Revenues Manager

Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom
Contract: Interim

Our client, a local authority, is looking for a Revenues Manager to join them in Cambridge on an interim basis. The role leads the Revenues Services team and is responsible for the billing, collection and enforcement of Council Tax, Business Rates, sundry debts and Housing Benefit over payments.

You will oversee the day-to-day administration of local taxation, lead the annual billing and year-end processes, and make sure the service complies with current legislation. You will also manage the team, the service budget and key supplier contracts, and support the operation of the revenues and benefits IT systems. The role contributes to the strategic management of the directorate and may deputise for a senior finance colleague when required.

The successful candidate will be an experienced revenues professional who is comfortable leading a team, representing the organisation in formal settings and working with minimal supervision. This is a hands‑on interim assignment where your knowledge of local taxation and your management experience will be put to use from the outset.

• Manage, guide and support the Revenues Service team, including recruitment, training, appraisal and performance management
• Oversee the billing, collection and recovery of Council Tax and Business Rates, and the collection and recovery of sundry debts and Housing Benefit over payments
• Lead the annual billing and year-end processes
• Work with the development team on new software releases, system parameters and routines, and guidance notes for the revenues and benefits systems
• Review and improve procedures, and plan for legislative changes and new ways of working
• Lead the preparation and submission of internal and external statistics, reports and statutory returns, including the tax base, NNDR returns and collection rate monitoring
• Set and monitor service standards and performance targets, and report on performance through service plans and corporate reporting
• Represent the organisation at internal and external meetings and in formal proceedings, including Magistrates’ Court, County Court and tribunal hearings
• Recommend the write-off of irrecoverable debts and costs across a range of debt types
• Manage the Revenues, local tax collection and postages budget
• Draft non-standard correspondence for complex cases, Member enquiries, complaints and Freedom of Information requests
• Lead on reporting of data breaches across the directorate and support GDPR compliance
• Advise on recovery methods and manage accounts subject to insolvency, bankruptcy and IVA proceedings
• Manage the in-house enforcement agent service
• Procure and manage software and service contracts, including billing suppliers, credit referencing, tracing and enforcement providers
• Support strategies to prevent benefit fraud and error, improve compliance and protect the tax base
• Deputise for a senior finance colleague and provide ad-hoc support to the customer contact team where required

• Experience managing and overseeing the day-to-day administration of Council Tax, Business Rates and sundry debt collection and recovery
• Experience leading and implementing annual billing and year-end processes
• Experience interpreting and implementing legislative changes in a revenues environment
• Authoritative knowledge of current legislation and practice relating to Council Tax and Business Rates
• Experience managing a revenues budget and working closely with finance teams
• Experience procuring and managing small service contracts, on time and to budget
• Experience of staff recruitment, induction, development, appraisal, sickness absence and disciplinary processes
• Experience setting and working to challenging targets,…