Council Tax & NNDR Recovery Officer

We are seeking 2 Council Tax and NNDR Recovery Officers to work for an award-winning Council within a busy Revenues and Benefits team. The successful candidates will support the collection and recovery of Council Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates, managing recovery cases, liaising with enforcement agencies and debtors, preparing court documentation and attending court proceedings where required.

Location: This role is mainly working from home. The successful candidates will be expected to attend the office once per month and/or attend Westminster Magistrates’ Court once per month.

Rate of pay PAYE: £22.86 per hour Umbrella: £29.21 per hour

A Standard DBS check is required.

About the role

You will support the Council Tax and NNDR Debt Managers in delivering an efficient enforcement and recovery service. You will investigate and reconcile accounts, take appropriate recovery action, negotiate payment arrangements and help maximise income for the authority while maintaining high standards of customer care.

Key responsibilities

• Update, investigate and reconcile Council Tax and NNDR accounts, taking appropriate recovery action where required.
• Process cases returned uncollected by Enforcement Agencies and take action in line with procedures.
• Deal with enquiries relating to cases at Enforcement Agent stage, liaising with enforcement agents and debtors.
• Maintain accurate records of debt held with external collection agencies.
• Process payment schedules, allocate payments and raise invoices where necessary.
• Use systems such as Academy, Experian and other Council systems to trace debtors, complete account checks and identify potential fraud.
• Prepare documentation for committal proceedings, charging orders, set-aside applications and other legal action.
• Represent the Council in court proceedings, including liability order applications and committal hearings.
• Exercise judgement regarding adjournments, withdrawals, referrals to the Duty Solicitor and court appearances, in accordance with established guidelines.
• Negotiate payment arrangements with debtors at all stages of recovery, taking account of vulnerability, poverty and financial hardship.
• Liaise with internal departments, DWP, collection agencies, employers, Citizens Advice and other external organisations.
• Deal with insolvency cases relating to Council Tax and NNDR in accordance with legislation and procedures.
• Manage complex and sometimes contentious Council Tax and NNDR recovery enquiries.

About you

The successful candidate will have:

• Previous experience working in Council Tax and Business Rates recovery.
• A good understanding of relevant legislation, enforcement procedures and recovery processes.
• Experience using the Academy system for Council Tax and NNDR.
• The ability to deal confidently and sensitively with debtors, enforcement agents, internal departments and external agencies.
• Experience preparing for or attending Magistrates’ Court proceedings would be advantageous.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Good attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate records.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and work to departmental targets.
• Competence using Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel.
• An IRRV qualification is desirable but not essential.

Working arrangements

This is primarily a home-based role, with an expectation of attending the office once per month and/or attending Westminster Magistrates’ Court once per month. Candidates must be able to meet these attendance requirements and attend an interview on one of the scheduled dates.

Equality and inclusion

The Council is committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is valued and treated fairly. Applications are welcomed from all sections of the community, including candidates seeking flexible working arrangements.