Rate Collector

1. The Role

Fingal County Council is one of the largest local authorities in the Country with an annual rates income of over €170m. The Rate Collector is a senior position within the Finance Department of the Council. As a member of the Rates team, they have responsibility for the day-to-day operations of rates collection, contribute to policy making and strategy decisions in relation to rates. The successful candidate will also have responsibility for introducing new initiatives and modernising policies and procedures with regards to rates collection.

The Rate Collector will report to an officer of the Local Authority as designated by the Chief Executive.

 

2. Duties

The duties of the post of the Rate Collector include, but are not limited to:

• Manage, monitor and develop a modern and efficient revenue collection system. As a key member of the Rates team, they will be required to meet targets and performance indicators with regards to the collection of rates.

• Continuously monitor and improve procedures to ensure they comply with best practice.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with all internal and external stakeholders to facilitate timely information sharing and efficient decision-making processes.

• Delivery of work programmes as directed by the Senior Executive Officer / Financial Management Accountant or the Director of Finance in respect of the collection of rates.

• Proactively promote and utilise all forms of electronic payment methods to facilitate timely and regular payments of monies due.

• Proactively review rate and revenue account balances and initiate actions to secure payment in the case of aged debt.

• Monitor the receipt, reconciliation and lodgment of monies received on behalf of Fingal County Council to ensure it is in accordance with agreed procedures.

• Conduct regular reviews of rates and revenue accounts and prepare any required reports detailing uncollected rates and any actions to be taken up to and including legal proceedings in order to collect outstanding debts.

• Manage the administration of Rate accounts and maintain adequate records and procedures for financial control purposes, using the Ascendas debt management system or any other system as directed.

• Liaising with Tailte Éireann, the state property valuation service, as required.

• Maintain a new properties / development file, monitor commencement notices, listing properties for valuation with Tailte Eireann. 

• Review Tailte Eireann maps, in conjunction with available GIS information and any other relevant data, to ensure all rateable properties in the County are valued appropriately. 

• Liaising with ratepayers and agreeing payment arrangements and following up as appropriate.

• Dealing with cases involving liquidations, receiverships etc.

• Verifying and confirming vacancy refund claims and strike offs of uncollectible rates.

• Adjudicate on rateable status of property where necessary on charitable, domestic, or demolished and update of rate account file.

• Issue legal proceedings in District / Circuit Court and give instruction to Law Department / Council’s legal representatives, and where necessary, to attend and give evidence in court.

• Identify suitable properties to lodge judgements against where judgement mortgage obtained and the issue folio / associated documentation to Law Department / Council’s legal representatives.

• Monitor direct debit payments on Agresso (Financial Management System).

• Management / supervision of staff as required.

 

Use of his/her private motor car in the course of his/her duties.

These tasks which are indicative rather than exhaustive are carried out under general supervision.

Persons appointed will be required to work in any location within the Fingal administrative area.

 

3. Qualifications and Requirements of the Post

 

CHARACTER

Each candidate must be of good character.

 

HEALTH

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

 

EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, ETC.

Candidates must on the latest date of receipt of completed application forms have:

1.     possess a standard of education sufficient to enable him / her to keep efficiently the required books and accounts;

2.     possess a good standard of administrative experience and adequate experience in office organisation and in the control of staff;

3.     possess a current unendorsed full driving licence (Category A1, A and / or B) and have / or have access to a car as he / she may be required to travel in the course of his / her duties.

 

Desirables

-        At least three years’ experience in roles requiring high levels of numeracy and strong organisational skills

The successful candidate must demonstrate the following competencies:

 

·        A keen eye for accuracy and attention to detail.

·        Strong analytical, numeracy and problem-solving skills.

·        Strong negotiating and communication skills.

·        Ability to work well under pressure, meet tight deadlines / targets and think laterally in dealing with a range of complex issues.

·        Aptitude for all aspects of management including the determination of priorities, performance management and management of workloads in order to ensure targets and deadlines are met.

·        Excellent level of IT literacy, including proficiency in Excel, and knowledge of financial management systems and procedures.

·        Understanding of the local government / public service environment including the financial and legislative framework.

·        Experience in managing and supervising staff.

 

Candidates may be shortlisted based on the desirables and competencies listed above.

4. The Selection Process:

Fingal County Council reserves the right to shortlist applications, if required. This is not to suggest that any candidate may be unsuitable or incapable of undertaking the duties of the post advertised, but rather that there may be candidates who have demonstrated that they are better qualified and/or have more relevant experience.

The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview shall be determined by the local authority from time to time, having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled.

Step 1: Initial Screening

In the first instance, all applications received by the latest date/time for receipt of completed applications are screened for eligibility in accordance with the qualifications for the post as set out in this booklet and declared by the Minister for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001.

Step 2: Shortlisting

Each candidate’s application may be assessed against pre-determined criteria based on the requirements of the position as outlined in this booklet. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to provide a detailed and accurate account of their qualifications and/or experience in their application form and to outline the relevance of their experience in the examples provided.

Step 3: Interview

Candidates who are successful in the shortlisting process will be invited to attend for interview(s). Fingal County Council will endeavor to give sufficient notice of the interview to shortlisted candidates. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of the candidate to make themselves available on the date/time selected. Candidates who do not attend for interview will be deemed to have withdrawn their application from the competition. Expenses incurred by candidates in attending for interview, will be at the candidates own expense.

An independent interview board will be established by the Senior Executive Officer, People Services, or other designated officer, to assess the candidates shortlisted for interview. The interview board will generally comprise of a Chairperson and two other members, who will have expert knowledge in the relevant field. The objective of the interview board is to identify candidates who best meet the objective criteria and competencies required for the position and to place them in order of merit.

Candidates who are successful in the interview will be qualified in order of merit for appointment to the post of Rate Collector and placed on a panel. It should be noted that placement on a panel may not necessarily lead to a job offer. The selection process is not concluded until such time as references have been sought and clearance checks, i.e. Garda vetting, occupational health, verification of education qualifications, etc, have been carried out to the satisfaction of the Council.

5. Benefits

At Fingal County Council, we value our employees and want to support them to develop their careers. We offer flexible working arrangements, competitive salaries and pension benefits, a positive work environment, training and development opportunities, a defined career path in a supportive and inclusive culture and the opportunity to make a difference, along with the following benefits:

 Standard working day is 9-5

Excellent Work/Life balance with Family Friendly Schemes such as Shorter Working Year and Work-sharing

Opportunities for promotion and career development

Employee Assistance and Wellbeing Programme

Pension Scheme

Blended Working available - up to 2 days per week

Ongoing training and higher educational support

Cycle to Work Scheme

 

6. Particulars of Employment

The employment is whole time, permanent and pensionable. Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class A rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration plus 3.5% of net pensionable remuneration (i.e. pensionable remuneration less twice the annual rate of social insurance old age contributory pension payable at the maximum rate to a person with no adult dependent or qualified children).

 

Persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority who are liable to pay the Class D rate of PRSI contribution will be required in respect of their superannuation to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 5% of their pensionable remuneration.

All persons who become pensionable employees of a local authority will be required in respect of the local Government (Spouses and Children’s Contributory Pension) Scheme to contribute to the local authority at the rate of 1.5% of their pensionable remuneration in accordance with the terms of the Scheme.

PROBATION

(a)   there shall be a period after such employment takes effect during which such persons shall hold such employment on probation,

(b)   such period shall be one year but the Chief Executive may at his or her discretion extend such period,

(c)    such persons shall cease to hold employment at the end of the period of probation unless during such period the Chief Executive has certified that the service of such persons is satisfactory.

 

SALARY

€60,611– €62,095 – €63,826 – €65,563– €67,300 – €68,852, €70,442, €71,982, €73,518, €76,149 (LSI1) – €78,795 (LSI2) Per annum

Persons who are not serving local authority employees will be based on the minimum of the scale.

Holders of the post shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than their inclusive salary) payable to or received by them by virtue of their post or in respect of any services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform.

 

CITIZENSHIP

Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be:

 

a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or

b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or

e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015 or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa or

f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa.

 

HEALTH

For the purpose of satisfying the requirement as to health it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are employed, to undergo a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the Local Authority.

 

RETIREMENT AGE

The retirement age is 70 years.

 

Recruitment

The local authority shall require a person to whom employment is offered to take up such employment within a period of not more than 6 weeks and if he or she fails to take up the employment within such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not employ the person.