaison with and negotiation with third party collection agency
Education
AICM -
AICM
Melbourne, VIC01-1992
Skills
Credit management and risk mitigation
Process improvement and automation
Strategic leadership and transformation
Stakeholder engagement and business partnering
Data-driven decision-making and reporting
Team leadership and capability development
Timeline
National Credit & Revenue Manager
The Salvation Army
07.2019 - Current
National Credit Manager
Wesfarmers Industrial & Safety Pty Ltd
06.2018 - 06.2019
National Credit Manager
Rexel Group Holdings Pty Ltd
11.2016 - 06.2018
State Credit Manager NSW / ACT
Fletcher Building Group / Laminex Pty Ltd
06.2016 - 10.2016
National Credit Collection Team Leader
Lion Pty Ltd
06.2012 - 05.2016
AICM -
AICM