Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Business Rate and Valuation Team Leader |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Finance |
Service |
Corporate Debt and Tax Collection |
Business unit |
Revenue Section |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Revenue Manager |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Revenue Manager |
Salary grade |
24 - 27 |
JE ref |
FIN78 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To work within government regulations covering Council Tax, Business Rates and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and to adhere to Torbay Council policies.
- To lead a team of Visiting Officers and processing staff who are responsible for updating the Council Tax and Business Rate database for 68,000 properties banded for Council Tax and 5,500 commercial business across Torbay.
- To be responsible for co-ordinating an effective visiting strategy within the revenue section ensuring all relevant property changes are captured and recorded in a timely manner, to maximise the council’s tax base.
- To assist in the administration and maintenance of Business Improvement District records on behalf of the English Riviera BID (Business Improvement Districts) company.
- To be responsible for ensuring the format of addresses are standardised and maintained across Council Tax and Business Rates records, and cross referenced with the Local Land and Property Gazetteer ensuring the council meets its statutory obligations to Geoplace (Street name and numbering).
- To be responsible for providing technical Business Rate advice to enable the processing team to carry out their duties effectively.
- To provide support to the Revenue Manager and Finance Manager in connection with project implementation and staff performance management.
- To challenge current working practice and explore innovative ways of improving the way Business Records and Business Improvement District records are processed.
- To provide professional and efficient support, advice, and guidance daily to the front-line Customer Services section, Corporate Debt, Corporate Fraud, Benefits, Environmental Health and Planning, within Torbay Council to allow all departments to carry out their duties effectively.
- To provide professional and efficient support, advice, and guidance daily, by providing additional advice and support to HMRC Valuation Office Agency, and other local authorities to allow these organisations to carry out their duties effectively.
- To assist the Revenue Manager when deputising in the absence of the Council Tax Team Leader.
- The ensure the council’s Health and Safety policy for home workers is fulfilled.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- To effectively manage the Business Rate processing team and visiting officers taking into account work priorities and staff welfare.
- To set performance targets for Business Rate processing, by continuously monitoring incoming work and implementing a plan to prioritise work. Efficient billing helps the council reach its income collection target that provide services to residents.
- To supervise the work of the visiting officers ensuring checks are undertaken within agreed timescales and that appropriate information is obtained that enables Council Tax and Business Rates records to be amended.
- To be responsible for ensuring HMRC Valuation Office Schedules are processed within agreed timescales and that tax base figures match that of the council after each schedule.
- To lead on quality assurance of the electronic billing authority reports passed to HMRC Valuation Office Agency.
- To be responsible for monitoring electronic billing authority report clearance targets by HMRC Valuation Office Agency.
- To lead on the work with Analyse RV finder. The company engaged by the council to identify property not currently in the Council Tax or Local Rating List.
- To lead on work surrounding to increase the council’s tax base by ensuring visiting officers are fully aware of the process relating to the service of a completion notice for newly built domestic and commercial buildings.
- To assist in the reduction of income lost to the council through fraud.
- To be part of the project implementation team for Civica Open Portal, Civica Open Channel, and the Customer Relationship Management System. Improvements will help customers gain easier access to Council Tax Business Rate services, leading to more effective working practices and helping the council achieve its income collection target.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- To lead a team consisting of Business Rate processing staff and visiting officers involved with the daily maintenance of customer’s accounts. This requires having an extensive working legislative knowledge of Council Tax, Business Rates, Business Improvement Districts and the Local Council Tax Support Scheme to ensure that customer’s accounts are correct.
- To assist the Council Tax Team Leader to deliver training for new staff and rolling out training for existing staff following changes in Council Tax and Business Rate legislation, procedural changes, software updates and service improvements.
- To be responsible for ensuring Business Rate telephone scripts used in the call centre are accurate, and the associated process maps held within the Civica W2 document management system is fit for purpose.
- To be responsible for providing accurate information relating to Business Rates and Business Improvement Districts to the council’s web team, resulting in the internet pages being kept up to date allowing residents access to information that can affect the amount they have to pay.
- To be responsible for the weekly submission of electronic billing authority reports to HMRC Valuation Office Agency and for ensuring staff are kept informed of changes to the submission standards. This information is a requirement of the process to change entries in the Council Tax and Local Rating list.
- To be responsible for quality checking the work of the processing and visiting team, measured by looking at the quality of information gathered, and accuracy of bills produced. This will help identify additional training requirements.
- Leading on work associated with the Local Land and Property Gazetteer which involves creating and maintaining accurate address information on the corporate property data base overseen by the Council’s IT section.
- To be the responsible person and first point of contact for providing information to enquiries received from Customer Services, Corporate Debt, the Benefits section, Environmental Health, Torbay Development Agency, and SWISCO relating to Business Rates and Business Improvement Districts that allow these departments to carry out their duties effectively.
- To lead the team that are responsible for providing Council Tax and Business Rate information to HMRC Valuation Office Agency enabling them to carry out their statutory duties.
- To support the Dispute Resolution Officer by providing advice to enable the successful completion of service enquiries and complaints covering Business Rate.
- To be responsible, along with the Corporate Fraud section in identifying and preventing fraudulent information from entering the Business Rate database.
- To manage the work associated with the National Fraud initiative which forms part of an annual Business Rate review process.
- To support the Revenue Manager and Council Tax Team leader in project implementation in the Revenue Section. This includes work on the Council Redesign project including Open Portal Open Channel and CRM system.
- To be responsible for ensuring processing staff working from home are complying with current the Health and Safety regulations for display screen equipment and that visiting officers comply with current health and safety regulations, the council’s lone working policy, and the departmental visiting protocol surrounding home visits.
- To be responsible for undertaking team staff appraisals in line with council policy.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
- Raising and authorising orders for goods and services to the value of £10,000.
- Authorisation compensation payments up to £10,000.
- The use of various financial systems to raise orders and invoices.
- Authorisation of all Business Rate credit write offs for audit purposes.
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
- Two Visiting Officer.
- One Business Support Officers.
- Two Revenue Officer.
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Normal working environment and conditions either in the office or at home.
7. Physical demands of the post
- Normal physical conditions associated with office work.
8. Specific resources used by the post
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External:
- Customers of the service including general public, letting agents, property owners, supported accommodation providers, other accommodation providers, Members, Social Services, Probation, other local authorities, NHS Care Trust, Age concern, Brixham Does Care, Pension Disability Service, Her Majesty Revenues and Customs Valuation Office Agency, Ombudsman, Valuation Tribunal, any other voluntary and statutory agencies Immigration Service, Police Fire Service, Citizens Advice.
- Internal:
- All Areas within Benefits, Customer Services, Housing Options, Housing Standards, Planning, Building Control, Environmental health, Auditors, Counter Fraud, and other council departments as required, Councillors and Members of Parliament.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy, and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity.” Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
- Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Business Rate and Valuation Team Leader |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Finance |
Service |
Corporate Debt and Tax Collection |
Business unit |
Revenue Section |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Confident and flexible communication and interpersonal skill to effectively line manage.
- The ability to establish, maintain and develop effective working relationships with all Torbay Council customers including, service users, delivery partners, council members and colleagues.
- To be able to work on own initiative and use own discretion and judgement.
- Effective verbal and communication skills, translating complex decisions often to vulnerable, potentially violent, upset, or bereaved people.
- To be numerate and literate and have effective working knowledge of Microsoft Teams/ Office and other computer packages as appropriate.
- To be an excellent team player.
- The ability to accurately update relevant databases and document imaging/workflow systems by accurate entry of data whilst achieving accuracy and output targets as defined by the business unit.
- To ensure all necessary actions are taken to deliver service priorities and maintain customer satisfaction levels.
- The ability to manage regular change effectively.
- The ability to work quickly and accurately to meet conflicting deadlines either as part of a team or as an individual.
- The ability to make effective decisions.
- To be willing to learn and develop new skills.
- The ability to remain polite and courteous in demanding situations often while assisting difficult customers.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
N/A
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Extensive knowledge and understanding of Council Tax and Business Rates.
- Extensive knowledge and understanding to identify conclusion to disputes.
- Effective working knowledge of reporting and IT skills.
- Knowledge of the Data Protection Act and able to take appropriate action if breaches are identified.
Desirable knowledge
- Working knowledge of Council Tax and Business Rate and Debt collection procedures.
- Detailed knowledge of Council Tax, Business Rates and Business Improvement District Legislation.
- Preparation and presentation of financial statements.
- Court and Tribunal process
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Experience of managing a team.
- Experience of working independently.
- Experience of decision making.
- Experience of investigating and interviewing people in a respectful manner.
- Experience of working in a customer service environment.
- Experience of working in a multi discipline role.
- Experience of using Microsoft Teams/Office (or similar online application).
- Experience of quality checking.
- Experience of working with Service Level agreements and customer complaints.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Working with other teams.
- Experience of working in a Finance Role.
- Experience of working in an administrative team environment.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Educated to degree standard or equivalent demonstrable work-related knowledge in appropriate areas.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- IRRV technician.
- Management qualification, i.e., ILM.
- ECDL in IT or equivalent.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrate a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/Southwest/UK to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate hybrid working.