Recovery Officer
37 hours per week - permanent
Salary £26,421 - £30,296 per annum
County Hall, Dorchester combined with hybrid working
What’s in it for you:
We are looking to recruit a customer focused, forward thinking individual in our recovery team that is dedicated to the collection and recovery of Council Tax, Business Rates and BIDs invoices. As a great team player, you will be adaptable in your approach to work and open to meeting the various challenges that the collection of local taxation brings. The post is a full-time, permanent role working alongside a very busy hard-working team.
Every resident and customer we deal with has a unique set of circumstances - our team challenge those who can pay but don’t pay by applying a range of legal remedies to compel people to pay what they owe. We also listen to and support those who can’t pay and help some of our most vulnerable residents find a way out of debt. You will look to get the best result from every situation to break the debt cycle.
If you have experience in working in a Revenues environment and can demonstrate a confident and diplomatic approach supported by good interpersonal skills, if you are motivated by improving the customer experience and aspire to deliver a first-class service then we would like to hear from you. You must show the ability to make decisions under pressure and be reactive to change knowledgably and with confidence.
What you can expect to be doing:
We are passionate about providing an excellent service to our communities supporting customers in often difficult and challenging times. As an active team member, you will advise on all aspects of the collection and recovery of Council Tax, Business Rates and BIDs. Implementing and complying with statutory legislation, policies and procedures, whilst providing a high-quality customer service.
The role involves resolving and responding to customers which can be face to face, on the telephone, and in writing in a professional, courteous and informative way. You will liaise with outside agencies such as the enforcement agent, support agencies and Court service.
You will provide advice, guidance and explanation, signposting customers for further ongoing support and recognising the need to safeguard individuals including cases of mental health, severe vulnerability and financial difficulties whilst managing customers of a challenging nature. You will need to provide information to customers on all aspects of insolvency and debt advice.
You will be working in all aspects of Council Tax, Business Rates, BIDs collection and recovery, including updating and accurately maintaining data and customer accounts using our main systems. We use Capita's Academy system supported by our document management system Enterprise.
We work in a fully collaborative and supportive team and wider service. There are opportunities to work in a hybrid home and office environment once you are competent in the role. Training will be provided and the length of training will depend on current experience. Training will require attendance in the office but hybrid working will be discussed and planned with the successful candidates.
Future development is supported with access to training and development including consideration for professional qualifications through the professional body of the IRRV.
About you:
The experience, knowledge and skills required for this role are specified in detail in the person specification and job description, but you must possess excellent team working skills, be able to learn quickly and have an ability and flexibility to cope with the pressures of changing priorities and tight deadlines. Effective communication skills, tact and diplomacy is essential in this customer focused role to maximise income whilst using all prescribed recovery remedies.
Ideally you will also be fully conversant with Microsoft Office products and have some experience of working with the Capita Revenues systems and document management system would be advantageous although training will be provided.
You will be proficient in handling a wide range of highly sensitive data and have the ability to communicate complex information in easy-to-understand Plain English.
Contact details:
Julie Monelle -
1. be part of an organisation that supports each other to grow and succeed
2. have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression
We are challenging ourselves to become a more diverse and inclusive organisation. We recognise that recruitment and inclusion of individuals with diverse skills, perspectives and backgrounds will bring real strength to the council and our communities. and welcome applications from everyone.
We are We offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role.
We are keen to make our interviews accessible. Let us know on your job application if you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments.
We also look for applicants who share. We will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process.
If appointed, the personal information we collect from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found at
Additional information:
Interviews will not take place until week commencing 8 January 2024.
This role is UK based and we will need to establish your Right to Work as part of the appointment process.
We use generic job descriptions and person specifications. This means the job title on any attachments may differ from the job title in the advert. We may provide specific information in a context statement if relevant.
We cannot accept CVs in the place of an application form as we need the same range of information from all our candidates.
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