Cost Recovery/ Debt Assistant (Band 6/AO)

Health and Safety Executive; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A public health and safety agency in Liverpool is seeking a dedicated professional to manage debt recovery cases within their central finance division. This part-time role offers flexible working hours and involves interacting with various stakeholders, handling customer inquiries, and negotiating payment plans. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication and negotiation skills and experience in a fast-paced office environment. Join the team and contribute positively to health and safety across Great Britain's workplaces.

Benefits

25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 after 5 years

Access to the Civil Service Pension Scheme

Flexible working options

Family friendly policies

Health and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Ability to manage a workload and work as part of a team.
• Experience in a fast-paced office setting is advantageous.
• Competence in MS Office, particularly Word and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Manage allocation of debt cases for recovery regimes.
• Handle customer queries related to invoices and payments.
• Identify debt cases for referral to external entities.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Teamwork

MS Office proficiency

Job description

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the independent regulator for work‑related health and safety. We act in the public interest to reduce work‑related illness, death and serious injury across Great Britain's workplaces.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in HSE's central finance division. The primary purpose of the role is to deliver debt recovery activity working with both internal and external stakeholders, as part of the Cost Recovery and Expenses Team.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Responsibilities

• Manage an allocation of debt cases for HSE's cost recovery regimes, involving contact with a full range of external duty holders via telephone, email and letter
• Dealing with customer queries by email and telephone in relation to invoices and payments. Working internally with colleagues, externally with customers and our Shared Services provider
• Negotiating and monitoring payment plans for outstanding invoices
• Identifying debt cases for referral to external third parties including our debt collection agency
• Registering HSE debts with insolvency companies
• Providing support and working openly within the Cost Recovery and Expenses Team on other ad hoc duties for example running daily financial reports

Assessment Criteria

• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

HSE reserve the right to conduct additional checks, including Google and social media checks, when recruiting candidates into a role within HSE. These checks will be carried out in line with the Civil Service Commission Principles and, if used all candidates will be subject to these additional checks.

From 23rd June 2025, if you are successful at interview, as part of your pre‑employment checks, HSE's Recruitment Team are required to check your details against the Internal Fraud Hub (IFH), using your personal details - name, NINO, and date of birth. If you are included on the database, you will be refused employment. If you believe that there has been an error in the inclusion of your data and wish to make an appeal, please contact the CO email box [e-mail] .

Details of the types of internal fraud/dishonesty covered by this process are defined by the Cabinet Office and can be found here Internal Fraud Register privacy notice - GOV.UK

It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.

Progression through pay ranges is subject to annual pay awards as permitted within annual Civil Service pay remit guidance and negotiations with Trade Unions.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example, if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: [e-mail]

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

• Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
• People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Nationality Requirements

• UK nationals
• National of the Republic of Ireland
• National of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• National of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• National of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Competencies

• Competent in the use of MS Office, particularly Word and Excel;
• Experience of working in a fast‑paced office setting
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to plan and manage your own workload effectively
• Ability to communicate with others at all levels

This post will require knowledge transfer and training from the existing Bootle based team which will require attendance for 3‑5 days per week during the training period.

Alongside your salary of £28,499, Health and Safety Executive contributes £8,256 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97%, far more than in the private sector.
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
• Parental leave benefits
• As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E‑Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.