Customer Service Officer - Council Tax

PAYE: 18.62 - 19.98 Per Hour Umbrella: 23.71 - 26.92 Per Hour

Are you a proactive professional with a passion for helping your community? The London Borough of Hackney is looking for a dedicated Customer Service Officer to join our Customer & Workplace directorate. This is your chance to be the face of the Council, providing essential support to our residents across a variety of vital services.

The Role

As the first point of contact for Hackney residents, you will handle a wide range of inquiries-from housing and benefits to parking and social care. You'll be responsible for resolving complex requests, providing technical advice, and ensuring every resident receives a professional, first-class experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Customer Engagement: Provide support through various channels, including face-to-face at the Hackney Service Centre, telephony, digital, and email.
• Expert Problem Solving: Assess inquiries and aim to resolve them at the initial point of contact whenever possible.
• Financial Management: Negotiate payment arrangements for council tax and rent arrears, and process card payments.
• Service Excellence: Meet high-performance targets, such as answering phones within three rings, while maintaining a calm and professional demeanor.

Mandatory Technical Expertise

This specific role has a strong focus on Council Tax. To be considered, you must demonstrate the following expertise during the recruitment process:

• Subject Knowledge: In-depth, proven experience with Council Tax legislation, billing cycles, exemptions, and discounts.
• Academy System: Recent, demonstrable experience using the Academy system for case management and customer records.
• Comino System: Recent, demonstrable experience using the Comino system for workflow and application processing.

What We're Looking For

• Experience: A background in fast-paced office environments with a track record of meeting and exceeding individual targets.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal skills, with the ability to write clearly and accurately for a diverse audience.
• Adaptability: A team player who can use their initiative to suggest service improvements and embrace change.
• Tech Savvy: Proficiency in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, etc.) and other business databases or software packages.

Working with Us

• Hybrid Flexibility: We offer a hybrid working model requiring a minimum of two days per week in the office to foster collaboration.
• Location: You will be based within the London Borough of Hackney and must be available to work at any local office site as required.
• Commitment to Equality: We seek individuals who wholeheartedly support diversity, celebrate equality of opportunity, and ensure non-discriminatory service delivery.

Commercial Services Trading Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.