Field Collections Team - Collector

Cardiff, Porthmadog

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We require 2 Debt Collection Officers in Wales who can work independently and be part of a wider geographical Collection team. We will be appointing on Merit order based on locations of vacancies. Working within local areas near you as well as potentially working further afield to cover different geographical locations based on operational requirements. The geographical locations where we have vacancies include Llandudno and Wrexham.

You will have a full mobile kit including a Laptop, Card Payment machine, Mobile Phone, and Thermal Printer to enable you to carry out your role on the road. You will also be provided with a lone worker Health & Safety device. As this is a remote and mobile role, you will be eligible to apply for your own company Car from one of our flexible schemes.

This is an exciting time to join a modern digital Field Collections Team which is part of HMRC Debt Management whose core purpose is to collect money to fund UK public services. Field Collections are responsible for pursuit and collection of overdue Taxes. You will interact with people from all walks of life including Company Directors, Sole Proprietors and Partnerships to secure HMRC debts, recording their assets under the Taking Control of Goods legislation in Wales. Travelling solo to various external customer premises, engaging with customers whilst gathering information to make well-balanced decisions. We will support your development in this role with a full in-depth 6-week training course which is provided with ongoing 121 peer support.

As a Debt Collections Officer, you will demonstrate a specific skill set that enables you to:

• Methodically plan and manage your diary for weekly visit activity.
• Make effective decisions to resolve cases, including questioning customers to determine their financial and assets position when looking to secure payment.
• Analyse systems to make informed decisions.
• Decide when to commence Enforcement activity.

If you like meeting different people and enjoy travelling whilst possessing strong interpersonal skills, are driven, adaptable, hardworking and would enjoy working for a team that constantly evolves and innovates, this is the job for you.

As Field Collections Team is a national team covering all of the UK, Regional Centres do not determine where we need to recruit but geographical locations do and therefore, we will have various Reserve Lists based on location.

As an influential Officer of the Debt Collections Team, you will need to be organised, driven, manage your own time effectively and communicate successfully. At times you will also be an empathic Civil Servant whilst at other times you will need to be an authoritative, assured and confident Debt Collection Officer. Under challenging circumstances, you will operate fairly in your dealings with members of the public as well as other external/internal stakeholders.

Be part of a large and extremely engaged nationwide team who are inclusive, flexible, adaptable and creative in solving problems and dealing with change. Whilst on the road you will be an ambassador for HMRC. You will take customer service, etiquette and fairness seriously and demonstrate it professionally. You will be a self-motivated person, always looking to develop your expertise.

Using your new or updated learned library of knowledge to remind customers of the laws, acts and legislations such as the Taking Control of Goods in Wales. Fully using available digital platforms, thinking in an objective and analytical manner with an inquisitive and open mind. Using good judgement to make decisions to enable you to progress each case and deal with associated queries.

Field Collections operates flexibly to improve contact with the customer and 90% of the working day is spent on the road calling at premises unannounced. Sometimes an overnight stay in a hotel may be required for which expenses will be covered.

Essential Criteria

• Strong planning and organisational skills to deliver consistently high outputs in a fast-paced environment.
• Showing flexibility and delivering a great customer experience with internal and external exposure across many levels of seniority.
• Being adaptable and capable of operating in dynamic, fast-paced environments. Comfortable working within tight deadlines and under pressure.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to influence and engage others effectively.
• Skilled in gathering and analysing data to make sound, evidence-based decisions, even when they are unpopular.
• Highly observant, ensuring all relevant information is considered.
• Make effective decisions to deliver positive outcomes.
• Speaking, writing and reading confidently and fluently in the Welsh language with colleagues and customers.
• Full UK Driving License.

We recognise that some people cannot drive due to a disability or underlying health condition and may not be able to meet this requirement. Where this applies, you can apply but will need to declare that you require a reasonable adjustment at the point you receive a provisional offer. The vacancy holder will then discuss your specific requirements to consider if this can be reasonably accommodated in this role.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Alongside your salary of £29,475, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £8,538 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days. Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary. Family friendly policies. Personal support. Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it's really like to work for HMRC, hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

How To Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a 750-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the Essential Criteria and Person Specification as outlined in the advert.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application.

Sift

At full sift your Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview. We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of, and you will be asked strength-based questions to also explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant to the job role.

This is an example of a strengths-based question: "It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?" There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you.

If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via email.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles. If this applies to you, we will let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, merit lists will be created for each location advertised within the vacancy. If you are successful at interview, you will be placed on the merit list for any locations you have expressed an interest for. Appointments from each merit list will be made in strict merit order.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the UBS Recruitment team as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

Additional Information

We are looking into ways to enhance the applicant experience. As part of our legitimate interests, we are testing the use of new technologies such as automation and/or Artificial Intelligence in the assessment for CV, personal statement and behaviour statement.

Please note that for this specific vacancy, this testing may run in parallel with our standard assessment process and will not influence or determine the outcome of your application in any way.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band. Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

Nationality requirements

This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Name: Ketan Tanna

Email: ketan.tanna@hmrc.gov.uk

Telephone: 07825 546852

Recruitment team Email: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles.

In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via email. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission.