Council Tax & Debt Management Officer - 2 Positions Available (PERMANENT & TEMPORARY)

Vacancy Information

Hourly rate of pay: £18.34 - £19.86

Post 1 - Permanent Position.
Post 2 - Temporary secondment cover for 18 months.
You will be asked to indicate which post(s) you would like to be considered for when you complete the application form.

Days and Hours of Work:
Monday - Friday, 09:00-17:00
Starting and finishing times are flexible, and flexi time is applicable.
To start 1st July 2026.

East Lothian Council is seeking 2 motivated and customer focused Council Tax & Debt Management Officers to support the delivery of an effective and efficient Council Tax and Debt Management service.

You will play a key role in collecting Council Tax income, reducing arrears, and providing high quality advice and support to customers, ensuring services are delivered in line with legislation and Council policies.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect Council Tax efficiently and reduce arrears through early intervention and appropriate recovery action
• Manage and review Council Tax accounts, including complex and sensitive cases
• Negotiate payment arrangements and provide advice to help customers sustain affordable payments
• Assess Council Tax reduction applications and encourage take up of entitlements
• Provide information and referrals to internal and external support agencies
• Carry out recovery actions in accordance with legislation
• Investigate potential fraud, including single person discount cases
• Maintain accurate records and produce management information
• Promote Direct Debit, ebilling, and online payments
• Mentor colleagues and deputise for senior staff when required

About You

You will have experience in Council Tax, debt management, or a similar financial or housing related role, with a sound understanding of relevant legislation and welfare considerations. You will be confident managing challenging customer situations, achieving performance targets, and delivering excellent customer service. Strong communication, organisational, and problem solving skills are essential.

Home / Hybrid Working Consideration
Applications for home or hybrid working will be considered for this post in accordance with East Lothian Council’s Home Working and Worksmart Policies which can be found here. Home or Hybrid working options can be discussed with candidates invited for interview.

Please Note:
All home/hybrid workers must live in the UK. Where an application for home-working is supported, it will be subject to a satisfactory trial period. Employees will be expected to attend Council offices for the duration of induction, and be on site in East Lothian workplaces, as required. Employees with a hybrid working arrangement in place will be office based and able to work from home, with permission, on an ad hoc basis.

Job Details

Responsible for the delivery of an effective and efficient Council Tax service which ensures that the Council has the finances to deliver a high quality service to Council Tax payers in East Lothian ensuring customer is fully supported throughout the process and in compliance with the Council's policies, legislation and plans with a commitment to achieve best value.

Please download the Job Outline/Person Specification (available under 'Job Attachments') for the full range of tasks and duties associated with this job. You will need to refer to these in order to complete the application form. You must ensure you meet every 'essential' criteria stated on the Person Specification to be considered for interview.

The ‘East Lothian Way’– values and behaviours we expect our employees to demonstrate in their everyday work. Should you be invited to interview, you may be asked questions based on these behaviours. Please refer to the document via the link to familiarise yourself with them.

Job Requirements

Relevant Qualifications
HNC/SVQ Level 3 or equivalent level of knowledge e.g IRRV and/or relevant working experience.

Driving Licence
A full current driving licence is desirable for this post.

Level 1 Disclosure Clearance
This role requires Level 1 Disclosure Clearance to allow access to the Public Sector Network. ELC will submit a Police Act Disclosure application on behalf of the preferred candidate and receipt of the subsequent certificate will be required prior to commencement.

Please note:
If you have spent more than 3 months working or living out with the UK in the last 5 years then you will also be required to present a copy of an overseas criminal record check. Details of how to apply and contact details can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Additional Information

For additional East Lothian Council employment information please click on the following link:
www.eastlothian.gov.uk/nonteachinginfo

If you have any difficulties creating an account on MyJobScotland or applying for this post please contact the MyJobScotland support team via this link https://www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/contact-us.

If you require further information about this vacancy, please call 01620 827868, or email us on recruitment@eastlothian.gov.uk

Please note: We do not accept CV's (either electronically or by mail). All our vacancies must be applied for by fully completing the on-line application form. Although there is an ‘import data from my CV’ function on MyJobScotland, this only imports very limited data and should not be relied upon to complete the application form. If, for example, due to a disability, you are unable to complete the on-line application form you can contact us for a paper application via the telephone number or email address above.