Payments Officer

Hertfordshire County Council; Skelmersdale; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council in Stevenage is seeking a Payments Officer to process invoices, reconcile payments and support the timely delivery of payment services. The role is permanent, with hybrid working from Robertson House, Stevenage.

The incumbent will manage payment requests, resolve queries, and collaborate with CS Brokerage and other teams to ensure accurate payments. Suitable candidates will have strong IT skills, especially Excel, and fluent English communication.

Qualifications

• Experience in a fast-paced administrative or financial processing environment.
• Confident communicator with the ability to handle queries professionally and build effective working relationships.
• Proficient IT skills, including Excel.
• Able to communicate effectively in English.

Responsibilities

• Process payments accurately and on time in line with procedures and deadlines.
• Investigate and resolve payment queries, liaising with colleagues, providers and internal teams.
• Support day-to-day delivery of payment processes and financial administration.

Skills

Financial processing

Communication

Excel

English fluency

Education

AAT qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title: Payments Officer

Starting Salary: £26,427 progressing to £29,071per annum

Hours:37 hours per week

Location: Robertson House, Stevenage with hybrid home working

Contract Type: Permanent

Directorate:Resources

About The Team

Our Payments Team supports children, families, and wider Hertfordshire communities by ensuring accurate, timely, and efficient financial processing. Our vision is to deliver a reliable, person‑centred payments service that enables frontline teams to focus on achieving positive outcomes for residents. We aim to provide a high‑quality, transparent service that resolves payment issues quickly and helps maintain strong, trusted relationships with providers and service users.

This Payment Officer role is responsible for processing invoices relating to Children’s Services (CS), reconciling direct payments, processing payment request forms, handling queries, and supporting colleagues to ensure the smooth and effective delivery of payment processes. The team works closely with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including CS Brokerage and Commissioning, Social Workers, Leaving Care PAs, Business Partner Finance teams, providers, and Hertfordshire residents. These relationships are essential to ensuring payments are processed accurately and that any queries are resolved efficiently.

About The Role

• Process payments accurately and on time, ensuring financial transactions are completed in line with agreed procedures and deadlines.
• Investigate and resolve payment queries promptly, liaising with colleagues, providers, and internal teams where required.
• Support the smooth day-to‑day delivery of payment processes by assisting colleagues and contributing to efficient financial administration.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to resolve issues, share knowledge, and maintain continuity across the service.
• Identify discrepancies, elevate issues where appropriate, and support the resolution of financial or process‑related concerns.

Essential About you

• Demonstrable experience working in a fast‑paced administrative or financial processing environment.
• Confident communicator with the ability to handle queries professionally and build effective working relationships with colleagues, providers, and residents.
• Competent IT skills, including confidentuse of Microsoft Office applications (especially Excel)
• Able to communicate effectively and fluently in English.

Desirable

• Association of Accounting Technicians qualification or equivalent experience
• Understanding of audit requirements, internal controls, or financial compliance frameworks.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 6. Please locate the job profile here:

Job profiles - Corporate services

Interview Date

6, 7 & 8 October 2026

Additional Information

We are changing

Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly‑created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.