Who You Are You are an experienced professional with a solid understanding of leasehold management, specifically in dealing with service charges, arrears management, and customer service within a housing context. Your knowledge spans the legal principles underlying service charges, landlord-tenant relationships, and council housing management issues. With a proven track record in a customer-focused environment, you excel in monitoring feedback, working to performance targets, managing large portfolios, and liaising effectively with diverse stakeholders including residents, lending institutions, and council members. A strong grasp of IT and accounting systems, alongside relevant qualifications, underpins your ability to execute fiduciary responsibilities with confidence. You are proactive, collaborative, and committed to upholding core values around fairness, excellence, and inclusivity. You exhibit a results-oriented mindset, adept at communicating clearly and building constructive relationships to achieve positive outcomes. Your ability to handle complex queries and recommend legal actions when necessary exemplifies your ownership and focus on achieving optimal results. What the Job Involves As a Collections Officer, you will manage a portfolio of service charge accounts, ensuring compliance with lease obligations and meeting financial targets set by the Collections Manager. Your role involves monitoring accounts and initiating appropriate actions, authorizing payment plans, and maintaining regular communication with account holders via various channels. You will address legal and statutory queries, collaborate with the Home Ownership team to resolve accounting and service charge issues, and provide accurate advice on alternative support resources. Engaging with external bodies like the Citizens Advice Bureau and elected members forms part of your duties, alongside responding to service queries and recommending legal actions when needed. You will apply a stringent approach to fiduciary management, ensuring that all transactions are documented, audited, and aligned with statutory requirements. Additionally, the role mandates participation in stakeholder engagement, promoting the Council's standards, priorities, and code of conduct while ensuring compliance with health, safety, and equality regulations. You will report on performance outcomes and contribute to a culture of transparency, communication, and continuous improvement.