Positive Employment is currently recruiting for a Senior Revenue And Benefits Officer for our client local government organisation based in Teignbridge.
The successful candidate will be an Experienced Council Tax and recovery officer to assist with day to day, workloads and 'paused' tasks as the organisation enter a busy summer period of reviews, recovery and empty homes initiative.
This is a 6 month starting contract with the possibility to extend. Remote working available, however a local candidate able to attend the office is preferred.
Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:
- Undertake prompt and efficient billing, collection, and recovery of monies due to the organisation in accordance with legislation, guidance, best practice, and local policy.
- Make timely and accurate decisions on liability and entitlement to reliefs, discounts, exemptions, and reductions including Working Age Council Tax Reduction claims (WACTR), updating the account, and notifying the decision as required.
- Ensure timely and accurate action relating to Direct Debit instructions, including setting up new accounts, amendment of existing instructions, processing BACS errors and warnings lists.
- Administer refunds and write-offs.
- Trace absconders.
- Negotiate payment arrangements in order to maximise recovery and minimise ongoing, escalating debt.
- Monitor cases where liability orders have been obtained taking the most appropriate action to recover outstanding arrears.
- Refer appropriate accounts to the organisation's authorised Enforcement or Collection Agents.
- Initiate 'Attachment to Earnings' and 'Attachment to Benefit' orders, monitoring arrangements and following up, as necessary.
- Identify and escalate cases for 'last resort' recovery action including County Court, bankruptcy, insolvency, charging orders and committal.
- Be proactive in maximising collection and recovery of debt, including participation in targeted activity such as telephone call campaigns.
Personal Requirements:
- Detailed and comprehensive knowledge of Revenue (Council Tax and enforcement) legislation.
- Experienced within a Revenue and Benefit setting (5+years).
- Able to use Civica systems - Open Revenues and D360 (previously known as Comino).
- Able to use Microsoft Office.
Working Hours: 09:00am - 17:00pm, Monday - Friday
Pay: £24.42 p/h
Please note this role is within the scope of IR35.