Operations Manager – Incentive Arrears Full Time NEW

This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for driving recovery performance and income maximisation across multiple Local Authority contracts.

Leading the Incentives function, you will take ownership of financial performance against contractual targets, ensuring delivery of accurate, insight-led reporting and driving operational activity that improves collection outcomes.

The role will play a key part in strengthening and modernising reporting processes, reducing reliance on manual activity and single points of failure, and embedding a more data-led approach to recovery.

You will work cross-functionally with Recovery and Revenues & Benefits teams to align operational delivery, challenge performance, and provide clear, evidence-based insight to support client engagement.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

You will be accountable for:

• Delivery of monthly and annual incentive performance across all contracts
• Accuracy, integrity and timeliness of all incentive reporting
• Driving improvements in arrears recovery performance
• Reducing reporting risk and improving process efficiency
• Building a high-performing, accountable team culture
• Lead, manage and motivate the Incentives team to deliver against contractual and financial targets
• Own the production, validation and continuous improvement of mid-month and end-of-month incentive reporting across all contracts.
• Monitor and drive performance across CTAX and NNDR arrears, identifying risks and implementing corrective actions
• Oversee and validate incentive calculations, ensuring transparency and auditability
• Work closely with operational teams (Recovery / R&B) to align activity and maximise collection outcomes
• Manage team performance through regular 1:1s, reviews and coaching
• Support recruitment, onboarding and development of team members
• Handle escalations, client queries and complaints relating to incentive activity
• Ensure all processes are documented, standardised and not reliant on single individuals
• Identify and implement improvements to reporting, automation and data processes
• Support client meetings, providing insight and performance narratives where required

• Ensure compliance with Liberata policies, procedures and data handling standards
• Introduce automation or process improvements to reduce manual reporting dependency
• Provide insight-led analysis to inform operational strategy and client discussions
• Contribute to the growth of the contract portfolio by identifying and supporting opportunities to expand services within existing and new clients

Essential Skills and Attributes:

• Proven experience in a leadership role within debt recovery / revenues / local government services
• Strong understanding of Council Tax and NNDR recovery processes
• Experience managing and delivering against performance targets and KPIs
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to interpret and explain data clearly
• Experience producing or overseeing complex operational reporting
• Strong stakeholder management skills (internal and client-facing)
• Ability to identify process improvements and drive operational efficiency
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Demonstrated ability to drive performance improvement in a target-driven environment
• Experience working with complex datasets and translating into actionable insight
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of financial performance drivers
• Ability to challenge existing processes and implement change
• Strong coaching, mentoring and team development capability
• High attention to detail, particularly in relation to financial and performance data
• Competent across Excel and operational systems (e.g. revenues systems, reporting tools)

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a critical function at a time of change, where you will have the autonomy to shape reporting, influence performance, and drive meaningful improvement across the recovery lifecycle.

Security vetting and checks:

All successful candidates must meet the government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS).

• 
  External candidates: This includes a basic criminal record check (for unspent convictions) and an annual adverse finance check (for CCJs, IVAs, bankruptcies, Scottish decrees, or Administration Orders).
• 
  Internal candidates: An annual adverse finance check will be required.

If you do not meet these requirements, your offer may be withdrawn.

Liberata is one of the UK’s leading providers of business process outsourcing and support services for the public and commercial sectors.

Founded in 1975, Liberata has been serving central and local government for over 45 years as a trusted and reliable operating partner. Delivering specialist business process services where business knowledge is critical at every stage, our highly experienced and dedicated teams care about helping governments get results and achieve the highest levels of service.

Many of our services and solutions are available for procurement under various Government frameworks.