Business Rates Officer

Placed: 01/12/17
Region: West Midlands
Location: Birmingham
Category: Jobs


Content of the advertisement:

Citibase have an exciting opportunity for a Business Rates Officer to join their growing team based in Birmingham.

Job Title: Business Rates Officer

Location: Birmingham, with occasional national travel

Salary: £24,000 - £27,000

Hours of work: 40 hours

Citibase is a disruptive business within the UK Commercial Office sector. A unique business model has propelled Citibase to a Total Revenue Under Management of £21.2m, an EBITDA of £2.5m and a team of 140 people.

The World of Work has changed forever. Technology and globalisation have shortened product life cycles dramatically and small businesses have responded by looking for flexible solutions to their office requirements. Citibase has responded to the needs of small businesses by providing 36 fully-serviced Business Centres, from Aberdeen to Brighton with an aggressive plan for continued growth.

These Business Centres are driven from our unique Operating Engine in Birmingham and by the Operational Teams in the Centres.

The business oversees the payment of £3.4m of business rates liabilities representing c.1,200 of current rates demands (hereditaments) in an estate that is constantly growing. Citibase has recently completed the significant investment in the development of a bespoke, in-house system to track and manage these liabilities and are now looking for a Business Rates Administrator to oversee this important area of the business.

Due to the constantly evolving nature of Citibases customers coupled with the complex and regularly changing nature of Business Rates schemes such as Small Business Rates Relief, Citibase has identified this area as a key area of focus for the business.

Reporting to the Finance Manager the Business Rates Officer will be responsible for:

- Overseeing the annual input of the rates demands at the commencement of the rating year for each Citibase centre

- Ensuring the rates liabilities are paid on the due date each month which will involve the review and management of the output from the new system as well as upload of large volume csv payment files onto the online banking platform

-Notifying the Councils of the numerous changes in occupation across each of the Citibase Business Centres

- Liaising with local Centre Management teams to ensure the data held around customers move-in and move-out are correct and captured on a timely basis

- Proactively chase amended rates accounts along with any associated refunds due to Citibase

- Work with management to identify and maximise all reliefs available to Citibase such as Small Business Rates Relief and reduce the overall business rates cost through pro-active assessment of optimal Centre layout configuration

- Liaise with each individual Local Authority responding to any and all questions they raise

- Liaise with the Management Accounts Team to advise of rates liabilities to recognise in the accounts

- Liaise with external business rates advisors to obtain and respond to any professional advice we may require (e.g. valuation challenges, splitting rates assessment on properties etc)

- To have the ability to work to set tasks and procedures and maintain excellent attention to detail

- Be very well organised, and a confident and good communicator on all levels

- The ability to work efficiently to tight deadlines and manage a number of tasks simultaneously

To have the confidence and ability to prioritise tasks with good attention to detail

- Learn quickly and approach tasks in a flexible fashion

- Must be adaptable, willing to learn and to take on new responsibilities

- Ensure that you are aware of and work to policies relating to their statutory

- H&S obligations

Business Rates Officer - Person Specification

- A high standard of general education and demonstrate a high standard of English

- Accounting qualifications a benefit but not a requirement

- Existing experience of working in an environment with complex Business Rates liability is a requirement of this role

- Proficient with Office 365 Outlook, Excel, OneNote

- Be effective in both verbal and written communications and have the ability to communicate confidently at all levels of authority within the organisation and with supporters

- Demonstrate excellent organisation and time management skills

- Be able to work from own initiative

- Have the ability to prioritise and adapt a flexible approach to working

- Have the ability to maintain consistency throughout all work

- Must be computer literate with knowledge and experience of working with Office 365

- Be a good team player and a self-starter who can process information accurately and efficiently

- Possess the ability to promote a professional image of the company at all times, both in and out of work

- Smartly dressed and neatly turned out with a professional approach and well spoken

-Strong interpersonal skills with excellent attention to detail



Due to the number of applications we receive for some adverts we are unable to guarantee a response to all applicants. If you have not been contacted by us within 2 weeks of the closing date then in this instance we wont be progressing with your application but will keep your details for if anything suitable comes up

Benefits: Benefits

Price / Salary: £24000 - £27000/annum + Benefits