Job profile for Trainee Revenues Officer
Job Details
Job title: Trainee Revenues Officer
Salary/Grade: Grade 2/3 - NB: progression to Grade 3 is dependent on achievement of required job role competencies and successful completion of the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) qualification
Service: Financial Services
Reports to: Recovery & Revenues Manager
Job purpose
To carry out the functions and processes required for the accurate maintenance of the Revenues database.
Issuing Demands and Invoices for Council Tax, Business Rates and Sundry Debtors.
Undertaking collection processes for Council Tax, Business Rates and Sundry Debtors
Principal Accountabilities
- Ensure telephone and counter enquiries of both general and complex nature are correctly dealt with in accordance with Council policy. Ensure that filing and processing of replies is carried out through electronic workflow.
- Issue and dispatch demand notices, invoices, statements, recovery notices and summonses for Council Tax and Business Rates and Sundry Debtors.
- Maintain the Council Tax, Business Rates and Sundry Debtor person/property database ensuring that it is accurate in accordance with all current information.
- To undertake all recovery and revenues processes, including computer amendments in accordance with the notifications and information received.
- Maintain the reviewing of all reliefs, discounts and exemptions in Council Tax and Business Rates.
- To undertake inspections of properties to ensure the Council Tax and Business Rates of new properties are reported in a timely manner.
- Process correspondence and information received.
- Process recovery proceedings, as necessary, including attendance at Magistrates’ Court and County Court when necessary.
- Provide assistance at year end in relation to Revenues, Recovery and NDR accounts
- To undertake any other Revenues related duties as required.
- Liaise with bailiffs and credit agencies regarding debt recovery.
- Liaise with internal departments regarding debt recovery.
- To be mindful of individuals who may be identified as vulnerable and to notify such persons to the Vulnerable Welfare team
Corporate Accountabilities
- To take responsibility for maintaining own health and attendance.
- To support, contribute and comply with quality and governance procedures as directed by management.
- To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy in all areas of employment and service delivery.
- To apply and actively promote the principles of the Council’s Safeguarding Procedure in all areas of employment and service delivery.
- Any other duties as required to support the business, including maintaining business continuity and during civil emergencies. All staff may on occasions be called upon to support the Council to deal with emergency situations affecting the community we serve. In the event of an emergency or a rehearsal for such an event, you may be required to attend at times and at locations outside of the normal hours and duties of the post and to adopt duties directed by the Chief Executive or their nominated representative for the duration of the emergency.
- Any other associated duties detailed by Head of Service or his representative.
- To advise Line manager if, at any time, the above duties and responsibilities cannot be performed.
Skills, knowledge and experience
(Tested at application and interview stage)
Experience and qualifications
- Experience of delivering excellent customer service
- Experience of providing administrative support in a financial setting
- Willingness and interest in studying for a professional qualification in Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) – NB There is a requirement in this job role to study for and successfully pass the IRRV qualification
- Track record of learning new systems and processes.
- Experience of numerical accuracy and financial data processing
Skills and knowledge
- Strong Computer/IT skills including experience of using IT systems, financial administration
- Data security knowledge and awareness
- Proven ability to work as part of a team.
- Ability to deal efficiently and effectively with customer enquiries by telephone or in writing with the ability to draft clear correspondence on financial matters
- Awareness and/or knowledge and understanding of relevant Council Tax and Business Rates legislation
- Excellent communication skills.
- Ability to build effective working relationships.
- Excellent administration skills.
- Organisation skills.
- Able to use own initiative and work independently.
- Willingness to take ownership of duties and responsibilities.
- Understanding of and commitment to maintaining confidentiality and dealing with sensitive information.
Competencies
(Tested at interview stage)
Communicating Effectively
Demonstrate the effective use of the range of communication methods available: written, spoken, electronic, and use these methods in appropriate ways suitable to the context and situation
- Present spoken communication in a polite, friendly and respectful manner seeking to ensure mutual understanding
- Listen well and seek clarification and understanding, avoiding jumping to conclusions or making assumptions
- Present information and ideas in a clear and understandable way which avoids jargon
- Seek to understand the communication needs of colleagues and customers, being mindful of equality issues and the diverse needs of the range of people we work with
- Choose the most appropriate method of communication for the situation, seeking to avoid using one fixed style or approach
Performing Efficiently and Effectively
Promote good performance, developing clear, structured and efficient ways of managing workload and delivering results. Staff should challenge themselves and others to perform well, and to adhere to the Council’s performance management systems
- Ensure that all work carried out by you is in line with business and service plans and supports the overall aims and ambition of the Council
- Plan your workload effectively, reporting achievements and problems to appropriate managers and project leaders
- See tasks and objectives through to completion
- Approach challenges with drive and enthusiasm
- Strive for continuous improvement in your work and manage your learning and development to enable you to perform to the best of your ability
- Create novel solutions to improve services and ways of working and challenge conventional practices
- Seek out income generating opportunities and efficiencies and aim to provide more for less to achieve the best possible value and high standards of service delivery
- Be enthusiastic about the Council’s services and look for opportunities to promote and sell them
Using and Managing Resources Efficiently and Effectively
Demonstrate the effective and efficient use of the full range of resources used in and by the Council including time, finances, staffing, equipment, information, materials, buildings, etc.
- Take responsibility for managing your time, seeking efficient ways to carry out your work, maximising your output and minimising wastage
- Use and acquire materials effectively and efficiently minimising wastage, recycling where possible, and striving for cost effectiveness
- Seek out ways to improve the use of resources
Engaging with the Customer
Understand the needs and requirements of their customers, to provide excellent customer service, and to involve customers in the improvement of services
- Provide a helpful and friendly service to customers, both internally and externally
- Take responsibility for following up on enquiries and solving customer issues
- Make efforts to fully understand the customer’s needs and avoid assuming that “we know best”
- Ensure that you have a full understanding of the needs and requirements of the customer
- Seek feedback from internal and external customers on the effectiveness and efficiency of the service you provide
Working well Together
Actively foster good working relationships with colleagues and customers in order to collectively achieve the Council’s direction and ambition
- Co-operate and work well with colleagues at all levels of the organisation, seeking collective responsibility for the achievement of goals
- Demonstrate consideration and respect for other’s feelings and opinions and avoid judging and making assumptions
- Maintain positive working relationships with external contacts in order to maintain the reputation of the Council
- Seek to actively solve problems and avoid passing the issue on to others or leaving the problem unresolved
- Demonstrate self-awareness of your style of working and develop flexibility and adaptability in order to work well with others
Other conditions
- This position does not require a DBS check
- This position is not politically restricted
Job profile updated
September 2026
Values and behaviours
Our values and behaviours are an integral part of who we are; they are the guiding principles that should inform how we work together, support each other and make decisions.
Our organisation thrives on the dedication and passion of its people and it’s important that we embody these values and behaviours and they become a part of our organisational DNA.
Our vision
We will be ambitious, support each other and work together in new ways to achieve outstanding results
Our core values
We value everyone
- We respect, recognise and support our people, residents and businesses
- We listen to each other, understand and treat everyone fairly
- We care about our people and appreciate the unique qualities in us all
We work together
- We respect, recognise and support our people, residents and businesses
- We work as one team, recognising everyone's contribution
- We build strong relationships and partnerships to deliver better outcomes
We are flexible
- We embrace change and new ways of working
- We are adaptable, open to new ideas and focus on solutions
- We aim to constantly improve, and we are not afraid to challenge the status quo
