Recovery Officer

CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority is seeking a dedicated individual for their Recovery Team to manage council tax and business rates recovery processes, respond to customer enquiries, and ensure compliance with local taxation laws. This full-time role offers hybrid working arrangements after initial training and emphasizes a commitment to safeguarding and inclusivity for all applicants.

Qualifications

• Experience in council tax, business rates, or benefit overpayment useful.
• Understanding of local taxation law is helpful.
• Background in debt collection considered.

Responsibilities

• Manage recovery processes for council tax and business rates.
• Respond to enquiries in writing, by phone, and in person.

Skills

Excellent customer care

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed person to join our Recovery Team. This is a challenging and varied role dealing with all aspects of council tax, business rates and housing benefit overpayment recovery, including answering customer enquiries in writing, over the telephone, at court and the council offices.

Responsibilities

• Manage recovery processes across council tax, business rates and housing benefit overpayments.
• Respond to customer enquiries in writing, by telephone, at court, and at the council offices.

Qualifications and experience

• Excellent customer care, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience of working in a council tax, business rates or benefit overpayment office is desirable, and a good understanding of the law of local taxation is helpful.
• We will also consider applications from people with a background in other types of debt collection.

Working hours

You will be required to work 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Working arrangements

As part of our accreditation with Essex Family Friendly Employers Charter, this full-time role can be offered on a job share or part-time basis, subject to recruitment to the remaining hours. The Revenues and Benefits Service operates hybrid working; following a period of in-house office-based training, remote working is possible.

Safeguarding and DBS

Chelmsford City Council is committed to safeguarding vulnerable groups and expects all employees to share this commitment. This includes obtaining references and ensuring compliance with the Disclosure and Barring Service process. The Council has safeguarding and safer working practices policies and procedures across our services, and the Safer Recruitment process includes pre-employment checks such as safeguarding training and DBS disclosures.

Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job. In some recruitment situations, such as high-volume or peak times, the number of interviews may be limited. For more details please refer to the employer's Disability Confident information.