Senior Revenues & Benefits Manager - Council

Role:
Senior Revenues & Benefits Manager
Contract Length: 3 months initially

Location:

Hybrid/Shrewsbury – 1 day on site per week
IR35:
Inside
Pay Rate to Intermediary: £45.52 per hour

Spinwell is recruiting for a Senior Revenues & Benefits Manager for an excellent opportunity within the public sector.

Senior Management support to the Revenues & Benefits Manager to deliver the following:

• Collecting local Council Tax and Business Rates revenues:
  • Council Tax for the Council as a billing authority and for the precepting bodies.
  • Business Rates from local businesses.
  • Effective management of arrangements for Business Rates reliefs.
• Managing policy arrangements in regard to local discretionary schemes:
  • Business Rates reliefs.
  • Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
  • Section 13A discretions.
  • Integration with Crisis Resilience Fund.
• Payment of local benefits payments including:
  • Council Tax Support Grants.
  • Housing Benefits.
• Appropriate governance for locally administered aspects of these functions in line with government guidance and statutory requirements.
• Appropriate governance for related government schemes as and when they are announced.
• Management of Council debts and payment arrangements.
• Deliver an efficient and effective Revenues Collection and Benefits Payments service on behalf of the Council, ensuring that:
  • All relevant records are maintained.
  • The reputation and governance of the authority is supported by ensuring that all receipts and payments are undertaken in line with all relevant legal and other requirements.
  • Analysis and insight is provided in a timely way.
  • Provision of a viable and sustainable Revenues and Benefits function for the Council.
  • Work with significant delegated responsibility in maintaining oversight and effective delivery of Revenues Collection and Benefits Payments functions, in line with the objectives defined by the s151 Officer and the Deputy s151 Officer.
  • Ensuring a timely and robust debt, arrears and over payment recovery process that is in line with Council policies and priorities, ensuring enforcement agents are used appropriately.
• Respond to new Government funding announcements and initiatives in a timely way, ensuring arrangements are made for timely and accurate payments or receipts within funding guidelines, including:
  • Business Rates-related
    • Investment Zones.
    • Liaison with Government on future plans for local Business Rates retention arrangements and Valuation Office Agency re-positioning.
    • Analysis and application of the outcomes of the latest NNDR technical consultation.
    • Promoting and supporting digitalisation of Business Rates (and Council Tax) processes.
    • Supporting regional and national fraud and error minimising initiatives.
    • Implementing and delivering new or changed Business Rates reliefs.
  • Benefits-related
    • Council Tax Support Fund.
    • Household Support Fund.
    • Discretionary Housing Payments.
    • Energy Bills Support Scheme.
    • Crisis Resilience Fund.
  • Council Tax-related
    • Ensuring the Council is appropriately placed to take advantage of new permissions such as changes to Long Term Empty and Second Homes billable amounts.
  • General
    • Supporting national work to maximise Housing Benefit over payment recovery rates.
    • Ensure continual improvement and innovation and continual professional development of the team in responding to new challenges.
• Provide an efficient and effective Council Tax and NNDR service to the Council.
• Maintain a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of all legal requirements pertaining to local revenue matters. Interpret, apply and advise on complex and contentious matters.
• Develop service specifications, business plans and annual work programmes, translating service priorities into operational plans and measurable outcomes.
• Develop, maintain and monitor Service Level Agreements with appropriate third parties, both internal and external, to ensure delivery and value for money.
• Ensure the accurate Annual Billing of:
  • Council Tax.
  • NNDR.
  • Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).
• Ensure that the Council Tax and NNDR systems are maintained and used effectively throughout the core and local teams.
• Ensure all staff are appropriately trained and understand their role in delivering the service objectives as defined in the service and team plans.
• Promote and encourage effective debt management and recovery policies and practices in relation to Council Tax and NNDR.
• Ensure all Council Tax and NNDR bills are pursued in accordance with legislation and all relevant IT support systems are kept under continuous review to maintain a programme of continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective liaison with relevant external agencies, organisations and Council officers.
• Ensure the accurate completion of statutory returns in accordance with Government timescales (e.g. CTB1, QRC4, NNDR1, NNDR3).
• Design, implement and manage one-off Revenues discretionary schemes as required.
• Ensure statistical records for all functions are maintained together with the relevant Team Managers.
• Monitor delivery of the service and develop and…