Revenues & Benefits System Support Officer
Venesky-Brown’s client, a public sector organisation, is currently looking to recruit a Revenues & Benefits System Support Officer for an initial 2-3 month contract with potential to extend on a rate of £18.53/hour (PAYE) or £24.09/hour (Umbrella). This role will be remote. The working hours are 37 hours per week.
Responsibilities:
– To provide comprehensive advice to revenues and benefits staff and internal/external service providers.
– To liaise with software suppliers, service providers, ICT and other internal/external service providers to ensure that business systems and functionality are administered to meet user requirements, priorities of service areas, management objectives and changes in legislation.
– To support the rapid development and effective delivery of systems including revenues and benefits administration, cash collection and electronic document management and workflow systems.
– To prepare complex batch processing routines to update the Revenues and Benefits computer systems including any interfaces with internal and external systems / agencies. This includes, but is not limited to the systems listed below as the systems that the team supports may change over time.
– Internal Systems
– Interfaces between the Revenues and Benefits modules (Council Tax, Benefits, Debtors, etc.)
– Interface with the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS), which keeps the organisation’s document management system updated with any new property details
– The need to ensure that the integrity of the data is maintained at all times
– The operational requirements of the Revenues and Benefits service (e.g. the need to ensure that payment details are current when, for example, officers are attending court for the non-payment of council tax debts)
– The requirement to provide an accurate system for customer contact purposes during the normal office hours as defined by the local authority
– Please note that it is not possible to pre-define the reasons for system failure and the job holder will therefore be expected to be able to identify the reasons for the system failure and the most effective resolution to the problems using their own initiative
– To carry out daily/weekly reconciliations of local tax income, benefit overpayment income, direct debit deductions and Housing Benefits payments made.
– To be directly responsible for the accurate and secure transmission of local tax Direct Debit deductions, which frequently exceed £6M in a single transmission, ensuring that the deductions are made accurately and on the correct date.
– To be directly responsible for the accurate and secure transmission of Housing Benefit payments, which frequently exceed £6M in a single transmission, to benefit recipients and landlords via BACs.
– To maintain a detailed knowledge of relevant legislation and best practice in order to support system testing and enhancements and have a good understanding of procedures to inform users of best practice
– To determine priorities using own initiative as the situation demands.
– To review processes and procedures as directed, suggesting improvements where possible.
– To provide a responsive and proactive service to internal and external stakeholders.
– To provide supervision and training of other employees on the use of business systems as directed.
– To lead system related project work throughout the lifetime of a project, which will frequently be expected to take several months to complete. The post holder will be expected to provide detailed project plans, risk assessments, checkpoint and highlight reports, as directed. The post holder will be expected to identify and engage with stakeholders to optimise the outcomes of projects.
– To ensure that all work undertaken by the systems team is properly monitored, recorded and reported in accordance with set procedures or as directed by the systems team leader or manager.
– To obtain and investigate data by devising reports using tools such as Business Objects, Crystal Reports and Microsoft Access.
– To maintain statistical information and provide management information.
– To assist where appropriate with monitoring IS/IT services provided by either internal or external providers to ensure adequate levels of service are being maintained and service level agreements being met.
– To ensure that adequate levels of business system security is maintained and that breaches of system or data security are reported immediately to the relevant managers.
– To demonstrate flexibility and willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as required.
– To maintain awareness of developments and emerging technologies relevant to business functions and, in consultation with the managers and team leaders, to recommend hardware or software enhancements.
– To develop and deliver systems testing plans to support the operation and development of the business systems and processes to deliver progressive and responsive customer focussed services and enhance individual and team performance to attain upper quartile results
– To develop system training plans for the revenues service
– To develop system training plans in conjunction with Training and Policy Implementation Officers for changes affecting the benefit service.
– To maintain and deliver accurate system data, reports and availability; to monitor and record system response times and all potential impacts on service performance as directed.
Essential Skills:
– Ability to co-ordinate, plan, prioritise own workload and consistently meet set targets.
– Ability to work independently and flexibly as part of a team in a pressurised environment that is subject to frequently changing circumstances in order to meet deadlines.
– Effective liaison with officers and external agencies
– Ability to write clearly and concisely e.g. guidance on changes created by systems upgrades/enhancements
– Participating constructively in team meetings and supporting continuous team and service improvement.
– Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues and other stakeholders.
– Ability to assist in setting and contributing to team objectives as part of the service planning and monitoring process.
– Ability to assist in the development of procedures and good working practices.
– Detailed knowledge and understanding of benefits and/or local taxation operational requirements; awareness of legislation, regulations and working practices, and application in a customer focused environment.
– Detailed current knowledge of the following systems: Northgate (Sx3) and Civica Workflow360
– Proficient in the use of Microsoft Access, Excel and Word.
– Ability to induct and train service users to basic system functionality and navigation in a consistently professional and supportive manner
– Ability to assist in devising and delivering systems testing programmes to protect the accuracy of data and processing
– Ability to interrogate systems to extract information and effectively communicate results/findings to a range of contacts
– Knowledge of emerging technologies in revenues and benefits
– Enthusiasm, commitment, perseverance and flexibility to support change
– Understanding of, and commitment to, promoting and implementing the organisation’s equal opportunities policies
– Understanding and ability to follow guidelines and ensure compliance to health and safety at work, data protection, freedom of information and other statutory requirements
– Commitment to personal development through structured training
– Current experience within revenues or benefits working within a processing, systems or customer care environment.
– Detailed knowledge of benefits and / or local taxation
– An awareness of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity
– Awareness of, and commitment to, confidentiality and handling data
Desirable skills:
– An IRRV qualification is desirable but not essential
– A qualification that demonstrates the applicant’s computing skills such as ECDL, Microsoft Office Specialist or equivalent is desirable but not essential
Responsibilities:
– To provide comprehensive advice to revenues and benefits staff and internal/external service providers.
– To liaise with software suppliers, service providers, ICT and other internal/external service providers to ensure that business systems and functionality are administered to meet user requirements, priorities of service areas, management objectives and changes in legislation.
– To support the rapid development and effective delivery of systems including revenues and benefits administration, cash collection and electronic document management and workflow systems.
– To prepare complex batch processing routines to update the Revenues and Benefits computer systems including any interfaces with internal and external systems / agencies. This includes, but is not limited to the systems listed below as the systems that the team supports may change over time.
– Internal Systems
– Interfaces between the Revenues and Benefits modules (Council Tax, Benefits, Debtors, etc.)
– Interface with the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS), which keeps the organisation’s document management system updated with any new property details
– The need to ensure that the integrity of the data is maintained at all times
– The operational requirements of the Revenues and Benefits service (e.g. the need to ensure that payment details are current when, for example, officers are attending court for the non-payment of council tax debts)
– The requirement to provide an accurate system for customer contact purposes during the normal office hours as defined by the local authority
– Please note that it is not possible to pre-define the reasons for system failure and the job holder will therefore be expected to be able to identify the reasons for the system failure and the most effective resolution to the problems using their own initiative
– To carry out daily/weekly reconciliations of local tax income, benefit overpayment income, direct debit deductions and Housing Benefits payments made.
– To be directly responsible for the accurate and secure transmission of local tax Direct Debit deductions, which frequently exceed £6M in a single transmission, ensuring that the deductions are made accurately and on the correct date.
– To be directly responsible for the accurate and secure transmission of Housing Benefit payments, which frequently exceed £6M in a single transmission, to benefit recipients and landlords via BACs.
– To maintain a detailed knowledge of relevant legislation and best practice in order to support system testing and enhancements and have a good understanding of procedures to inform users of best practice
– To determine priorities using own initiative as the situation demands.
– To review processes and procedures as directed, suggesting improvements where possible.
– To provide a responsive and proactive service to internal and external stakeholders.
– To provide supervision and training of other employees on the use of business systems as directed.
– To lead system related project work throughout the lifetime of a project, which will frequently be expected to take several months to complete. The post holder will be expected to provide detailed project plans, risk assessments, checkpoint and highlight reports, as directed. The post holder will be expected to identify and engage with stakeholders to optimise the outcomes of projects.
– To ensure that all work undertaken by the systems team is properly monitored, recorded and reported in accordance with set procedures or as directed by the systems team leader or manager.
– To obtain and investigate data by devising reports using tools such as Business Objects, Crystal Reports and Microsoft Access.
– To maintain statistical information and provide management information.
– To assist where appropriate with monitoring IS/IT services provided by either internal or external providers to ensure adequate levels of service are being maintained and service level agreements being met.
– To ensure that adequate levels of business system security is maintained and that breaches of system or data security are reported immediately to the relevant managers.
– To demonstrate flexibility and willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends as required.
– To maintain awareness of developments and emerging technologies relevant to business functions and, in consultation with the managers and team leaders, to recommend hardware or software enhancements.
– To develop and deliver systems testing plans to support the operation and development of the business systems and processes to deliver progressive and responsive customer focussed services and enhance individual and team performance to attain upper quartile results
– To develop system training plans for the revenues service
– To develop system training plans in conjunction with Training and Policy Implementation Officers for changes affecting the benefit service.
– To maintain and deliver accurate system data, reports and availability; to monitor and record system response times and all potential impacts on service performance as directed.
Essential Skills:
– Ability to co-ordinate, plan, prioritise own workload and consistently meet set targets.
– Ability to work independently and flexibly as part of a team in a pressurised environment that is subject to frequently changing circumstances in order to meet deadlines.
– Effective liaison with officers and external agencies
– Ability to write clearly and concisely e.g. guidance on changes created by systems upgrades/enhancements
– Participating constructively in team meetings and supporting continuous team and service improvement.
– Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues and other stakeholders.
– Ability to assist in setting and contributing to team objectives as part of the service planning and monitoring process.
– Ability to assist in the development of procedures and good working practices.
– Detailed knowledge and understanding of benefits and/or local taxation operational requirements; awareness of legislation, regulations and working practices, and application in a customer focused environment.
– Detailed current knowledge of the following systems: Northgate (Sx3) and Civica Workflow360
– Proficient in the use of Microsoft Access, Excel and Word.
– Ability to induct and train service users to basic system functionality and navigation in a consistently professional and supportive manner
– Ability to assist in devising and delivering systems testing programmes to protect the accuracy of data and processing
– Ability to interrogate systems to extract information and effectively communicate results/findings to a range of contacts
– Knowledge of emerging technologies in revenues and benefits
– Enthusiasm, commitment, perseverance and flexibility to support change
– Understanding of, and commitment to, promoting and implementing the organisation’s equal opportunities policies
– Understanding and ability to follow guidelines and ensure compliance to health and safety at work, data protection, freedom of information and other statutory requirements
– Commitment to personal development through structured training
– Current experience within revenues or benefits working within a processing, systems or customer care environment.
– Detailed knowledge of benefits and / or local taxation
– An awareness of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity
– Awareness of, and commitment to, confidentiality and handling data
Desirable skills:
– An IRRV qualification is desirable but not essential
– A qualification that demonstrates the applicant’s computing skills such as ECDL, Microsoft Office Specialist or equivalent is desirable but not essential
