Finance Officer in London

Full time/Permanent

About Us:

Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ+ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community. It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth's communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan 'Our Future, Our Lambeth.' With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment.

About the Team:

The Credit & Collections team sits within Exchequer Services and is responsible for income collection and debt recovery across sundry debts, Adult Social Care, and Housing Benefit overpayments. We work closely with colleagues across various service departments to ensure Lambeth Council secures the income required to deliver essential services. The team is undergoing a period of transformation, moving towards a more proactive, data-led, and preventative approach to income management. We place strong emphasis on balancing financial control with fairness and compassion, particularly when working with vulnerable residents. Our culture promotes ownership, accountability, and high-quality customer service delivered with dignity and respect.

About the Role:

As a Finance Officer within Credit & Collections, you will be responsible for managing income collection and debt recovery for a defined portfolio covering sundry debts, Adult Social Care, and Housing Benefit overpayments. You will act as the primary point of contact for your service areas, working collaboratively with departments to resolve issues, provide guidance on billing and recovery processes, and ensure appropriate financial controls are applied. The role involves proactively improving collection performance, addressing aged and complex debt, and supporting service colleagues to understand and meet their income management responsibilities. You will contribute to meeting performance targets while managing sensitive cases appropriately and in line with legislation and council policy. You may be required to supervise a small team and deputise for senior colleagues where necessary. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to service improvement, modernise collection practices, and make a measurable impact on the Council's financial sustainability while supporting residents effectively.

How to Apply:

To be considered for interview, your CV and supporting statement will clearly evidence how you meet the shortlisting criteria on the personal specification marked "A" for application: JD and Person Specification. We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV or personal statement. Advert closing date: 3rd February 2026 at midnight.

Successful candidates will be asked to apply for a Basic Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs. You will be required to undertake a Cifas check. Further information about Cifas can be found here.

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Damien Shillingford, dshillingford1@lambeth.gov.uk. At Lambeth, we are dedicated to providing quality services and equal opportunities for all. We are committed to safer recruitment and are proud to be a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer, and to guarantee interviews for all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role.