Council Tax Officer

London Borough of Camden; Camden Town; On-site; GBP 35,030 - 42,815; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave for new starters

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working opportunities

Interest free loans

Career development and training

Wellbeing support and activities

Job summary

A local government authority in Camden seeks a Council Tax Officer to maximize revenue through effective administration of Council Tax and Business Rates. Responsibilities include customer interaction, handling recovery matters, and maintaining accurate records. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, knowledge of Council Tax processes, and the ability to work flexibly in a fast-paced environment. This role offers support for career development and wellbeing activities.

Qualifications

• Practical experience of Council Tax and relevant principles.
• Experience prioritizing workload with minimum supervision.
• Ability to communicate patiently with distressed individuals.

Responsibilities

• Deliver professional, customer-focused service for Council Tax.
• Liaise with taxpayers on the telephone and in writing.
• Handle recovery processes and negotiate payment plans.

Skills

Council Tax knowledge

Excellent IT skills

Effective communication

Problem solving

Education

IRRV qualification

Tools

CIVICA system

Job description

Join to apply for the Council Tax Officer role at London Borough of Camden

Salary: £38,923; Grade: Level 3, Zone 1; Location: 5 Pancras Square, London, N1C 4AG; Contract type: Permanent; Hours per week: 36; Closing date: Sunday 7th September 2025; 23:55

Overview

The role involves delivering a professional, customer-focused service while maximising revenue through the administration, collection and recovery of the Council Tax/Business Rates. You will deal directly with the public, answer written correspondence accurately and liaise with taxpayers on the telephone. You will predominantly handle later stages of recovery, including those at bailiff stage, discussing payment plans and liaising with enforcement agents. You may also trace absconders to settle old debts where post has been returned undelivered. You will act as a contact for customers, building ongoing relationships and ensuring records are updated accurately and timely, e.g. student accommodation. Periodic attendance at the Local Magistrates’ Court may be required to negotiate payment arrangements and address attendees’ queries. Other tasks include reviewing exemptions/discounts and administering Council Tax records to assist the Benefit service with assessing Council Tax reduction claims.

Key Requirements

• Practical experience of Council Tax and a good knowledge of all the relevant principles and procedures governing it
• Excellent IT and communication skills
• Ability to act professionally and communicate patiently but effectively with those in difficulty
• Experience of prioritising own workload with minimum supervision and ability to adapt to changing priorities and demands

Desirable

• CIVICA system experience desirable

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and will require a Basic DBS.

Job Profile

To view the Job Profile, copy and paste the following URL into your browser: http://camdocs.camden.gov.uk/HPRMWebDrawer/Record/11118279/file/document?inline

About you

To find out more about what it is like to work at Camden, meet some of our people by visiting www.camdenjobs.co.uk/our-stories. We’re looking for someone with excellent analytical, literacy, and written communication skills with knowledge of IT applications and software. You’ll be working in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to work flexibly, balancing competing priorities and meeting deadlines. You’ll be able to tactfully deal with a wide range of stakeholders both internally and externally, as well as using problem solving skills and initiative to provide a customer focused support service.

IRRV qualified or previous technical experience gained from having worked in a Council Tax customer-focused environment. An understanding of and experience of compliance with data protection/sharing and audit/financial standards.

More broadly, you’ll take the lead in identifying improvements to processes and systems, while effectively working as a team member to deliver our shared purpose.

What We Offer

• 27 days annual leave for new starters, rising to 31 days after 5 years
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible working opportunities
• Interest free loans
• Access to our staff networks
• Career development and training
• Wellbeing support and activities

Inclusion and Diversity

We want Camden Council to be a great place to work and to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and those of Other Ethnicities, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equalities and justice remains at the heart of everything we do.

To discover more about Camden and our commitment towards diversity, equality and safeguarding, please visit www.camdenjobs.co.uk/staff-benefits for more details.

Anonymised Application – in keeping with Camden’s commitment to inclusion the recruitment to this role is anonymised and supports the objective of reducing the impact of unconscious bias.

Asking for Adjustments

Camden is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. If you would like us to do anything differently during the application, interview or assessment process, including providing information in an alternative format, please contact us on 020 7974 6655, [e-mail] or post to 5 Pancras Square, London, N1C 4AG.