Assessment Officer - AR

Posted 1 day 21 hours ago by Carrington Blake Recruitment

Permanent
Full Time
Other
Not Specified, United Kingdom
Job Description
Overview

ROLE TITLE: ASSESSMENT OFFICER

DEPARTMENT: REVENUES, COUNCIL TAX

REPORTS TO: BILLING & ADMIN MANAGER

GRADE: SO2

RESPONSIBLE FOR: MAINTENANCE OF COUNCIL TAX RECORDS AND ASSOCIATED DUTIES

ROLE DESCRIPTION

The aim of the council tax service is to deliver a customer focussed, efficient and professional service responsive to the needs of its residents.

The council tax service is responsible for the billing and recovery of council tax.

As an Assessment officer you will be expected to process housing and council tax benefit claims, collection and recovery of council tax and associated services.

The post holder will be expected to maintain and have an up-to-date knowledge of council tax legislation.

ROLE DUTIES
  1. Accurate and timely processing of all claims and enquiries relating to housing and council tax benefit claims, education benefits, collection and recovery of council tax and associated services.
  2. To be alert to potential fraud and liaise with corporate anti-fraud where necessary.
  3. To develop and maintain a practical working knowledge of all related IT systems.
  4. To develop and maintain a practical working knowledge of council tax related government regulation and legislation.
  5. To be responsible for dealing with queries from residents/third parties and other stakeholders, to give advice on benefits and related issues. To assist senior officers in dealing with enquiries from Members of Parliament, Councillors, Ombudsman, etc, as required.
  6. To attend and assist at magistrate's courts, making appropriate arrangements for payment of arrears. To monitor payment arrangements and initiate further recovery action as appropriate.
  7. To be responsible for the processing of all operational system reports, including data matches.
  8. To attend team and other meetings and to participate and contribute in a constructive way.
  9. To assist in the development of a multi-skilled team by work shadowing, buddying etc.
  10. To assist in related projects and undertake other duties equal to the level of the post.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
  • Experience of Academy and Enterprise software
  • Knowledge and experience of interpreting council tax legislation
  • Experience of dealing with Council enquiries.
  • Relevant experience of successfully working in a front-line service dealing with customers face to face and on the telephone.
  • Experience of updating Council Tax records, this includes identifying eligibility to discounts and exemptions.
  • Experience of setting up in year arrangements and or taking payments and setting up direct debits to maximise collection.
  • Ability to understand and apply complex legislation as required for the role.
  • Ability to deal with situations and information with tact and discretion whilst adhering to data protection principles and customer care targets.
  • Ability to deal with challenging customer situations to achieve a positive outcome.
  • Ability to accurately carry out detailed numerical calculations and to recognise errors and irregularities.
  • Ability to work in a highly confidential environment and understand the principles of GDPR.
  • Ability to take responsibility for own workload.
ABOUT US

How we act defines who we are. At the heart of our organisation is a common approach to defining 'who we are'. We are looking for people that can build this into everything they do.

CORPORATE REQUIREMENTS

CIVIL AND OTHER EMERGENCIES
To support the Council's role in planning for and responding to civil and council emergencies using skills/expertise of the post holder, and in accordance with council emergency procedures. To provide emergency contact details for the purposes of emergency and service continuity plans. To ensure that you have read your Service's business continuity plan and keep abreast of any updates, so that you know what to do, if the plan is activated. To participate in any testing of emergency plans, as directed and take an active role in making suggestions to improve team plans.

DIGITAL
To use the Council's office-based and mobile IT services for the input, access and transmission of information using the appropriate level of information security and classification through the use of electronic mail, diaries, word-processing, spreadsheets and databases as well as any specific jobrelated applications as required to carry out the duties of the post.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
To comply with information rights legislation and the Council's data quality and information management standards by applying information management related policies.

To report instances of non-compliance, errors, omissions or inadequacies in procedures to the business unit manager.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
To take reasonable care for his/her own health and safety and any other person(s) who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work, in accordance with the Health & Safety legislation.

To co-operate with the Council insofar as is necessary to enable it to comply with its duties under relevant health and safety legislation.

AGILE WORKING H&F prides itself on being an agile workforce and promotes flexible working opportunities.

SAFEGUARDING OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS (FOR ALL FRONT-LINE STAFF IN CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND ADULT SOCIAL CARE)
To be aware of and work in accordance with the Council's child and adult protection policies and procedures in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults and to raise any concerns relating to such procedures which may be noted during the course of duty.

For further information on whether a Standard or Enhanced Disclosure check is required, managers should refer to Disclosure and Barring Scheme guidance

CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL EMERGENCY
To ensure compliance with the Council's low-carbon culture, for which climate and ecological literacy training is provided, along with an advice service from the council's climate team.

To ensure decision making, actions and day-to-day choices align with the Council's declaration of a climate and ecological emergency.

EQUITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT
We're committed to making Hammersmith & Fulham one of the most inclusive borough's in the country; a place where everyone feels valued, included and has equitable access to opportunities.

Hammersmith and Fulham is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We work to eradicate discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and maternity, age and marital status. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class.

We will be pleased to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role.