Revenues Apprentice (Business Rates)

Revenues Apprentice - Business Rates Team

We are looking to recruit a Revenues Apprentice within the Business Rates team, based at the Town Hall in Preston. You will be performing various roles in local authorities such as benefit assessment, revenues calculation, or customer service.

Duties

• Dealing with Business Rates customers, by phone, correspondence, and sometimes in person to establish their needs and take appropriate steps to meet those needs
• Work as part of a team administering, billing, collection, recovery, and the application of discounts and reliefs for non-domestic properties
• Work as part of a team administering, recovery, and carrying out corporate fraud duties, procedures, and processes

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Course Contents

• Consistently deal with customers politely and considerately, adapting your approach to meet customer and employer needs
• Achieve outcomes that the customer wants where possible. Where this is not possible, explain the reasons why. Evaluate and recommend alternative options
• Obtain all required information in the most effective way to allow tasks to be completed, considering each customer's individual circumstances
• Interpret and evaluate all information to determine the relevant details for the required task
• Interpret and evaluate information to judge whether there is potential fraud indicated. Refer to the appropriate department where required
• Determine whether a dispute should lead to a change of decision and explain the reasons, using appropriate legislation
• Handle sensitive information securely and in line with current legislative requirements
• Analyse and use information and legislation to calculate amounts due when a customer first contacts your department (e.g. new claims or new accounts)
• Analyse and use information and legislation to correctly deal with changes in customers' circumstances, recalculating amounts due where required
• Provide justification for any inferences drawn from available information
• Decide on the best method of recovery by evaluating the customer's circumstances. Act on this judgment to start recovery of amounts due
• Use judgement to deal correctly with non-routine situations that arise
• Adapt your communication style and method to meet the individual's needs
• Communicate confidently by being personable, asking insightful questions, and being able to negotiate effectively and respectfully
• Undertake activities to ensure knowledge stays current
• Take appropriate action within the limits of your authority to solve problems or make relevant colleagues aware of them
• Make accurate decisions based on the information available
• Support team members to achieve the best outcome for the team
• Request assistance or authorisation when required
• Communicate with other departments to achieve required outcomes
• Proficiently use the systems available to achieve tasks
• Refer to processes to determine the action to be taken
• Evaluate the customer's financial position, assisting with personal budgeting where appropriate, or directing the customer to appropriate support