Enforcement Assistant

Part Time 22.5 hours Monday - Wednesday
Salary: Career Grade 6/7 £24,673 – £28,964 (pro-rata £15,004 - £17,613)
Location: Maidstone, Kent
Contract: Permanent

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Revenues Collection team in providing a proactive and forward-thinking in-house debt recovery service for the collection of unpaid council tax, business rates and parking fines on behalf of Maidstone, Swale, Tunbridge Wells, Gravesham, Sevenoaks, Dartford & Tonbridge & Malling Councils.

Do you have an excellent track record in customer services, an ability to stay calm and assertive under pressure and enjoy working as part of a team, if so, you could be just what we are looking for.

As a service which deals with challenging and vulnerable customers you will need excellent communication skills with the ability to pick up sensitivities within a conversation and be able to respond in a calm, professional but assertive manner when needed. There is a requirement to converse at ease with customers and providing advice in accurate spoken English is an essential element of the role.

This is a part time position on a permanent contract working 3 days a week Monday to Wednesday totalling 22.5 hours. This role is not eligible for sponsorship.

About Maidstone Borough Council

Maidstone Borough Council is a confident organisation with ambition and aspirations to deliver high quality services to our residents and local businesses. We strive to make the borough an attractive place for all and secure a successful economy. We continue to build on our strengths - assets, knowledge and expertise and our track record for innovation and improvement to create a financially sustainable future so that we can continue with our undiminished plans.

We will only achieve the results we are aiming for through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision and in return you can expect support, training, and fair reward from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and create a positive working environment where your ideas about improving how we do things are valued and we manage the changes needed for new ways of working well.

At Maidstone Borough Council we recognise the importance of flexible working and the benefits this can bring to both our staff and the Council. We know that by offering employees a range of flexible working opportunities we can positively impact their wellbeing and engagement, and drive productivity in return. As such we have developed a highly flexible hybrid working policy, alongside our flexi time and flexible working policies, enabling staff to shape their working patterns around building a greater work life balance.

Our Offer:

A range of benefits including:

• Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities
• 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles
• Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
• Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year.
• Free parking
• Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time.
• Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
• Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
• A professional fee payment, if required for the role

About You:

Ideally have experience working in debt collection, council tax, business rates or parking but most importantly must be able to demonstrate that you’re a team player.

You will need to be an enthusiastic and self-motivated individual with a desire to succeed and deliver excellent customer services.

Selection Process:

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.

Maidstone Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Hailey Roberts, Enforcement Manager on 01622 602261.

To apply for the position please visit https://www.maidstone.gov.uk/jobs and complete the online application form or by phone on 01622 602555.

Closing date: 14 April 2024
Interview date: 29 April 2024