Debt Collection Finance Assistant
Fixed Term, Full Time
£23,344 Per Annum
Location: Chelmsford
Closing Date: Sunday 19th January 2025 at 11.59pm
Please note this is a Fixed Term Contract opportunity for a period of 12 months.
This position is an Anywhere Worker role with the expectation the successful worker will attend County Hall, Chelmsford one day per week, with the set team day being a Tuesday.
Interviews will be undertaken remotely using Microsoft Teams.
Please note that this is a credit control and not an accountancy focused role. Customer interaction by phone / email is the primary function, so good communication skills are essential.
The Role
Purchase to Pay (P2P) and Income aims to provide a comprehensive financial transactional and support service, maximising new and innovative technology to provide excellent customer service using a multi-skilled workforce.
Working within Income Collection to maximise the income generated for Services in Adult Social Care at Essex County Council, alongside ensuring effective recovery of aged debt. Finance Assistants will work with customers to ensure that their invoices for Adult Social Care services are paid promptly, with a view to arranging automated future payments including direct debits.
Experienced in working as a team member across a flexible and multi-skilled workforce, delivering excellent customer service. You will need to manage and respond to customer queries to seek resolution.
Knowledge of Income Collection processes is desirable but not essential as full training will be provided. The role requires good interpersonal and communication skills to deliver excellent customer service.
Responsibilities
* Ensure effective recovery of Adult Social Care Income.
* Build key stakeholder relationships and manage conversations to resolve debt issues.
* Contribute towards delivery of Key KPI's in an effective, compassionate, and compliant manner.
* Manage queries and disputes to ensure effective resolutions.
* Negotiate payments and promote automated processes to service users to reduce repeated debts.
* Contribute to the delivery of the business plan for financial transactions, supporting the wider organisational vision.
* Process and manage financial transactions, following defined business processes, ensuring quality, consistency, accuracy, and timeliness.
* Deliver all activities to meet defined deadlines, proactively reporting any risks or issues for early resolution.
* Provide support and guidance to internal and external customers in a professional manner, ensuring policy and legislation are met.
* Carry out basic reporting to contribute to the management of organisational performance, maximising income and ensuring compliance with Financial Regulations and ECC Policies.
* Work flexibly and collaboratively across P2P and Income to deliver finance support.
* Recommend process improvements and redesign to achieve best practice and organisational efficiency.
* Maintain currency on legislation changes and translate these into local policy and procedure, identifying potential changes in technology.
* Define specific individual and shared targets and objectives annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
Essential:
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and establish relationships.
* A good telephone manner, along with a firm, fair, and friendly approach.
* Ability to deliver effective administrative duties; well-organised, reliable, and able to meet deadlines while handling confidential and sensitive information.
* Good competency using Microsoft Office packages including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Desirable:
* Credit Control/Debt Collection experience.
* Some knowledge of P2P/Income systems and demonstrable accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchase to pay, and e-invoicing experience.
* Negotiation skills.
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