Job Title : Income Management Officer
Contract : Permanent
Full time : 35 hrs per week
Salary : £26,606 (10% increase after 12 month service)
Working Pattern : Monday-Friday 08.00am-3.30pm
Location : Leicester

For your application to be considered please ensure you complete and attach alongside your CV a Supporting Statement detailing in a few sentences why you have applied and feel you are a suitable candidate for this role

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Want to make a real difference to the lives of people? For over 90 years, The Riverside Group has been providing affordable housing across the UK to people as well as care for the elderly and support for those who face homelessness.

The difference you’ll make

The role holder will maximise and sustain rental income and other debts including former tenant arrears and rechargeable repairs, garages and court costs by carrying out collection and arrears prevention activity. Acting as case owners ensuring the most appropriate prevention and collection strategies are applied with the aim of preventing homelessness and sustaining tenancies.

You will also manage inbound and outbound telephone calls as well as other customer contact, agreeing and monitoring payment plans and collecting payments; providing advice, support and guidance to customers and colleagues as appropriate on the debt collection and arrears prevention processes which includes legal action

So, who are you?

Essentially, we’re looking someone who is customer focused with excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, showing the ability to meet the needs of a varied customer base.

You’ll need to demonstrate experience of working in a debt collection call centre.

Enjoy the rewards

Working with us, you’ll enjoy competitive pay, 28 days holidays plus bank holidays, a wide range of benefits, flexible working and the chance to learn valuable new skills. We empower our people to do great work by investing in learning, personal development and technology.

If you’re the kind of person that wants to do a really great job and make a difference to our customers, we think you’ll love it here. Sound like a challenge you’d like to take on? Then get in touch and let’s talk about how you can help us transform lives and revitalise neighbourhoods.

We encourage applicants from all sections of the community so that we can truly reflect the neighbourhoods in which we work.

Job purpose

To maximise and sustain rental income and other debts including former tenant arrears and rechargeable repairs, garages and court costs by carrying out collection and arrears prevention activity. Acting as case owners ensuring the most appropriate prevention and collection strategies are applied with the aim of preventing homelessness and sustaining tenancies. Managing inbound and outbound telephone calls as well as other customer contact, agreeing and monitoring payment plans and collecting payments; providing advice, support and guidance to customers and colleagues as appropriate on the debt collection and arrears prevention processes which includes legal action.

Role requires you to

• Support the delivery of the total debt management strategy through prevention, early intervention and effective arrears recovery strategies. Ensure prompt and effective outcomes in in accordance with policy and procedure to apply the right intervention at the right time, working in collaboration with Early Intervention Officers, Housing Services and Tenancy Sustainment Services.
• Proactively manage customer contact including inbound and outbound calls, text messages and other digital channels to carry out effective debt collection and arrears prevention activity. Proactively manage customer accounts and use early intervention methods to minimise legal cases. Take an active role in case reviews to ensure all avenues are covered to prevent evictions. Ownership and management of legal stage cases. Ensure high quality court documentation and preparation, working in partnership with Housing Officers to achieve the desired outcome and prevent homelessness where possible. Risk assess all legal actions.
• Responsible for achievement of income performance targets; specifically relating to rent arrears recovery and other debts whilst working to sustain tenancies.
• Use digital channels of communication as appropriate, including the workflow management system, to escalate decisions and direct tasks to progress debt collection, tenancy sustainment and arrears prevention cases.
• Use data analysis, customer segmentation and profiling tools to identify likely payment patterns and target your contacts accordingly
• Work in partnership with Housing teams to review total debt performance of Housing patches and agree the most appropriate action for customers where arrears are escalating.
• Provide supportive and meaningful advice to customers around welfare reforms and Universal Credit. Signposting where appropriate, to ensure customer understand debt collection requirements, consequences of non-compliance and additional support available from third parties.
• Carry out financial account activity, including taking payments, reviewing customer’s income and expenditure to set affordable payment plans to ensure effective debt collection in line with agreed processes.
• Identify vulnerable customers, particularly those who would benefit from an alternative payment arrangement, making a referral to the appropriate Housing Officer/tenancy sustainment team for a follow-up.
• Negotiate, agree, monitor and review affordable and sustainable payment plans with customers, in line with agreed policy and processes.
• Carry out appropriate checks, including welfare benefit checks, to ensure the appropriate course of action is followed.

• Liaise with Internal and external stakeholders as appropriate to ensure case management is progressed in line with agreed standards, timescales and targets.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of processes and procedures.
• Respond flexibly to any necessary changes in work priorities and undertake other duties when required to support the effective operation of the service.
• Ensure that all data protection requirements are met in accordance with the Group’s policy, procedures and statutory requirements.
• Ensure that health and safety requirements are met in accordance with the Group’s policy, procedures and statutory requirements.
  

Person specification Knowledge,

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Customer focused with excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, showing the ability to meet the needs of a varied customer base.
• Experience of working in a housing environment.
• Effective negotiation skills, managing business and customer requirements to a mutually agreeable solution.
• Proven track record of problem solving.
• Ability to remain calm in a pressurised environment.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to work under pressure, deliver to strict deadlines and manage conflicting priorities
• Excellent team player who can work flexibly to meet business requirements
  

Desirable

• Experience of working in a debt collection call centre.