Senior Business Rates Officer

Please note his is a temporary opportunity for a period of 5 months, with the expectation of being in the office 1 day per week. Role Purpose The purpose of this post is to co-ordinate the work of the Business Rates and Visiting team. Undertaking caseload management of billing, collection and recovery of Business Rates, and Business Improvement Districts, ensuring the quality and accuracy of work undertaken by the Business Rates officers and Visiting Officers.

It is important that all work is undertaken in accordance with legislation, policy and guidance. The post holder is required to represent the council in court proceedings for Business Rates. Accountabilities Organise and plan workloads, monitoring performance of the Business Rates officers by proportionate quality testing and implementing remedial action where necessary.

Monitoring performance of the Visiting Officers by proportionate quality testing and implementing remedial action where necessary. Management and development of staff in line with corporate guidelines and procedures, including regular 121’s and staff meetings, identifying training needs and performance management of staff.

Maintain a high level of knowledge in all aspects of Business Rates including case law, legislation, system and national developments. Oversee the day-to-day operation of the Business Rates billing, collection and recovery process, whilst seeking to promote efficiency and continuous improvement To have an in depth technical knowledge of Business Rates and respond directly to enquiries from rate payers and their representatives To have continuous regard for maximising the Business Rates tax base, growth and income collection, and minimise loss through avoidance and delay.

To administer all Business Rates grants, exemptions, discounts and reliefs in line with the Council’s policies. Manage the Business Improvement District (BID) levy collection processes ensuring they are carried out efficiently. Liaise with the Revenues & Enforcement Manager and the BID managers regarding levy rules, billing cycles and updates to the rating list.

Ensure that policy guidelines on enforcement are applied to debts for which liability orders are to be obtained or are to be held in abeyance. To ensure that appropriate methods of enforcement and appropriate sanctions are pursued, having regard to the means and circumstances of debtors, ensuring that due regard is taken in vulnerable cases.

Liaise with other council departments and with the legal section and the courts and other agencies to obtain recovery of Business Rates, initiating or responding to proceedings in the appropriate court and resolving complex issues where necessary. Initiate proceedings for the insolvency of debtors ensuring that appropriate follow-up actions are taken.

Liaise with any enforcement agents ensuring such agents act efficiently, professionally, and with due regard to council policies and national codes of conduct. Liaise with the courts, the police and any enforcement agents in relation to applications for committal proceedings for non-payment of local taxes. To carry out a minimum of 4% accuracy checking for all staff, keeping performance statistics, and taking steps to remedy any adverse trends, reporting any concerns to the Revenues & Enforcement Manager.

Monitor the safety and security of Business Rates staff who are home working. Assist with the annual billing processes and government returns seeking to resolve any process or systems issues by liaising with the Revenues & Enforcement Manager and appropriate officers. To keep performance statistics, taking steps to remedy any adverse trends and reporting variations to the Revenues & Enforcement Manager.

To liaise with all internal and external partners as required You must ensure that you comply at all times with the General Data Protection Act, relating to personal information held by the Council. Any employee who mis-uses, accesses or discloses personal data relating to a living individual without checking that it is to be used for an authorised purpose relevant to the Authority, may be prosecuted in a Criminal Court, as well as facing disciplinary action Requirements .

Experience of working in a supervisory role in a busy Revenues and Benefits Section or in an equivalent environment Experience in team leadership, in a climate of legislative and organisational change Experience of and strong understanding of performance management and the meeting of targets Experience of managing people demonstrating good communication, management and interpersonal skills Experience of managing resources, including the effective use of Information systems, to achieve results IRRV qualified/member or other relevant qualification and evidence of continuing professional development– or willing to study for it Educated to GCSE level or equivalent, indicating an aptitude for mathematics and English language Demonstrates strong leadership and supervisory skills by providing clear direction, setting high standards of behaviour, delegating work fairly and effectively, motivating and empowering teams, supporting staff development through coaching, and recruiting high-calibre talent.

Demonstrates a strong commitment to organisational principles and values by upholding ethics and integrity, promoting equality and diversity, building inclusive teams, and encouraging both individual and organisational responsibility towards the community and the environment. Demonstrates strong influencing and stakeholder engagement skills by making a positive personal impact, securing commitment through effective persuasion, negotiation and communication, championing ideas on behalf of self and others, and using political awareness and organisational processes to influence outcomes.

Demonstrates specialist technical expertise and a strong commitment to continuous professional development, effectively applying and sharing knowledge, leveraging technology to achieve objectives, understanding organisational functions and interdependencies, and utilising the practical skills and coordination required to perform the role effectively.

Demonstrates a strong focus on delivering results and meeting customer expectations by prioritising customer needs, maintaining high standards of quality and productivity, monitoring performance, working in a systematic and organised manner, and consistently achieving project objectives and outcomes. Demonstrates resilience and professionalism by working effectively under pressure, remaining composed during challenging situations, maintaining a positive outlook, balancing competing priorities, responding constructively to feedback, and using setbacks as opportunities for learning and improvement.

Benefits

We believe employee benefits should go beyond just a free drink or fruit bowl. What’s more, we believe you should get to choose perks that suit your lifestyle. That’s why we’ve partnered up with the global benefits and rewards provider Perkbox, to offer something for all of our people. Here’s what you can look forward to: Perks Hub Hundreds of global and local perks, available online 24/7 Free monthly lifestyle perks; such as free coffees, breakfasts, cinema tickets, etc Shopping discounts from the biggest brands, all year round Save money on everything from the supermarket shop to summer holidays Wellness Hub Easy to follow videos for everything from yoga exercises, to strength training and HIIT workouts Mindfulness, meditation and sleep resources, available on all your devices Guides to help with everything from anxiety to stopping smoking Confidential mental health helpline, 24/7 access to a qualified counsellor Celebration Hub Working with us means you're always part of Team BSS - celebrate and recognise fellow contractors, whether they're across the desk or across the world Company polls where everybody can vote for the winners Culture Hub A single place to find company updates, photos, benefits information and lots more!

Stay in the loop with what’s happening by accessing Culture hub anywhere, at any time Pre-Compliance Checks for Successful Applicants: At BSS, we uphold the highest standards of screening and trust for every role. Successful applicants will undergo a comprehensive pre-compliance process in line with the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

This includes: Identity Verification: Confirming the authenticity of your identity documents. Employment History Checks: Reviewing your occupation history for the past 3-5 years (depending on client requirement). Right to Work Verification: Ensuring you have the legal right to work in the UK. Unspent Conviction Check: Conducting a Basic DBS Check to reveal any unspent convictions.

These checks are crucial in ensuring a secure and trustworthy work collaboration, aligning with best practices used in government and public sectors. While primarily standard in these sectors, our adoption of pre-compliance checks across all roles reflects our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and trust in our recruitment process.

Equal Opportunities Business Smart Solutions are a Recruitment Agency

• We hire talented and passionate people from a variety of backgrounds because we want our global worker base to represent the wide diversity of our clients. If you’re excited about a role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every bullet point listed in the job description, we still encourage you to apply. If you're passionate about working for a role in local government and share our company values, we encourage you to apply. BSS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. BSS considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable UK law. If you need assistance or an accommodation made due to a disability, please let your recruiter know. Armed Forces Covenant We endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are: No member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen In some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.