Overview

We are looking for a Council Tax Billing Officer who has experience and knowledge of Council Tax law and procedures, along with experience of using CIVICA Open Revenues. The role will be for a three-month period, working 36.25 hours per week between 8.30am - 5.15pm, Monday to Friday. The role can be home-based with the option to attend the office if preferred. The successful candidate will be required to attend the Basildon Centre to collect homeworking equipment on the first day.

Accountabilities

• Day-to-day administration of Council Tax billing processes, whilst seeking to promote efficiency and continuous improvement.
• Interpretation of Council Tax legislation, ensuring that processes and decisions apply in accordance with law and policy guidelines.
• Administer the Council Tax Reduction Scheme in accordance with local policy and guidelines.
• Make decisions in respect of Council Tax, Protection Act, relating to personal information held by the Council.
• Any employee who mis-uses, accesses or discloses personal data relating to a living individual without checking that it is to be used for an authorised purpose relevant to the Authority, may be prosecuted in a Criminal Court, as well as facing disciplinary action.
• Identify discounts and exemptions for liability of Council Tax; undertake enquiries to identify discounts and exemptions; verify and validate information; notify residents accordingly.
• Liaise with Visiting Officers in relation to establishment of liabilities and other queries, including the completion of new dwellings; maintain awareness of current legislation, policy and guidance relating to Council Tax.
• Communicate with residents regarding all aspects of their accounts; identify potential discretionary payment cases; liaise with internal and external partners as required.
• Ensure compliance at all times with the General Data Protection Regulation and related requirements.
• All other duties appropriate to the post, equivalent to or below the salary and status of the role, with due regard to the Equality Act 2010 and protected characteristics; undertake duties within the framework of Equal Opportunities; cooperate on Health and Safety matters and highlight risks to management.

Experience You Will Bring

• A good working knowledge of Council Tax law and procedures.
• Experience of customer/public contact demonstrating good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Computer literate with experience of using Microsoft Office products and CIVICA Open Revenues.
• A working knowledge of the services provided by the council.
• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent, indicating an aptitude for mathematics and English language.

Why choose Basildon Council?

Basildon Borough Council is one of the largest local authorities in the East of England region and serves a population of approximately 172,000 people. The town of Basildon is regarded as a key economic hub with the main areas of employment being engineering, research and development, distribution and financial services. Basildon is also the second biggest economy in the Thames Gateway, outside of Canary Wharf. Working for Basildon Borough Council means making a practical and positive difference to the lives of people living and working in the Borough and provides a fulfilling career. Each of our employees - whatever job role they are undertaking - can feel motivated by having a unique opportunity to use their skills to make Basildon a better place to live.

Note: ECC are advertising this role on behalf of Basildon Council. Basildon Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults, and expects all employees, contractors and volunteers to share its commitment to prevent abuse, harm or exploitation. The Council applies a robust recruitment vetting process. If you are successful you will need to undergo a Pre-employment Vetting Procedure.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website. If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email #####