Job info	Job info details
Job title	Counter Fraud Assistant
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Corporate Finance
Business unit	Corporate Finance
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Counter Fraud and Error Manager
Accountable to (line manager)	Counter Fraud and Error Manager
Salary grade	E
JE ref	JOT164

1. Key purpose of job

• To actively support the Council’s Counter Fraud Team to deter, prevent, detect, investigate and pursue fraud and error affecting the Council. The role will contribute to maintaining the accuracy of the Council Tax and Business Rates charge base.
• To support the Council’s Fraud Team in the matching of other data sets against Council Tax records and Business Rates Charge Base records, such as those produced by the mandatory National Fraud Initiative.
• Conduct visits, in follow up to the above to establish facts in order to make amendments to the Council Tax or the Business Rates charge base. This may involve obtaining statements from witnesses in a required format following guidance from the Senior Counter Fraud Officer. These visits will be conducted in line with the Council’s policy on Lone Working and RIPA (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000).
• Identify properties requiring a visit by the Revenue Visiting Officers and act on outcome of visit.
• Seek to ensure the Council Tax and Business Rates Charge-bases reflects accurate data by daily conducting a percentage of updating checks.
• Support the Revenues and Benefits team to ensure integrity of data, by verifying information supplied by charge payers to other data sources.
• Indexing, setting up of cases and making preliminary enquiries to ensure a case requires investigation. 

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Minimised losses in the Council’s Council Tax and Business Rates charge-bases. 
• Increased accuracy in the Council’s Council Tax and Business Rates Charge bases ensuring charges and discounts are reviewed regularly maximising the potential collectable income.
• Reduced number of visits to properties by using other methods of evaluation.
• Ensure the accuracy of the Council’s Council Tax and Business Rate charge bases so bills are raised accurately thereby providing maximum opportunity for recovery.
• Reduced cost of error in the Council Tax and Business Rates Charge-base.
• Cross referenced data between Council Tax, Business Rate and information held by other departments such as licensing, Electoral Roll and credit reference information.
• A completed review of the Council Tax single persons discount charge base maximising revenue generation from credit reference data and other agency data as identified.
• Support provided to the Senior Counter Fraud officer and Counter Fraud Officer by ensuing cases are filtered so only those which merit further investigation are escalated. 

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• To carry out a wide range of administrative tasks, including review discounts/exemptions and business rated properties supporting the maximisation of income by the Corporate Fraud Team.
• To proactively identify errors and take appropriate corrective action and/ or liaising with departments to ensure the correct action is taken.
• To undertake review of the matches identified by the mandatory National Fraud Initiative.
• Review all Small Business Rate visits prior to a visiting officer being deployed to ensure all visits are necessary and providing guidance to ensure correct locations are visited.
• To support the Council’s Counter Fraud Team in identifying potential fraudulent cases. Using relevant Fraud reporting forms using the Council’s Fraud Reporting Form, DWP’s reporting form and those of other Local Authorities or public bodies.
• Review the business rates charge-base against other data bases held in the council such as licensing records and take remedial action for variations by liaising with officers to update records accordingly.
• Assist the Counter Fraud and Error Team in monitoring business rates properties which employ rate avoidance techniques to disrupt activity, initiating visits if all other avenues of enquiry have been exhausted.
• To assist the Revenues Teams in complying with related legislation.
• To maintain an accurate record of performance and errors found.
• To report on errors to the Council’s Counter Fraud and Error Manager and Revenues Manager. All errors, amendments and outcomes being recorded, which informs on potential weaknesses in the current system.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal IT Resources. 
• I-pad & I-phone. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External - A variety of establishments such as Housing associations, Police Officers, Schools, HMRC, DWP, Residents and Businesses amongst others. 
• Internal - Maintaining good working relationships with a wide range of council employees the post holder will come into contact with.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children's Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council
• The post is eligible for hybrid working. 
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy, and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Counter Fraud Assistant
Strategic team/Directorate	Finance
Service	Corporate Finance
Business unit	Corporate Finance

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Effective use of Microsoft Office products. 
• Attention to detail.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills. 
• Ability to cope with a wide range of tasks and work to deadlines within directed workload.
• Effective use of social media. 
• Ability to work within strict process/guidelines/policy.
• Ability to take responsibility for own work activities as directed by Counter Fraud Manager. 
• Ability to act under own initiative.
• Ability to liaise with other people/departments and organisations.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

N/A

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Experience of working with Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook and internet explorer. 
• Experience of using social Media sites. 
• Experience of using Google Maps/Streetview. 
• General understanding of Council Tax Legislation. 
• General understanding of Business Rates Legislation Case law. 

Desirable knowledge

• Working knowledge of Civica Document Management system. 
• Working knowledge of Financial Information Management Systems. 
• Working knowledge of Civica Open Revenues. 
• Working knowledge of Council Departments. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of working within a team. 
• Experience of managing own workload. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of working in the public sector. 
• Experience of working with financial systems. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• GCSE (Grade C or above) in English and Mathematics’ or level equivalent. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• ECDL driving license.
• RSA (Stage ll) or equivalent. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South-West/UK in to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate hybrid working.