Revenue Assistant

Revenue Assistant

Location: Civic Centre, ST4 1RN

Start Date: ASAP

Contract Duration: 5+ Months

Working Hours: Mon – Fri, 09:00 – 17:00, 37 Hours per week

Pay Rate: £ 21.99 per hour

Job Ref: (phone number removed)

Responsibilities

Facilitate and administer the billing process for Council Tax, Sundry Debts, and Business Rates.

Support the collection of Council Tax, Sundry Debt, and Business Rates.

Assist in maintaining Council Tax, Sundry Debt, and Business Rates accounts, considering liability, exemptions, reliefs, discounts, payment methods, and valuations.

Apply changes to Council Tax and Business Rates 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 identify payments to be allocated to accounts.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt legislation and internal procedures.

Contribute to the prevention and detection of fraud and refer potentially fraudulent accounts to the fraud department.

Set up direct debits and handle sensitive financial information confidentially and securely.

Reconcile banking reports and contact customers when a payment is recalled.

Check and send the swipe card report to an external provider.

Handle billing exception reports and rebill accounts as necessary.

Update accounts based on notifications of deaths through Tell us Once or the Death List.

Trace debtors who have absconded using internal and external systems.

Identify debts for write-off and use correct write-off codes on systems.

Assess and raise refunds.

Deal with queries from the public, internal, and external organizations promptly and effectively.

Correctly allocate cash and rectify misallocations.

Identify incorrect debt summaries and refer to Revenue Officers for account cleansing.

Handle telephone calls related to Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt, providing advice and support.

Set up payment arrangements and special payment arrangements according to internal processes.

Manage breathing space notifications and update accounts accordingly.

Direct customers to appropriate services, including debt advice, and identify eligibility for Council Tax support or hardship.

Promote online services to residents and assist in creating and linking accounts to Council Tax or Business Rates accounts.

Collaborate with team members to achieve excellent performance in line with legislation and corporate objectives.

Advise other town council employees on Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt regulations and procedures.

Ensure all duties comply with legislation, codes of practice, and Council policies and procedures.

Take responsibility for personal development and implementation of a personal development plan relevant to the role.

Provide cover for Revenues Development Assistants as required.

Perform any other duties commensurate with the grading of the post.

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 use of Word, 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 for building effective relationships with staff and external companies.

Ability to work well under pressure and maintain a flexible approach to work.

Persuasive and negotiation skills with an empathetic approach.

Ability to interact positively and sympathetically with a diverse community.

Commitment to providing high-quality customer service.

Confidence in fulfilling all spoken aspects of the role through English.

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