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Job Title : Head of Service Revenues & Benefits
Council : Swindon
Job Purpose :
This role is the strategic and operational lead on all matters relating to the Revenues and Benefits Service
encompassing Council Tax, Non Domestic Business Rates, and Housing Benefits. Ensuring that the customer
is at the heart of our services. Delivering high-performing, well-managed Revenues and Benefits services and
that the Council's policy objectives in relation to Revenues and Benefits are determined and met.
Key Accountabilities
* Council's Lead technical expert on all matters relating to Council Tax, Business Rates & Benefits
* Help formulate Council Policy in relation to these Services, working with Councillors (and having
delegated powers directly from Councillors) and monitor adherence to policy
* Appoint, monitor and contract manage contractors who run much of the Council Tax, Business Rates
& Benefits Service
* Appoint, monitor and manage other agents and staff who help in the billing, appropriation and
collection and maximisation of the Council's income (External collection Agents, Rates finding Agent,
Cashiering, banking, Invoicing & Credit Control functions)
* Ensure all central government returns are completed correctly and on time (Benefits Subsidy returns
are necessary to achieve approx. £40 million per annum and Council Tax and Business Rate returns
ensure the correct accounting of over £300 million of income per annum)
Supplementary Accountabilities
* Directly managing 4 senior staff in the Revenues and Benefits Team - The Senior Revenues Officer,
Benefits Client Monitoring Officer, Credit Control Manager and Invoicing Team Leader
* Mange all Budgets relating to income and Expenditure in Revenues & Benefits, including accounting
for paying of over £40 million of Housing Benefits and claiming of Subsidy. Payment of partners and
agents (authorising payments of £100,000s)
2
* Working with Councillors, Community Groups and Advice Agency partners (such as Citizens Advice) at
senior levels. Responding to Councillor and Member of Parliament enquiries
* Working with Senior Managers form across the Council on strategic plans to help prevent or reduce
poverty and debt.
* Ensure effective and regular debt reporting to assist services to understand and manage the debt
position.
Knowledge & Experience
* Wide breadth of senior management experience and extensive knowledge in the Revenues & Benefits
sector
* Ideally educated to degree level or equivalent experience relevant to the role description
* Full Institute of Revenues and Rating Qualification
* Experience of developing synergies and partnerships within organisations and with external partners
* General senior management skills to drive services and ensure the strategic direction of the Council is
effected on a value added basis and motivational style
* Significant financial knowledge of managing high value budgets
* Requires ability to produce written communication to customers, reports to Directors, Corporate Board
and Members and be able to compile and negotiate Service Level agreements
Qualifications
* Ideally educated to Degree level and or possess an Institute of Revenues Rating & Valuation (IRRV)
qualification or Snr Manager/specialist experience in the field of Revenue and Bens
Decision Making
* Review and contribute to strategic direction of the Council and policy formulation for the services.
* Determine the content of Business, Project and Action Plans necessary to implement legislative and
other changes in the work of Team and Department.
* Lead in the decision making of the award of multi million pound contracts and use of agents for the
services. Decisions around major contract changes.
* Determining appropriate key targets and performance levels
* Strong Contract management skills to hold provider to account

Eden Brown Synergy is an equal opportunities employer.

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