Council Tax Officer

Hull City Council • Toronto, ON

16h • £24,796 - £26,403 • Onsite

About The Position

This is a Full Time Permanent Position. The role involves undertaking training to develop the skills of a Council Tax Officer, making routine changes to the Council Tax database accurately and within performance targets. It also includes providing advice and assistance with general Council Tax duties and offering a responsive service to internal and external customers through various channels. For Grade 4, responsibilities extend to handling more complex work with autonomy, mentoring new trainees, and assisting Senior Council Tax Officers.

Requirements

• Ability to make routine changes to the Council Tax database accurately and within performance targets.
• Ability to provide advice and assistance with general Council Tax duties.
• Ability to provide a responsive service to internal and external customers through a variety of access channels including: telephone, face to face, written and electronic mail.
• Ability to deal with more complex work to a proven level of volume, accuracy, consistency and autonomy (Grade 4).
• Ability to mentor new trainees and provide assistance to Senior Council Tax Officers as required (Grade 4).
• Good knowledge of current legislation, best practice and relevant guidance.
• Ability to collect evidence that meets prescribed criteria and is sufficient to support amendments.
• Ability to check current information and action changes to ensure correct letters and demands are sent.
• Ability to work holistically with officers within the Revenues and Benefits service.
• Demonstrates effective behaviours in line with the council’s competency framework.
• Ability to provide assistance and support to colleagues at equivalent grade or below.
• Understanding of The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation.
• Ability to work under minimal supervision (Grade 4).
• Ability to provide assistance at the Magistrates Court to Senior Officers (Grade 4).
• Ability to monitor the Council`s suspense account, processing suspense and payment queries (Grade 4).
• Ability to prepare monthly audit reports of suspense transactions and refunds (Grade 4).
• Ability to assist with the induction, training and mentoring of staff (Grade 4).

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a customer-focused role.
• Experience working within a local government or public sector environment.
• Familiarity with Revenues and Benefits systems.
• Experience in handling complex financial transactions or queries.

Responsibilities

• Undertake a training program of both formal and on the job training in order to develop the necessary knowledge and skills in order to undertake role of a Council Tax Officer.
• Develop and maintain a good knowledge of current legislation, best practice and relevant guidance.
• Administer routine changes to the Council Tax database accurately within predetermined targets and deadlines within a performance driven culture, in order to achieve a quality based, customer focussed service delivery.
• Ensure that evidence collected to support amendments meets the prescribed criteria’s and is sufficient to support the amendment being made.
• Check current information held on the Council Tax database in relation to amendments and action changes as appropriate ensuring correct letters and demands are sent to the customer to maximise collection.
• Work holistically with officers within the Revenues and Benefits service sharing expertise that embeds new working practices.
• Demonstrates effective behaviours in line with the council’s competency framework.
• Provide assistance and support to colleagues at equivalent grade or below giving guidance, direction and training on operational matters, in line with guidance, office practice and procedure.
• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull City Council, as your employer and you as an employee of the council. In addition to the Councils overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Corporate H&S policy.
• Develop and maintain an advanced knowledge of current working practice, guidance and best practice. Within an ever changing environment, support colleagues to encourage innovation, motivation, understanding and vision. You will be able to work under minimal supervision.
• Administer more complex amendments to the Council Tax database accurately to predetermined targets within a performance driven culture, in order to achieve a quality based, customer focussed service delivery.
• Provide assistance at the Magistrates Court to Senior Officers.
• Where requested, to monitor the Council`s suspense account, processing suspense and payment queries. This involves the tracing of suspense payments, arranging and processing payment transfers/allocations and more complex refund / outgoing payment queries, preparing monthly audit reports of suspense transactions and refunds. This function is carried out for other departments including Housing Rents and Sundry Debtors as well as the Council Tax service.
• Assist with the induction, training and mentoring of staff and provide assistance and support to other staff giving guidance, direction and training on operational matters, in line with guidance, office practice and procedure.

Benefits

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service.
• Eight public holidays per year
• Three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture
• Great career development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed