Debt Recovery Manager

LONDON BOROUGH OF BRENT; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 57,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Local Government Pension Scheme

27 days annual leave

Family friendly policies

Hybrid working patterns

Job summary

London Borough of Brent is seeking a Debt Recovery Manager to provide strategic leadership and operational management across debt recovery portfolios, including Council Tax, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Adult Social Care, Business Rates and Sundry Debt.

You will lead a team of up to 15 officers and drive recovery strategies to maximise income while ensuring compliance with legislation and council policies.

Qualifications

• Experience within or with local authorities, with a strong understanding of debt recovery and collection services across Business Rates, Council Tax and Sundry Debts.
• Experience leading or managing in a local authority debt collection environment, with the ability to manage people and performance and work with a diverse customer base.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day delivery of debt recovery across portfolios and lead a team of up to 15 officers.
• Develop and implement recovery strategies to maximise income and improve collection performance.
• Set and monitor performance targets; ensure activity complies with legislation and council policies.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to remove barriers and improve processes.
• Make decisions on complex and high-value cases, including legal escalation and write-off recommendations.

Skills

Debt recovery

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Job description

Debt Recovery Manager

Salary - £57,150 - £60,393 (depending on experience as per the JD)

Hybrid Working - 3 days in the office

Location - Wembley Park

Your new organisation

At London Borough of Brent, finance is more than just producing the accounts - it s about enabling transformation, safeguarding public resources, and helping shape the future of our borough. Working closely with colleagues across the council to ensure that financial insight is at the heart of decision-making. Their work is grounded in fairness, inclusion, and respect, and great pride is taken in creating a team environment where every voice is heard, and every success is celebrated. These values are not just aspirations- they are embedded in how they lead, how they support each other, and how they deliver for Brent s communities.

Your new role

As the Debt Recovery Manager, you will provide both strategic leadership and operational management across a range of debt recovery portfolios, including Council Tax, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Adult Social Care, Business Rates and Sundry Debt.

Leading a team of up to 15 officers, you will oversee day-to-day delivery, develop and implement recovery strategies, maximise income collection and improve collection performance. You will set and monitor performance targets, support and develop the team, and ensure recovery activity complies with relevant legislation and Council policies.

Working closely with internal teams and external partners, you will help remove barriers, improve processes and enhance the customer journey. You will also make decisions on complex and high-value cases, including legal escalation, vulnerable resident considerations and write-off recommendations.

What you need to succeed

• Experience working within, or in partnership with, local authorities, with a strong understanding of debt recovery and collection services across areas such as Business Rates, Adult Social Care, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Council Tax and Sundry Debts.
• Experience leading or managing in a local authority debt collection environment, with the ability to manage people and performance and work effectively with a diverse customer base in a challenging environment.
• Strong organisational, communication and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial information and legislation and make sound decisions.

• Ability to manage people and performance, including coaching and developing staff.

Benefits include

• Competitive salary
• The opportunity to join the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Generous holiday entitlements starting from 27 days' holiday a year
• A range of family friendly policies, including generous maternity and paternity entitlements and childcare schemes
• Flexible working patterns, including hybrid working
• Training and development opportunities
• Good travel links in and out of Wembley and a range of cost saving travel schemes
• Access to My Brent Rewards, our dedicated website for staff with big brand discounts and local offers
• Work at the outstanding state-of-the-art Brent Civic Centre

The closing date will be 15th November. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to close the vacancy early should a suitable candidate be identified. We therefore encourage early applications and advise candidates not to wait until the closing date to apply. The salary quoted is the full salary range for the role. Starting salary will typically be appointed at a point within the range, with progression subject to performance and organisational policy.