In the role of Revenues Team Leader, you’ll thrive on supporting the team and service. Would you like to be part of something bigger and join us in our ambition to become the Best City, working together as a Team for Leeds? Do your values match ours, and do you have something to offer?
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
As a Revenues Team Leader, you will bring to the role:
* Collaborative Leadership: Work closely with the service manager to prioritise and coordinate key areas of work, ensuring excellent service delivery.
* Policy and Practice Support: Assist the Team Manager in implementing policies and practices related to Recruitment, Health & Safety, Attendance, Performance, Flexible Working, Equality and Diversity, Information Governance, and Data Protection.
* Service Enhancement: Collaborate with service managers and team leaders to optimise day-to-day processes, monitor performance targets, and improve service delivery.
* Complex Case Management: Handle complex cases, including those in financial recovery, by agreeing on payment arrangements and liaising with other services to support individuals.
* Expert Guidance: Provide advice and guidance on cases, sharing information and best practices across the service.
About the role
The Revenues team is responsible for the collection of almost £1 billion of Council Tax, Business rates, and other income for the Council. This income helps to fund the vital services which the council provides to its citizens.
As our next Revenues Team Leader, you’ll support the Team Manager in overseeing the daily performance and development of Revenues Officers and Assistants. Responsibilities include implementing staff development and appraisal schemes, contributing to performance management frameworks, handling complex cases, and providing advisory services.
You’ll also have the exciting opportunity to focus on your personal growth and development, empowering you to reach your full potential. The role also involves process development, service enhancement, and embedding changes within the team.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
* a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
* membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
* flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
* a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
* a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form. Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Tracey Dunhill, Revenues Service Manager, Call 0113 3788504 or email tracey.dunhill@leeds.gov.uk
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.
All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria.
Job Description
Job purpose
The Revenues Team Leader will assist the Team Manager to manage the performance and development of a team of Revenues Officers and Revenues Assistants. This includes implementing the staff development and appraisal scheme and contributing to the development of a performance management framework.
The post holder will deal with complex cases and provide an advisory service for the team in order to progress cases and improve collection. The post holder will also work on process development and service improvement, helping to embed any changes in service delivery and making recommendations for change.
Responsibilities
* Working with the service managers and team leaders to enhance service delivery through optimisation of day-to-day processes, monitoring of performance targets and output.
* Co-ordinating and monitoring daily workflow to ensure targets are met and any backlogs reduced.
* Encouraging staff development including identifying training needs, producing training materials and delivering or arranging training.
* Monitoring the practical application of training through staff feedback and audits. This also includes providing coaching and mentoring support to officers both at initial induction stage and post-induction as directed by the Team Manager.
* Support to the Team Manager in the operation of policies and practices of both the Council and the service regarding Recruitment, Health & Safety, Attendance, Performance, Flexible working, Equality and Diversity, Information Governance and Data Protection, including providing advice and guidance to revenues officers and assistants through regular supervisions.
* Managing complex cases including those in recovery experiencing financial difficulty. Agreeing on payment arrangements and liaising with other services to support the individual.
* Processing and maintenance duties in an accurate, timely and secure manner of council tax, council tax recovery, business rates or sundry debtors' functions. Ensure that billing, discounts, collection and recovery are undertaken in line with legislative requirements and criteria.
* Providing advice and guidance on cases and sharing information and best practice across the service.
* Networking with partners including Citizens Advice, Social Services and Housing Services to deliver a holistic and proactive service to customers.
* Assisting the team manager to investigate and respond to formal complaints.
* Dealing with any urgent escalations over the phone, by email or face to face.
* Working with the compliance team to ensure that any system changes or updates operate effectively within the service, raising issues where necessary.
* Working with the team leader and service manager to prioritise and co-ordinate key areas of work to effectively maintain excellent service delivery.
* Ensure consistency of work across all areas by developing procedure guides, reviewing working processes and auditing work streams. Support projects aimed at increasing online access for customers and efficiencies for the service.
* Deal with computer input and output as necessary. Assist in the development and testing of computer systems and procedures and participate in the planning and development of improved customer service delivery and annual billing/year end activity.
* Liaison with stakeholders, both internally and externally, including Councillors, MPs, senior officers and external agencies, including Customer Services, the Valuation Office, the Valuation Tribunal, as required, on any matters relating to income collection.
* To be prepared to provide temporary supervisory cover in the absence of a Team Manager to make sure that objectives, deadlines and team targets are met.
* Carrying out visits to vulnerable customers, completing financial assessments, formalising recovery plans and signposting for further assistance where necessary.
* Duties which are commensurate with the grade, from time to time will include deputising the Revenues Team Manager in event of absence to make sure that objectives, deadlines and team targets are met.
* Keeping up to date with skills and knowledge of relevant business rates and council tax legislation and carry out other duties as necessary, appropriate to the grade and to ensure effective service delivery to citizens of Leeds.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
Qualifications:
No specific qualifications are required for this role.
Essential requirements
Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.
* Ability to manage and develop effective relationships with colleagues.
* Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with a wide range of people in different organisations.
* Ability to liaise, advise, work with and engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
* Ability to develop and implement new procedures to meet changing legislative and corporate requirements.
* Able to interpret legislation and provide support with complex enquiries and casework ensuring legislation is interpreted accurately.
* Organisational and time management skills.
* Ability to work effectively as part of a team to meet the needs of the service.
* Ability to problem solve.
* To contribute to the compilation and provision of management information including reports, statistical data and analysis.
* Able to monitor work outputs and make recommendations for action.
* Able to learn new information and instructions and adapt quickly to frequent change.
* Ability to manage own workload, as part of a team and on own initiative.
* Detailed working knowledge of council tax, business rates or sundry income.
* An understanding of good customer service principles and the impact legislation can have on customers of the Revenues service.
* An understanding of the key principles around performance management and good customer services.
* Knowledge of the legislation relating to Revenues Service in either council tax, council tax recovery, business rates or sundry debtors.
* Experience of investigating customer-related problems and negotiating remedial actions.
* Experience of planning own workload and that of the team, to meet tight and often conflicting deadlines and achieve desired outcomes.
* Experience of assimilating varying levels of information to reach decisions.
* Working with internal and external agencies.
* Experience of communicating information to teams and individual staff.
* Experience of operating computer systems relevant to the post (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and Academy).
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
* Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
* Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
* Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
* Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up-to-date knowledge and skills.
* Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
* Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
* Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
* The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
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