Senior Council Tax & Debt Management Officer

Vacancy Information

Hourly rate of pay: £19.45 - £21.75

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 January 2026.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Council Tax Officer to join East Lothian Council’s Revenues Service, based at John Muir House in Haddington.

This key role will support the effective delivery of Council Tax billing, collection, and debt recovery, while also contributing to service development and improvement. The successful candidate will play a vital part in maximising income and minimising arrears, helping to ensure the Council has the financial resources to deliver high-quality services to East Lothian residents.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and support the day-to-day operations of the Council Tax team.
• Provide guidance and mentoring to team members, including support for new staff.
• Manage complex cases and escalations, particularly those involving vulnerable residents or significant arrears.
• Promote Direct Debit and online services to improve payment efficiency.
• Contribute to service improvement initiatives and process reviews.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to support effective debt management and customer service.

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Demonstrable experience in a customer-focused environment, ideally within local government or a similar public service.
• Strong understanding of Council Tax legislation, billing, and recovery processes.
• Ability to work empathetically with individuals experiencing financial hardship.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and organisational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Council IT systems.
• Experience in debt management or income recovery is desirable.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated and experienced individual to take the next step in their career and help shape the future of Council Tax services in East Lothian.

Job Details

Responsible for the delivery of an effective and efficient service to collect Council Tax income to ensure that the Council has the finances to deliver high quality services to all residents of East Lothian. Provide support, guidance and advice to colleagues and external bodies by coordinating and monitoring the Teams performance to maximise efficiency of the service provision.

Ensure customers, the team and services are fully-supported and all work is in compliance with the Council's policies, procedures and legislation 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, Accountancy 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 outwith 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.