Job Description

Revenue Assistant

Location:

Civic Centre, ST4 1RN

Start Date:

ASAP

Contract Duration:

3+ Months

Working Hours:

Mon - Fri, 09:00 - 17:00, 37 Hours per week

Pay Rate:

21.99 per hour

Job Ref:

5273133

Job Responsibilities

Facilitate and administer the process of billing for Council Tax, Sundry Debts, and Business Rates. Support the collection of Council Tax, Sundry Debt, and Business Rates. Assist in the effective maintenance of accounts, considering liability, exemptions, reliefs, discounts, payment methods, and valuations. Apply changes to accounts and authorize invoices raised by internal departments. Take card payments using industry-standard software and understand payment card industry standards. Investigate unallocated payments in bank suspense and allocate payments to accounts. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and internal procedures. Assist with the collection of 350 million per year over three debt streams. Contribute to the prevention and detection of fraud and refer potentially fraudulent accounts to the fraud department. Set up direct debits and manage sensitive financial information confidentially. Reconcile banking reports and contact customers when a payment is recalled. Check and send the swipe card report to the external provider. Deal with billing exception reports and rebill accounts as necessary. Handle notification of deaths through Tell us Once or the Death List and update accounts accordingly. Trace debtors who have absconded using internal and external systems. Identify when a debt needs to be submitted for write off and use the correct write-off code on the systems. Assess and raise refunds. Effectively handle queries from the public, internal, and external organizations. Identify and rectify incorrect cash allocations. Identify incorrect debt summaries and refer to Revenue Officers for account cleansing. Manage telephone calls related to Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt, offering correct advice and support. Set up payment arrangements in line with internal processes, completing financial statements where necessary. Handle breathing space notifications and update accounts accordingly. Signpost customers to the correct services and identify eligibility for Council Tax support or hardship. Promote online services to residents and assist in account creation and linking. Work collaboratively with team members to achieve excellent performance. Provide advice to other town council employees regarding regulations and procedures. Carry out duties in accordance with legislation, codes of practice, and Council policies. Take responsibility for personal development and continued learning relevant to the role. Provide cover for Revenues Development Assistants as required.
Person Specification

Knowledge of Local Authority billing, recovery, and invoicing systems and procedures. Awareness of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support procedures and legislation, including the Welfare Reform Act 2012. Knowledge of Revenues billing and recovery statutory legislation. Understanding of the Data Protection Act 2018, specifically around GDPR and its impact on the Revenues Service. Experience operating billing, recovery, and invoicing systems. Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex issues in a customer-friendly manner. Proficient IT skills, including the use of office software such as Word and Excel, and department software systems. Ability to work both as part of a team and independently. Quick and accurate data entry skills across various IT systems. Problem-solving skills using individual expertise. Strong interpersonal skills to build effective relationships with staff and external companies. Ability to work well under pressure with a flexible approach to working. Persuasive and negotiation skills while maintaining an empathetic manner. Ability to positively and sympathetically interact with a diverse community. Commitment to providing high-quality customer services. Confidence in fulfilling all spoken aspects of the role through the medium of English.

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Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 3 months

Pay: 21.99 per hour

Expected hours: 37 per week

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: 5273133