Systems Support Officer LBS-08

· To work as part of a team maintaining the integrity and availability of all revenues and benefits systems. Ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of council tax, business rates and housing benefit overpayments documentation and notices.

· Take responsibly for elements of the day to day systems management, planning and coordinating system and subsidy reconciliations and managing batch schedules.

· To provide technical expertise to support departmental projects and transformational change.

Principal accountabilities
· To provide advice, expertise and guidance on revenue and benefits application management, providing cost effective and innovative solutions.

· Respond to, take action and provide technical advice on user enquires, including complex enquiries referred from senior managers.

· Undertake investigations in conjunction with users, software suppliers and other relevant parties in order to resolve issues. Take ownership of disseminating lessons learnt and use them to make recommendations for process improvement and to implement those recommendations, once approved, in an effective and timely manner.

· Identify and take proactive action where improvements to system outputs and reporting will result in improved compliance or efficiencies.

· Ensure account reconciliations (circa £300m) are completed in a timely and accurate way, including;

o Housing and council tax reduction award postings, payments and returns
o Cash receipts for revenues and HBOP
o Revenues refunds
o Revenues suspense payments, reallocation to correct account to maximise income collection

· Investigate and resolve any reconciliation discrepancies reported by service areas and take action to resolve them in conjunction with Team Managers.

· Issue housing benefit and council tax reduction award notifications, including debtor invoices, council tax and business rate bills, reminders and summonses.

· Establish and manage the production of Northgate batch schedules, reviewing and amending where necessary, to incorporate changing software, business processes, working practices and priorities.

· Responsibility for the timely scheduling and production of all council tax and business rates direct debits

· Responsibility for providing court lists, posting dockets and evidence lists for Revenues Officers attendance at Court.

· Support the Senior Systems Officer in the timely scheduling and preparation of revenues and benefits Government returns, ensuring correct software and parameters are used.

· Encrypt and decrypt DWP data transfers ensuring compliance with GDPR data security restrictions and the Government Connect secure e-mail service.

· Maintain the Northgate application as required, ensuring maximum availability at all times.

· Identify recurring operational system issues and opportunities for process and service improvement.

· Ensure revenues and benefits system user accounts and document management systems for 500+ users is maintained in compliance with security and access policies, system protocols, audit recommendations and ICT best practice guidelines.

· Participate in audits of system administration, use recommendations and conclusions to inform learning within the team to deliver an improved quality assurance function.

· Develop, write and run detailed test schedules for subsequent enhancement and timetabling of live processing runs.

· Provide technical support and assistance to on-going and new projects within revenues and benefits.

· Interpret and implement polices as directed by the Team Manager.

· Schedule, prepare and analyse monthly management information reports for timely distribution to revenues and benefits Operational Managers and Team Leaders.

· Develop models for forecasting and predicting trends to enhance and support management reporting.

· Support senior officers in the planning and implementation of year end and roll over.

· Support junior officers in the training and development of their skills

· Work as a member of a team, organise and prioritise your own workload, according to the needs and priorities of Exchequer Services.

· Work on your own initiative, meeting strict business critical deadlines, at times of increased pressure.

· Work flexible and extended hours in times of high demand.

The duties as listed above are not set out in order of priority, and other tasks commensurate with the grade of the post may be required of the post holder.

Job context

Structure: The attached chart details the proposed Business Unit's staffing structure.

Reporting to: Team Leader - Systems & Development

Responsible for: N/A

Organisational Objectives:
1. To comply with the Corporate and Departmental aims and objectives.
2. The service is committed to the achievement of the Business Excellence Model and obtaining the Investors in People and Charter-mark awards. The post holder will participate in the preparation of an individual work-plan and personal development plan, which will be linked to the organisation's objectives and will enhance the post holder's individual skills as part of a programme of continuing development.

Financial Responsibilities:

1. None

Grade/Conditions of Service:

Evaluated as:

The conditions of service attached to this appointment will be in accordance with, the National Joint Council for Local Authorities Administrative, Professional Technical and Clerical Services, enhanced by Council conditions.

Contractual hours: 36 hours, Monday to Friday. 9am until 5pm.

Special Conditions of Service:

Required to acquire a thorough understanding of the Council's Equal Opportunities Policy and demonstrate through her/his actions a proper commitment to its application.

On occasions expected to work outside normal office hours and at weekends.
person specification, Required to acquire a thorough understanding of the Council's Equal Opportunities Policy and demonstrate through her/his actions a proper commitment to its application
2
The postholder will be prepared to work outside normal hours when necessary., Team Collaboration: Work as part of a team to maintain the integrity and availability of all revenues and benefits systems, ensuring accurate and timely delivery of council tax, business rates, and housing benefit overpayment documentation and notices.

Systems Management: Take responsibility for aspects of day-to-day systems management, including planning and coordinating system and subsidy reconciliations and managing batch schedules.
Technical Support: Provide technical expertise to support departmental projects and transformational change.

Principal Accountabilities:

Application Management: Provide advice, expertise, and guidance on revenue and benefits application management, offering cost-effective and innovative solutions.
Technical Advice: Respond to and provide technical advice on user inquiries, including complex issues referred by senior managers.
Issue Resolution: Investigate issues in conjunction with users, software suppliers, and other relevant parties. Take ownership of disseminating lessons learned and make recommendations for process improvements, implementing them once approved.
System Improvements: Proactively identify and implement improvements to system outputs and reporting to enhance compliance and efficiency.
Account Reconciliations: Ensure timely and accurate completion of account reconciliations (circa £300m), including:
Housing and council tax reduction award postings, payments, and returns
Cash receipts for revenues and HBOP
Revenues refunds
Revenues suspense payments, reallocating to correct accounts to maximize income collection
Reconciliation Discrepancies: Investigate and resolve any reconciliation discrepancies reported by service areas in conjunction with Team Managers.
Documentation Issuance: Issue housing benefit and council tax reduction award notifications, including debtor invoices, council tax and business rate bills, reminders, and summonses.
Batch Schedule Management: Establish and manage Northgate batch schedules, reviewing and amending as necessary to incorporate changing software, business processes, working practices, and priorities.
Direct Debits: Ensure the timely scheduling and production of all council tax and business rates direct debits.
Court Documentation: Provide court lists, posting dockets, and evidence lists for Revenues Officers attending court.
Government Returns: Support the Senior Systems Officer in the timely scheduling and preparation of revenues and benefits Government returns, ensuring the correct software and parameters are used.
Data Security: Encrypt and decrypt DWP data transfers, ensuring compliance with GDPR data security restrictions and the Government Connect secure email service.
System Maintenance: Maintain the Northgate application to ensure maximum availability.
Operational System Issues: Identify recurring operational system issues and opportunities for process and service improvement.
User Account Management: Ensure revenues and benefits system user accounts and document management systems for 500+ users are maintained in compliance with security and access policies, system protocols, audit recommendations, and ICT best practice guidelines.
Audit Participation: Participate in audits of system administration, using recommendations and conclusions to improve the quality assurance function.
Test Schedules: Develop, write, and run detailed test schedules for enhancement and timetabling of live processing runs.
Project Support: Provide technical support and assistance to ongoing and new projects within revenues and benefits.
Policy Implementation: Interpret and implement policies as directed by the Team Manager.
Management Reports: Schedule, prepare, and analyze monthly management information reports for timely distribution to revenues and benefits Operational Managers and Team Leaders.
Forecasting and Reporting: Develop models for forecasting and predicting trends to support management reporting.

Year-End Planning: Support senior officers in the planning and implementation of year-end and roll-over processes.
Training and Development: Support junior officers in the training and development of their skills.

Good knowledge of Northgate systems and/or specialist IT tools e.g. SQL, VB and Business Objects
E S T

Good knowledge of revenues and benefits business processes
E S
2
5 GCSEs (including English and Maths) or equivalent or work experience of at least an equivalent level.
E S
EXPERIENCE:
3
Recent experience in supporting system applications in a Local Government environment
E S I
4
Experience in data management and audit responsibilities
E I
5
Experience of improving processes through digital transformation.
D I
APTITUDES AND SKILLS:
9
Ability to work accurately under pressure, to meet daily deadlines.
E S T
10
Ability to organise and prioritise work
E I
11
Self motivated and effective team player
E I
12
Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with a variety of people at different levels both internally and externally
E I
13
Ability to identify potential problems, find solutions and escalate appropriately.
E I T
14
Capable of dealing with complex queries whilst ensuring good attention to detail.
E I

Provision of excellent customer focussed service
E I
15
Demonstrates accuracy, and a systematic and thorough approach to reconciliation.
E T

Systems Team
Division:
Exchequer Division
Grade:
Indicative 8
Department:
Finance & Governance