Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Assist in debt collection and ensure timely payments for Adult Social Care services.
- Company: Essex County Council, committed to excellent customer service and innovative technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and full training provided.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the community while developing your finance skills.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a good telephone manner are essential.
- Other info: Join a supportive team with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 25081 - 25081 £ per year.
Finance Assistants x2 - Debt Collection - 12-month Fixed Term Contract
Fixed Term, Full Time
£25,081 per annum
Location: Chelmsford
Closing Date: Monday 2nd March 2026 at 11.59pm
Please note that these are Fixed Term Contract / Secondment opportunities for a period of 12 months.
Please note that these are credit control and not accountancy focused roles. Customer interaction by phone/email is the primary function, so good communication skills are essential.
The positions are Anywhere Worker roles with the expectation that the successful workers will attend County Hall, Chelmsford one day per week, with the set team day being a Tuesday.
Interview Date: Thursday 12th March 2026
The Opportunity
Purchase to Pay (P2P) and Income aims to provide a comprehensive financial transactional and support service, maximising new and innovative technology to provide excellent customer service using a multi-skilled workforce.
Working within Income Collection in order to maximise the income generated for Services in Adult Social Care at Essex County Council, alongside ensuring effective recovery of aged debt. Finance Assistants will work with customers to ensure that their invoices for Adult Social Care services are paid promptly with a view to arranging automated future payments including direct debits.
Experienced in working as a team member across a flexible and multi-skilled workforce, delivering excellent customer service. You will need to manage and respond to customer queries to seek resolution.
Knowledge of Income Collection processes is desirable but not essential as full training will be provided. The role requires good interpersonal and communication skills to deliver excellent customer service.
Accountabilities
- Ensure effective recovery of Adult Social Care Income
- Work towards effectively building key stakeholder relationships and effectively managing conversations in order to resolve debt issues.
- Contribute towards delivery of Key KPI's in delivering the above requirements in an effective, compassionate, and compliant manner.
- Effective in managing queries and disputes in order to ensure effective resolutions.
- Negotiating payments and promoting automated processes to service users, in order to reduce the likelihood of repeated debts.
- Contributes to the delivery of the business plan for financial transactions, in support of the wider organisational vision.
- Responsible for processing and managing financial transactions, following defined business processes, inputting, and interpreting data to ensure quality, consistency, accuracy, timeliness, and high performance.
- Responsible for delivering all activities to meet defined deadlines, proactively reporting any risks or issues for early resolution.
- Provides support and guidance to internal and external customers in a professional manner, in line with financial processes, ensuring that policy and legislation are met.
- Carries out basic reporting, which contributes to the management of organisational performance, maximises income and ensures compliance with Financial Regulations and ECC Policies.
- Work flexibly and collaboratively across P2P and Income to deliver finance support.
- Recommend process improvements and redesign to achieve best practice and organisational efficiency.
- Contributes to maintaining currency on legislation changes and translating these into local policy and procedure, to identify and review potential changes in technology.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
Essential:
- Excellent Communication and Interpersonal skills are essential as well as an ability to build and establish relationships.
- A good telephone manner is needed along with a firm, fair and friendly approach.
- Ability to deliver effective administrative duties; well organised, reliable, and able to meet deadlines, whilst appropriately handling confidential and sensitive information.
- Level of good competency using Microsoft Office packages including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Desirable:
- Credit Control/Debt Collection experience.
- Some knowledge of P2P/Income systems and demonstrable accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchase to pay and e-invoicing experience would be desirable.
- Negotiation Skills.
Finance Assistants x2 - Debt Collection - 12-month FTC, Chelmsford employer: Essex County Council
Contact Detail:
Essex County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Assistants x2 - Debt Collection - 12-month FTC, Chelmsford
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company before your interview! Research Essex County Council and their values, especially around customer service in Adult Social Care. This will help us tailor our answers and show that we’re genuinely interested.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your communication skills! Since this role is all about interacting with customers, we should prepare for common scenarios we might face on the phone or via email. Role-playing with a friend can really help us feel more confident.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to highlight your teamwork experience! The job requires working within a multi-skilled team, so we should share examples of how we’ve collaborated effectively in the past. It shows we can fit right in!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we can keep track of our application status easily. Let’s make sure we don’t miss out on this opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace Finance Assistants x2 - Debt Collection - 12-month FTC, Chelmsford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Finance Assistant role. Highlight any relevant experience, especially in customer service and debt collection, as these are key for us. Use keywords from the job description to show you’re a perfect fit!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Share why you’re excited about this role and how your skills align with our needs. Don’t forget to mention your communication skills and ability to handle queries effectively.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since this role involves a lot of customer interaction, make sure to demonstrate your excellent communication skills in your application. Whether it’s through your writing style or examples of past experiences, let us see how you connect with others!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need right there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Essex County Council
✨Know Your Role
Make sure you understand the specifics of the Finance Assistant role, especially in debt collection. Familiarise yourself with the key responsibilities and how they relate to customer service. This will help you answer questions confidently and show that you're genuinely interested in the position.
✨Brush Up on Communication Skills
Since this role involves a lot of customer interaction, practice your communication skills. Think about how you would handle difficult conversations or resolve disputes. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully managed customer queries or built relationships.
✨Get Comfortable with Technology
As the job mentions using innovative technology, make sure you're familiar with Microsoft Office, especially Excel. If you have any experience with P2P or income systems, be ready to discuss it. Showing that you're tech-savvy can give you an edge in the interview.
✨Prepare Questions
Interviews are a two-way street, so prepare some thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer. This could be about the team dynamics, training opportunities, or how success is measured in the role. It shows you're engaged and serious about the position.