Norwich City Council
Exchequer Services Assistant (Accounts Receivable)
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Job Overview
Key Responsibilities
- Billing and Recovery:
- To carry out the billing, collection and recovery of all sundry debts owed to the Council and NCSL.
- To provide a high-quality front-line customer service to external customers responding to enquiries by telephone, in writing and face to face with internal departments.
- Initiate debt recovery action against those customers that default on payment utilizing established council processes.
Job Description
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Collaborative Work:
- Work collaboratively and support other colleagues to deliver Team Plans, Directorate and Corporate Plan.
- Take a collaborative approach to delivering finance related advice and support across teams.
- Actively encourage the sharing of knowledge, experience and resources across teams in the council.
- Work effectively as part of a team supporting your colleagues and achieving the required performance standards and targets.
- Providing finance oversight on corporate projects, as required. As a support role or representing the finance team at meetings, workshops, boards or working groups etc.
- Support, as requested and appropriate, on system implementations e.g. finance system, e-tendering portal. To include conducting system testing and supporting the delivery of training to staff on new system processes.
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Duties and Responsibilities:
- Accurately produce invoices and other billing and recovery documents for Sundry Debtors that often involve complex calculations. Ensure that invoices and credit notes are properly processed with regard to correct VAT amounts according to legislation.
- Initiate debt recovery action against customers that default on payment arrangements or that have unpaid invoices, in accordance with the Councils’ procedures. Production of reminder notices, outbound telephone calls and referral to third party collection agencies. Liaising with other departments within the Council is essential in this role to make sure that we hold up to date information and that the department can make an accurate decision on recovery action.
- Update and maintain accurate customer and invoice records. Such as debtors bank details.
- Processing of debit & credit card payments from customers, Direct Debit bank details and movement of payments.
- Prepare letters and emails which often involve some research and investigation into individual accounts and liaising with Council services to make sure that the information is accurate and up to date and relevant for issue.
- Responsible for ensuring all appropriate corporate and service procedures and guidance is adhered to. End-to-end processing shall be undertaken in an efficient, accurate and timely manner.
- Provide front line Customer Service to external and internal customers. Respond to and resolve service requests and queries ensuring operational service priorities are met through ownership, adhering to agreed service standards and according to operational procedures.
- Dealing with a range of enquiries from external and internal customers primarily by telephone and email but also face to face. Responsible for investigating and resolving customer queries and escalating any complaints in accordance with the relevant procedures.
- Plan, organise and prioritise own work schedule with minimal supervision and work within procedures and guidelines to agreed standards and targets.
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Skills Required
- To use a range of standard IT packages and systems effectively (Word, Outlook, Access).
- Experience of working independently scheduling and prioritising own work to meet service requirements.
- Proven customer service background with experience of conflict resolution, negotiation and diplomacy skills.
- Dealing with complex calculations.
- Experience of working in a customer focused role in a fast-paced environment.
- Working in an office dealing with Local Authority Sundry Income debts, or similar billing/debt collection environment.
- Experience of transactional processing and knowledge/understanding of Accounts Receivable processes.
- Knowledge of the Unit 4 finance system (desirable).
- Awareness of debt collection methods and processes (desirable).
- Ability to work with internal and external stakeholders to support the delivery of the Exchequer Service in line with the annual service plan.
- Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing in order to achieve desired outcomes and be able to influence and negotiate when advising and supporting customers/users/suppliers.
- Create and maintain effective working relationships with others.
- Carry out accurate calculations, some of which may be complex and demonstrate a good understanding of figures.
- Work in a methodical way and present information clearly.
- Develop within 6 months a working knowledge of the relevant legislation and office procedures to carry out the appropriate level of work for the post.
- Prioritise workload, manage time/other resources & meet tight deadlines.
- Ability to demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behaviour, physical, social and welfare needs.
- Ability to process data and financial information related to the Exchequer Service system to support the production of management reports and information on service performance to meet service area requirements (desirable).
- Enthusiastic and conscientious individual committed to enhancing the quality of local and corporate financial information.
- Ability to work with flexibility as part of the team and on your own initiative when necessary.
- Maintain a high level of confidentiality.
Educational Requirements
- Good literacy and numeracy and GCSE qualifications in both English and Maths at grade C / 4 or above (or equivalent qualifications at NVQ level 2, such as CSE grade 1 or T-levels or O-levels at A-C or an intermediate apprenticeship).
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Why Work for Us
Our council is full of people who have chosen to work in local government because they want to help others and make a difference to their lives or the environment in which local people live.
To find out more about working and living in Norwich Home | Work in Norwich.
The council has a long and proud history of being a council that is keen to push the boundaries of what a district can achieve, to find out more about what it is like to work in local government visit Working in local government - #LocalGov Careers - Youth Employment UK.
We offer our employees a competitive pay and benefits package. Whether you’re looking for a new career, promotion, flexible working opportunity to fit with your home life or a sideways move – we have a variety of challenging employment opportunities for everybody.
Norwich City Council offers the opportunity to work with great people who are passionate about promoting Norwich and the services the council provides. We also offer good career prospects with competitive rates of pay, generous holidays and working arrangements to suit all lifestyles.
Equal Opportunities Policy
The council is committed to a policy of equality opportunity in employment, in recruitment and the services we provide. Applications are considered on the basis of their suitability for the post regardless of sex, gender reassignment, race, ethnic origin, disability, age, marital status, domestic responsibilities, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. People with disabilities are guaranteed an interview provided they are suitably qualified and/or experienced.
Candidates will be considered for shortlisting on the factual information on their application form. Therefore it is important to give as much detail as possible including information about experience gained outside employment.
Benefits
We offer our employees a competitive pay and benefits package and are proud to have the Living Wage accreditation. Whether you’re looking for a new career, promotion, flexible working opportunity to fit with your home life or a sideways move – we have a variety of challenging employment opportunities for everybody.
- All employees are eligible to join the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
- Paid holiday entitlement starts at 26 days per annum and increases with length of service to a maximum of 33 days per annum. This is pro rata for part-time employees.
- In addition to the statutory public holidays, we grant an additional statutory day leave at Christmas.
- Norwich City Council supports its employees through the provision of occupational health and employee assistance support.
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