Income Recovery Officer

Job description

Contract terms

Starting salary: PO1 (£37,443 – £39,264)
Work Location: Alexandra House, 10 Station Road, N22 7TR (Hybrid working)
Hours per week: 36 per week
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: Sunday, 14th April 2023 at 23:59

About Haringey

About us Haringey Council is one of 32 in London. Haringey is an extremely diverse borough, and the Council has set clear ambitious objectives through its borough plan to make Haringey a better place to live, encourage investment and create opportunities that all can share. Haringey’s vision for the future is one of sustainable growth, in housing and jobs and on helping our residents and businesses take advantage of that growth. We have got huge ambitions for Haringey. As the shape of local government continues to change, we are determined to rise to the challenge and find new ways to ensure that our residents enjoy the best opportunities in life. Working at Haringey gives you the opportunity to play a part in meeting those ambitions on behalf of everyone who calls the borough their home.

About the role

The Corporate Debt Team specialises in recovering Sundry debts across a varied ledger, including Housing Benefit Overpayments. Over recent years, it has demonstrated solid progress, driven by innovative strategies. The team has fostered a strong sense of collective ownership and responsibility, contributing to its success.

Despite these achievements, the team remains ambitious to improve further and maintain effective relationships with customers and partners. An experienced and highly skilled Income Recovery Officer is needed to assist in debt collection across the Sundry Debt ledger and Housing Benefit Overpayments. Due to the vulnerability of the Haringey Housing Benefit & Social Care client base, the role requires demonstrating an empathetic and holistic approach to debt recovery. Proactive pursuit of debts through various communication channels and legal action, meeting objectives/targets within designated time frames, and providing advice & guidance on debt management are among the expectations for this role. Compliance with council Debt Policies and relevant legislation is also crucial.

About the team

Our team of Income Recovery Officers comprises a cohesive and diverse group of professionals dedicated to financial recovery and delivering exceptional customer service. We prioritise a collaborative approach to problem-solving, working together to achieve outstanding outcomes for our organisation. With diverse expertise stemming from varied backgrounds, we emphasise teamwork and mutual support as fundamental to our success. Operating effectively in fast-paced environments, we uphold professionalism through integrity, respect, and ethical conduct. Our culture encourages innovative thinking and creative solutions to continually enhance our Income Recovery processes.

About you

Educated to GCSE Level, with proficiency in Maths and English, candidates should possess experience in utilising either the SAP system or the Northgate Housing Benefit system. A solid understanding of debt legislation concerning the collection of Housing Benefit Overpayments/Social Care and the capability to apply it is essential. Additionally, applicants should demonstrate familiarity with Microsoft Office Applications, particularly Excel and Word, along with excellent verbal and written communication skills. Attention to detail and accuracy are paramount, as well as the ability to work independently on assigned tasks. Strong negotiation skills and the capacity to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines are also key attributes sought for this role.

Working for Haringey

At Haringey Council we are committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included, and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce so welcome applications from all ethnicities and communities so that we continue to make a difference to our residents and community. Our benefits package includes a leave entitlement of 31 days + bank holidays, potential hybrid working opportunities, health and wellbeing support, a generous local government pension scheme and a range of discount schemes across leisure and culture that provide both financial and money-saving discounts.