Interim Revenues Manager

The role

This role is responsible for managing the Revenue Services team, overseeing Council Tax and Business Rates billing, and ensuring the effective collection and enforcement of Council Tax, Business Rates, Sundry Debts, and Housing Benefit Overpayments. The post holder will also lead Revenues and Benefits financial processes, support the operation of key IT systems, implement relevant legislative changes, deputise for the Assistant Director of Finance & Procurement when required, and contribute to the strategic management of the Corporate and Customer Directorate.

Accountabilities

• To provide effective management, guidance, and support to the Revenues Service.
  
• To appoint, train, and develop staff in and ensure compliance with all the Council’s employment policies and procedures.
  
• To undertake staff Personal Performance and Development Plans and implement and co-ordinate technical and professional training.
  
• To be responsible for all activities associated with; the billing, collection and recovery of Council Tax and Business Rates, and the collection and recovery of Sundry Debts and Housing Benefit Overpayments in accordance with current legislation.
  
• To work collaboratively with the Development Team in relation to loading new software releases, preparing new guidance notes, and controlling computer system routines and parameters in relation to core and periphery Revenues and Benefits IT systems and enabling system development.
  
• To review and originate procedures and systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness and identify and plan for legislative changes and new working practices – this may include (but is not limited to) Breathing Space procedures, Propensity to Pay software and
  modelling, C-19 Business Grants management, and any other innovative solutions required for the Service.
  
• To lead in the timely and accurate preparation and completion of various internal and external statistics, reports, and statutory returns (including, but not limited to:)
  

1. Tax Base, NDR 1 & 3, Delta QRC, and BEIS Grant reports
   
2. Calculation and reconciliation of monthly Local Taxation collection rates
   
3. Quarterly monitoring of Local Council Tax Support collection and Collection Rates
   
4. Production of quarterly report on Debt Collection and NNDR Pooling
   

• To originate and monitor standards and performance targets, and to report performance against these via Highlight Reports, Service Plans, and the Corporate Performance Scorecard etc.
  
• To represent the Council, as required, at various external and internal meetings, at professional seminars, and in formal proceedings including Magistrates’ Court, County Court, Civil and Tribunal proceedings.
  
• To recommend the write-off of irrecoverable debts and costs relating to a wide range of debt types, including Housing Benefit overpayments.
  
• To initiate the recommendation of Exceptional Hardship Fund awards to the Benefit Manager.
  
• To control and manage the Revenues, Local Tax Collection, and Postages budget.
  
• To originate non-standard correspondence for complex cases, special case reports, Member enquiries, complaints, and Freedom of Information requests.
  
• To lead on reporting of all GDPR breaches across the Directorate in line with the Corporate GDPR Policy and assist in effectively managing GDPR compliance.
  
• To advise on all available recovery methods and manage accounts subject to insolvency, bankruptcy, and IVA proceedings.
  
• To manage the Council’s in house Enforcement Agent service.
  
• To procure and manage a range of software and service contracts including (but not limited to); annual billing supplier, credit referencing agencies, searching/tracing agencies, hard-to-reach enforcement, propensity to pay modelling, single person discount reviews.
  
• To deputise to the Assistant Director Finance and Procurement, as and when required.
  
• To provide ad-hoc support to the First Contact Team, where required.
  
• To maintain a detailed knowledge of procedures, legislation and case-law, relating to the administration and recovery of Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debtors
  
• To support the Council’s, DWP’s, and Essex County Council’s strategies and for preventing benefit fraud and error, increasing Compliance, and protecting the Tax Base.
  

Requirements

• Able to work competently with a range of standard IT solutions; Word, Excel, Microsoft Edge, Office 365, Skype, Teams, Sharepoint etc.
  
• Able to work competently with a range of service specific IT solutions; Civica OPenRevs, Civica Workflow, Efin.
  
• Able to effectively manage individual and team performance and inspire and motivate success.
  
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation and report writing skills with the ability to relate in a range of settings and to a range of audiences in a manner that inspires respect, trust and confidence.
  
• Able to successfully oversee and contribute to service specific and corporate projects – working collaboratively with third parties and stakeholders, seeking out practical and innovative solutions, and directing successfully through to implementation.
  
• Able to demonstrate a high level of competency, attention to detail, and accuracy.
  
• Able to prioritise tasks and maintain professional standards whilst working under pressure and with minimal supervision.
  
• Key competencies and behaviours Method of testing Weighting.
  
• Able to chair and represent the Council at a wide range of internal and external meetings and, at Court when necessary.
  
• Demonstrate an authoritative knowledge of current legislation & practices in relation to Council Tax and Business Rates.
  
• Demonstrate an awareness of relevant workplace legislation; Health & Safety, Equal Opportunities, General Data Protection.
  
• Membership of the Institute of Revenues, Rating & Valuation.
  
• Educated to GCSE A-level standard (or equivalent).
  
• Experience of managing and overseeing the day to day administration of all aspects of Council Tax, Business Rates, and Sundry Debt collection and recovery.
  
• Experience of leading and implementing Annual Billing and Year End processes.
  
• Experience of interpreting & implementing legislative changes within a Revenues environment.
  
• Experience of procuring and managing implementation of small service specific contracts, on time and to budget.
  
• Experience of managing a Revenues budget and working closely with Finance teams to ensure effective financial management.
  
• Experience of staff recruitment, induction, development, training, sickness absence, appraisal, and disciplinary processes.
  
• Experience of setting, and working to, challenging targets both individually and within a team.
  

Benefits

• Hundreds of global and local perks, available online 24/7
  
• Free monthly lifestyle perks; such as free coffees,
  breakfasts, cinema tickets, etc
  
• Shopping discounts from the biggest brands, all year round
  
• Save money on everything from the supermarket shop to summer holidays
  

• Easy to follow videos for everything from yoga exercises, to
  strength training and HIIT workouts
  
• Mindfulness, meditation and sleep resources, available on all
  your devices
  
• Guides to help with everything from anxiety to stopping smoking
  
• Confidential mental health helpline, 24/7 access to a
  qualified counsellor
  

• A single place to find company updates, photos, benefits
  information and lots more!
  
• Stay in the loop with what’s happening by accessing Culture
  hub anywhere, at any time
  

• Identity Verification: Confirming
  the authenticity of your identity documents.
  
• Employment History
  Checks: Reviewing your occupation history for the past
  3-5 years (depending on client requirement).
  
• Right to Work
  Verification: Ensuring you have the legal
  right to work in the UK.
  
• Unspent Conviction Check: Conducting a Basic DBS
  Check to reveal any unspent convictions.
  

• No member of the Armed Forces Community should
  face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial
  services compared to any other citizen
  
• In some circumstances special treatment may be
  appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.