Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Senior Revenue Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Finance |
Service |
Revenue Section |
Business unit |
Revenue Section |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Revenue Team Leader |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Revenue Manager |
Salary grade |
18 - 23 |
JE ref |
FIN62 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To work within government legislation covering Council Tax Business Rates and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and to adhere to Torbay Council policies.
- To effectively and efficiently maintain the Councils’ systems relating to Council Tax, Business Rates and BIDs, through information received from customers, agents, internal departments, and external agencies.
- To be responsible for daily billing relating Council Tax, Business Rates and BIDs, which raise income allowing the council to fulfil its corporate responsibilities.
- Preparing detailed statement of accounts daily that include financial transactions relating to Council Tax, Business Rates and BIDs in a way that effectively communicates the information to taxpayers.
- To respond to Council Tax, Business Rate and BID (Business Improvement Districts) enquiries daily by telephone, face to face, web, email, or letter in a professional way that promotes accuracy, clarity, and resolution at the earliest opportunity. and which supports the organisations service priorities, while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.
- To assist the revenue team leader by acting as a point of contact for the processing team, giving significant support the team to enable processing of Council Tax, Business Rate and BIDs to continue as efficiently as possible.
- To provide professional and efficient support, advice, and guidance daily to the front-line Customer Services section, Corporate Debt, Benefits, Environmental Health, Torbay Development Agency, and SWISCO within Torbay Council to allow these 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.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- Supporting the team to produce accurate Council Tax and Business Rate bills and BID invoices which enable effective income collection for the Council allowing delivery of services to Torbay residents.
- To challenge current working practice, ensuring that processes are conducive in providing efficient Council Tax, Business Rate and BID billing and income collection for the council.
- To assist in increasing the council’s tax base, therefore maximising income through a process of identifying property changes that result in either an increase in council tax band for domestic property or increase in rateable value for commercial premises.
- To assist in identifying fraudulent activity reducing lost income to the council.
- To manage and be responsible for your own work, by ensuring processes are completed accurately as soon as practical to produce Council Tax and Business Rate bills and BID invoices for residents. Efficient processing allows residents and businesses to budget effectively contributing to their financial planning.
- To support and embrace Torbay Council’s core values of being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable – always with integrity.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- Accurately maintain Council Tax and Business Rate records. This includes applying the appropriate Council Tax exemption and disregard e.g., students, carers, severely mentally impaired.
- To have knowledge of Council Tax Support and Housing Benefit to identify when a claim is not aligned with the council tax charge which impacts the amount payable on a Council Tax bill.
- To be responsible for checking the input of refund data and to make decisions when payment is not appropriate.
- To be responsible for processing refunds across to the council’s payments section and to reconcile values against the Council Tax and Business Rates back-office system.
- To lead team members in ensuring that weekly tasks are completed within agreed timescales. The duties include Tell us Once (the deceased person list provided by the Registrar) Direct Debit amendment, cancellation and recall lists used to generate accurate bills, and HMRC Valuation Office Agency schedules.
- To support the team leader and Revenue Manager with the completion and monitoring of individual team member performance against agreed targets.
- To be responsible for resolving complex enquiries involving liability, discounts, exemptions, valuation, and payment. Enquires may have been escalated by team members who require additional support.
- To identify vulnerable clients who require additional support due to their circumstances e.g., elderly, disabled, illness, housebound and utilise the visiting team where appropriate.
- Acquire and maintain knowledge of rules on benefit rules that may impact Council Tax Support and to have an awareness of property owner and tenant law. To signpost households to Housing Options Service to prevent cases of illegal eviction and potential homelessness.
- Prioritise, manage own workload, and support team members in managing their own work to ensure customers receive their Council Tax and Business Rate bills without unnecessary delay.
- To challenge information provided by customers to establish the correct information required to process changes to Council Tax, Business Rates and BID records.
- Attend/participate in team meetings, appraisals, training and development course within Learning and Development plans and skills matrices.
- To work within and adhere to the principles of the General Data Protection Regulations.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Normal working environment and condition at home or in the office.
- May have to visit vulnerable clients to explain face to face.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
- Laptop and PC.
- Telephone.
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, 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 considered 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 |
Senior Revenue Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Finance |
Service |
Revenue Section |
Business unit |
Revenue Section |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- 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.
- 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
- Previous experience of working in a finance role.
- Previous experience of working in an administrative team environment.
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Extensive knowledge of Council Tax and Business Rates.
- Extensive knowledge and skills to identify conclusion to disputes.
- Effective working knowledge of reporting and IT skills.
Desirable knowledge
- Working knowledge of Council Tax and Business Rate and Debt collection procedures.
- Detailed knowledge of Council Tax, and Business Rates including Business Improvement District Legislation.
- Preparation and presentation of financial statements for customers.
- Court and Tribunal process.
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- 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 GCSE standard or equivalent, or demonstrable work-related experience.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- IRRV technician.
- 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.