Debtors and Collection Officers

Connected Local Government; Spennymoor; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A Local Government Authority in Spennymoor is seeking enthusiastic individuals for customer-facing roles. You will help manage revenues owed, providing support and advice to residents. Successful applicants will possess excellent communication skills, organizational abilities, and a clear, empathetic manner. Full training is provided, enabling you to thrive in a dynamic environment. Opportunities exist for both full-time and part-time positions. This is a chance to make a tangible difference to the community while progressing your career.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Contributory Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Experience in customer service or similar environment.
• Ability to manage challenging situations.
• Confidence in talking to the public.

Responsibilities

• Collect monies owed to Durham County Council.
• Manage payment requests and negotiations.
• Provide advice and support to customers.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Organizational skills

Ability to engage with residents

Empathetic telephone manner

Numerical skills

Education

NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and ever‑changing revenues environment. You’ll have the chance to develop your skills, gain valuable experience, and explore opportunities for career progression.

If you have experience in dealing with members of the public in a caring and supportive manner and want to make a real difference to our residents, we want to hear from you!

We are looking for enthusiastic and committed individuals who bring a positive approach to our team. You will have excellent communication skills and the ability to engage with residents in a professional and supportive way. Attention to detail is essential, along with strong organisational skills to manage and prioritise workloads effectively in a fast‑paced environment. You should be confident working as part of a team, adaptable to change, and able to meet deadlines while handling competing demands. If you are motivated, proactive, and passionate about delivering high‑quality service, we would love to hear from you.

We have two permanent vacancies available – one full time 37 hours and one part time 23 hours.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

You will be joining a supportive and enthusiastic team responsible for collecting monies owed to Durham County Council. In this role, you will play a crucial part in helping customers in arrears by implementing effective collection strategies that achieve positive outcomes, minimise debt, and provide the best possible support to our residents.

Your day‑to‑day work will involve communicating with customers by telephone, letter, and email, while maintaining accurate and detailed records of every interaction. You will learn and apply relevant legislation and processes, using the Council’s Debt Management Policy and procedures to provide advice, guidance, and support. This includes explaining recovery processes and signposting customers to appropriate assistance where needed.

A significant part of the role involves handling calls from a wide range of customers, delivering excellent advice and customer service. You will confidently manage requests, negotiate payment arrangements, and respond in a mature and courteous manner, even in challenging situations.

From day one, you will receive full training, support, and mentoring—not only from your managers but also from your colleagues. This training will build on and enhance the skills you already have. Hybrid working is available upon completion of training.

We encourage you to contact Natalie Lee via email at [e-mail] to arrange an informal discussion about the available roles.

WHAT WILL I NEED?

To succeed in this role, you will need a clear, confident, and empathetic telephone manner, with the ability to explain complex information in a simple and understandable way. Strong organisational, numerical, and time‑management skills are essential.

You should hold an NVQ Level 2 or equivalent qualification, or have relevant experience working in a Finance, Customer Service, or similar environment. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are key, along with the ability to manage challenging or confrontational situations professionally.

As this is a customer‑facing role, you will be required to speak to members of the public. The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post. Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.

If successful, you will be required to apply for a Basic Disclosure check.

Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.

INTERVIEWS

Interviews will be held week commencing 19th January 2026.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked‑after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes:

• attractive salaries
• a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service)
• membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme
• a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable

Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

HOW TO APPLY

Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website.

If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email [e-mail]

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from [e-mail]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.

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