Finance Assistant – Debt Collection – Maternity Cover

Finance Assistant – Debt Collection – 12-month Maternity Cover

Salary: Up to £25,081 per annum + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension

Location: Chelmsford & Colchester, Essex

Job Type: Full Time (Fixed Term)

Expires: 02/03/2026

Fixed Term, Full Time Finance Assistant – Debt Collection role covering a 12‑month maternity leave. This is a credit control position, not an accountancy one. The primary function is customer interaction by phone or email – therefore excellent communication skills are essential.

Working as an Anywhere Worker, the successful candidate will attend County Hall, Chelmsford one day per week, with the regular team day being Tuesday.

Finance Assistants operate within Income Collection to maximise income for Adult Social Care services, ensuring effective recovery of aged debt. The role involves working with customers to ensure prompt payment of invoices and arranging automated future payments such as direct debits.

• Ensure effective recovery of Adult Social Care Income.
• Build key stakeholder relationships and manage conversations to resolve debt issues.
• Contribute to delivering Key KPI’s in a compassionate and compliant manner.
• Manage queries and disputes to achieve effective resolutions.
• Negotiate payments and promote automated processes to reduce repeat debts.
• Support the delivery of the business plan for financial transactions in line with organisational vision.
• Process and manage financial transactions, inputting and interpreting data for quality, consistency and accuracy.
• Meet deadlines and proactively report risks or issues for early resolution.
• Provide professional support and guidance to internal and external customers, ensuring policy and legislation compliance.
• Carry out basic reporting to manage organisational performance, maximise income and meet Financial Regulations and ECC Policies.
• Work flexibly and collaboratively across P2P and Income to deliver finance support.
• Recommend process improvements and redesign for best practice and efficiency.
• Stay current on legislation changes, translating these into local policy and procedure.
• Achieve specific individual and shared targets within the performance management framework.

Essential:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships.
• A good telephone manner with a firm, fair, and friendly approach.
• Ability to deliver effective administrative duties, be well‑organised, reliable, meet deadlines, and handle confidential information appropriately.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Desirable:

• Credit Control/Debt Collection experience.
• Knowledge of P2P/Income systems and experience in accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchase to pay and e‑invoicing.
• Negotiation skills.

Essex County Council

Corporate Services, Finance, Health and Social Care