Group Debt Recovery Officer

Do you want to work with a values-driven organisation that makes a difference to people’s lives? Come and join Wheatley as a Group Debt Recovery Officer

About the role

Wheatley is looking for a confident, customer-focused and highly organised Debt Recovery Officer to join our Customer First Centre. This is an important role supporting the effective recovery of debt owed to Wheatley through a balanced approach that combines early intervention, preventative action and appropriate enforcement where required.

You will work closely with housing colleagues, customers, local authorities, legal services and support agencies to help resolve debt issues, maximise income recovery and ensure customers are signposted to appropriate support where needed. The successful candidate will be able to combine strong negotiation skills with empathy, professionalism and a commitment to delivering excellent customer service.

What you will be doing

• maximising debt collection from tenants and other identified debtor groups;
• taking referrals from housing colleagues and applying a proactive approach to resolving complex arrears and debt cases;
• providing advice and support to housing officers to help identify practical solutions for difficult arrears cases;
• ensuring debt recovery activity is compliant with Wheatley policies, procedures, best practice and relevant legislation;
• preparing high-quality case information to support legal, mediation, arbitration or court action where appropriate;
• liaising effectively with customers, internal teams, local authority revenue and benefits teams, legal services, external agents and support agencies;
• using ICT and internal systems to manage accounts, monitor debt recovery activity and support accurate performance reporting;
• helping to analyse and profile debt, monitor frontline activity and identify opportunities for improvement; and
• delivering services in a courteous, professional and customer-focused manner at all times.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for someone with a strong customer service ethos, excellent communication skills and the ability to manage a busy and varied workload. You should be confident negotiating with customers and stakeholders, producing clear written communication and working collaboratively to achieve positive outcomes.

• a successful track record in debt recovery, preferably within a commercial or housing-related environment;
• an understanding of debt recovery processes and the importance of early intervention and prevention;
• the ability to manage debtor cases sensitively and refer customers to appropriate debt support agencies where required;
• strong interpersonal, negotiation, mediation and conflict resolution skills;
• excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce reports and case information to a high standard;
• good IT skills and confidence using systems to manage information and monitor performance;
• the ability to organise your own workload, meet priorities and work effectively under pressure; and
• a proactive approach, commitment to continuous improvement and willingness to take responsibility for your own development.

Our values and behaviours

At Wheatley, how we work is just as important as what we deliver. The successful candidate will demonstrate our organisational competencies by thinking excellently, relating well to others, collaborating effectively, acting professionally and looking for innovative ways to improve services.

You will be expected to communicate clearly, listen well, find creative solutions for customers, represent Wheatley positively and help strengthen an inclusive culture where equality, diversity and inclusion are central to everything we do.

Working with others

This role involves regular joint working with the Group Debt Recovery Team Leader, Wheatley support and locality housing teams, finance, IT, legal services, local authority revenue and benefits teams, support agencies and court administration colleagues.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to play a key role in supporting Wheatley’s approach to effective debt recovery while helping customers access the right advice and support. You will be part of a professional, values-led organisation committed to excellent service, continuous improvement and doing the right thing for customers and communities.

The benefits we offer

We offer a sector-leading benefits package. The successful candidate will receive:

• a rewarding career with a competitive salary;
• access to a contributory pension scheme;
• excellent leave entitlements;
• enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave;
• contributions towards dental, optical, driving lessons and more;
• access to staff inclusion networks promoting an inclusive workplace; and
• 24/7 access to our employee assistance programme.

Committed to inclusion

At Wheatley, we are always looking to improve diversity within our teams. We want to create an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute their best work and achieve their full potential.

We actively celebrate our individual differences and recognise the collective strength this brings our organisation. It’s important our teams represent the communities we serve, and we welcome applications from any under-represented groups.

Closing date: Friday, 17 July 2026 at 5pm

Find an application pack and detailed job profile on JobTrain.

For a chat about the role, please contact Ainsley Stewart, Group Debt Recovery Team leader on ainsley.stewart@wheatley-group.com or call 07825385964

We want all our candidates to shine. If you need any reasonable adjustments to help you feel more comfortable during the recruitment process, please contact our recruitment Team at recruitment@wheatley-group.com.