Interim Revenues Manager in South Benfleet

Interim Revenues Manager Location: Essex Contract: Interim, 6 months Hours: Full-time Working Pattern: Hybrid – minimum of 1 day per week in the office The Opportunity Are you an experienced Revenues professional looking for your next interim opportunity? We are seeking a confident and knowledgeable Interim Revenues Manager to lead a Revenues Service, overseeing the billing, collection and recovery of Council Tax, Business Rates, Sundry Debts and Housing Benefit Overpayments. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced leader to make a real impact, ensuring the effective delivery of services, maintaining statutory compliance and driving improvements across Revenues and Benefits processes. Working on a hybrid basis, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, support your team to achieve performance targets and ensure the service continues to operate efficiently and effectively. Key Responsibilities * Team Leadership: Manage, motivate and develop the Revenues team, overseeing recruitment, training, performance management and staff development. * Revenues Operations: Oversee Council Tax and Business Rates billing, collection and recovery, alongside Sundry Debts and Housing Benefit Overpayments. * Legislation & Compliance: Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations and case law, ensuring policies, procedures and working practices remain compliant. * Service Improvement: Review and develop processes, systems and procedures to improve efficiency, implement legislative changes and identify innovative solutions. * Financial Management: Manage service budgets, monitor collection rates and oversee the accurate preparation of financial reports, performance data and statutory returns. * Systems & Projects: Support the development and effective operation of Revenues and Benefits IT systems, including software updates, system improvements and service-specific projects. * Debt Recovery: Oversee recovery strategies, complex cases, insolvency proceedings, enforcement activity and recommendations for writing off irrecoverable debts. * Stakeholder Management: Represent the service at internal and external meetings, professional forums and formal proceedings, including court where required. * Reporting & Governance: Monitor service performance against targets, prepare reports for senior management and ensure appropriate GDPR compliance. * Strategic Support: Deputise for senior finance management when required and contribute to the wider strategic direction of the service. About You You will be an experienced Revenues professional with a strong track record of managing teams and overseeing local taxation and debt recovery services. You will bring a combination of technical expertise, leadership ability and a proactive approach to service delivery, with the confidence to manage complex issues and drive positive change. You will ideally have: * Significant experience managing the day-to-day administration, billing, collection and recovery of Council Tax, Business Rates and Sundry Debts. * A strong understanding of current legislation, regulations and best practice within a local authority Revenues environment. * Experience leading annual billing and year-end processes. * Proven experience interpreting and implementing legislative changes. * Experience managing team performance, staff development and employee relations matters. * A sound understanding of budget management, financial reporting and performance monitoring. * Experience overseeing service improvements, systems development and the implementation of contracts or projects. * Excellent communication, interpersonal, presentation and report-writing skills. * The ability to manage competing priorities, work under pressure and make informed decisions with minimal supervision. * Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and experience using Revenues-specific systems. Membership of the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV), or equivalent professional knowledge, would be advantageous. A full driving licence and access to your own transport are also required. Why Apply? * Competitive interim rate of £500–£550 per day (umbrella). * Initial 6-month contract. * Hybrid working, with a minimum of one day per week in the office, subject to business needs. * An opportunity to lead an established service and influence operational performance and service improvement. Interested? If you have the technical knowledge and leadership experience required to make an immediate impact in a Revenues Service, we would love to hear from you. Apply today to be considered for this interim opportunity