Payments and Care Charging Manager

6 Month Contract With A Local Authority

Job Purpose

To manage and develop the Payments and Care Charging team to deliver an efficient, compliant, and customer-focused Adult Social Care finance service. The role is responsible for ensuring payments, billing, financial assessments, debt management, and care charging processes comply with the Care Act 2014, statutory guidance, and Council financial regulations while maximising income collection and maintaining high standards of financial governance and customer service.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, supervise, and develop the Payments and Care Charging team to deliver high-quality finance and care charging services.
• Ensure all payments, billing cycles, financial assessments, and debt recovery processes are completed accurately and within required timescales.
• Manage Adult Social Care payment and care charging processes in compliance with legislation, statutory guidance, and Council policies.
• Oversee financial assessments for service users receiving chargeable services and ensure income maximisation through welfare benefits and charging processes.
• Manage Deferred Payment Schemes, Third Party Top Up arrangements, and Direct Payment monitoring functions.
• Ensure all social care debt is pursued effectively through agreed collection and recovery procedures.
• Support implementation, integration, and improvement of ICT systems including Mosaic, CedAR, and related finance systems.
• Deliver annual uplifts to payment and care charging rates, including testing and implementation of system changes.
• Produce management reports and performance data relating to payments, billing, debt collection, direct payments, and unassessed cases.
• Ensure end-of-year financial processes, reconciliations, bad debt provisions, and write-offs are completed in line with corporate deadlines.
• Work collaboratively with Adult Social Care teams, ICT, Finance, Banking, Commissioning, and external stakeholders to improve service delivery.
• Manage customer queries, complaints, MP enquiries, Ombudsman responses, and audit recommendations effectively.
• Ensure all records, financial transactions, and documentation are maintained accurately and in accordance with audit and retention requirements.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR, Health & Safety, Equality & Diversity, safeguarding, and financial governance requirements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and implement service and system enhancements.

Requirements

• Qualification in Business, Finance, AAT or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience managing Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions within the public sector or large organisations.
• Strong knowledge of financial regulations, accounting procedures, and best practice standards.
• Knowledge of the Care Act 2014/2015, Adult Social Care charging, direct payments, and welfare benefits.
• Experience using finance and social care systems such as CedAR, Mosaic, PARIS, MYOFFICE/EDOCS, or equivalent systems.
• Experience managing and developing staff within a finance or social care finance environment.
• Strong analytical, numeracy, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent IT and data analysis skills with the ability to improve system and team performance.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance stakeholders.
• Experience delivering customer-focused services and handling sensitive or complex enquiries.
• Ability to manage high-volume workloads, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, customer service, and continuous improvement.