Job Description

Join us and be part of a dynamic, customer-focused team that's responsive, flexible, and driven by a commercial mindset. Together, we'll align resources to deliver a professional service tailored to the organisation's future needs.


The Opportunity

Salary:

27,254 to 28,598per annum

Working Pattern:

Full time, 37 hours per week

Location:

County Hall, Chichester and hybrid working from home

Interview date:

w/c 10 November 2025



The Finance Directorate plays a leading role in shaping the future of the Council, by being responsive to customer and stakeholder needs through an empowered, flexible and commercially focused team and by aligning resources to provide a professional service appropriate to future organisational needs. This is in addition to keeping WSCC safe and secure through appropriate financial control. The Directorate will ensure that the basics are done well with emphasis on challenging the County Council to spend its money better.



This post is in respect of collections within the Accounts Receivable team and primarily consists of following a variety of core debt collection processes in order to provide efficient debt collection.



As the Senior Finance Assistant, you will provide a reliable, efficient and effective service of a high-level administrative nature. Tasks include liaising with clients by telephone, e-mail and letter regarding debt, responding to typical client queries, giving standard information and guidance relating to the service, maintaining records, following up and escalating cases for further action if required, producing standard correspondence and providing support with day to day processes when required in accordance to set procedures.


What are we looking for?


You will possess relevant technical knowledge of procedures and practices associated with operating a specialist Debt Collections administrative service. You will also possess good working knowledge of MS Excel and Oracle or other similar equivalent IT finance and performance systems, as well as sound and accurate overall IT knowledge including Microsoft Office. You will have knowledge and awareness of the processes and systems associated with working within a financial and performance management environment including an awareness of accounting principles and/or performance analysis methodologies. Organises own workload, planning work over a period of months in co-ordination with others to meet service objectives and deliver a customer focused service. Responds to unanticipated problems where there are no set procedures to follow, such as presenting material in a different manner to suit the needs of the client.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the attached.

Working for us


As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide a great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, have access to a range of benefits including:


an excellent

local government pension scheme

generous holiday entitlement of

25

days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave) a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave volunteering opportunities training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over 1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our

Staff discounts page

if you are a business looking to offer a discount) health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans

For a full list this can be found at our

Rewards and Benefits page.

Further information


The reference number for this role is

CRS00988

.



For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Simon Hopkins (Accounts Receivable Manager) at

simon.s.hopkins@westsussex.gov.uk

. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact

hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk

.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.



We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our

application help

page.



CC



LOCATION

Chichester area

CONTRACT TYPE

Permanent

JOB TYPE

Finance and Accountancy

CLOSING DATE

02 November 2025