About the role
Bestwood Village Parish Council is a friendly team of councillors looking for a new Clerk / RFO (Responsible Financial Officer). We are forward thinking and hope to expand our activities over the coming years so we're looking for a Clerk who will be able to grow with us and help us reach our aspirations.
There is a mix of professional expertise and experience on the council, with some members being long-serving and others joining a couple of years ago. Our longstanding Chair and Vice-Chair have recently stepped aside from their roles but remain valued members of the team. As Clerk, you'll be supporting the new Chair and Vice-Chair to step into their roles, as well as supporting the day-to-day running of the council.
Ideally we're looking for an experienced CiLCA qualified Clerk; but if you're organised, have excellent attention to detail and are competent in bookkeeping and administration we are keen to hear from you. See the job description and person specification for more information.
Council meetings are held at St. Mark's Church, Bestwood Village on the second Tuesday of the month (excluding August and December). Extraordinary meetings and committee meetings may be held at other times.
The Clerk to the Council is the Proper Officer of the Council and is under a statutory duty to carry out all the functions of a council's Proper Officer; in particular to serve or issue all the notifications required by law. The Clerk will also be the Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) and responsible for all financial records of the Council and the careful administration of its finances.
Duties
1. To ensure that statutory and other provisions affecting the running of the council are observed and tasks as set out within the Clerk's Calendar (to be provided).
2. To monitor and balance the council's accounts and prepare records for audit purposes and VAT.
3. To ensure that the council's obligations for risk assessment and management are properly met including arranging all insurances.
4. To prepare, in consultation with the appropriate members, agendas for meetings of the council and committees.
5. To attend, in person, all meetings of the council and committees (typically 11 per year) and prepare minutes for approval.
6. To receive and deal with, in accordance with the council's procedures, all correspondence and documents and distribute accordingly in a timely manner.
7. To receive and report on invoices for goods and services for the council and to ensure such accounts are met. To issue invoices on behalf of the council and to ensure payment is received.
8. To study reports and other data on activities of the council. Where appropriate, to discuss such matters with specialists and to produce reports for circulation and discussion by the council.
9. To draw up reports on own initiative and as a result of suggestions by councillors. To present these reports for consideration by the council. To advise on the practicality and likely effects of specific courses of action.
10. To provide advice, support and guidance to councillors to ensure that all councillors work within the scope of their roles.
11. To monitor the implemented policies of the council to ensure they are achieving the desired results and, where appropriate, suggest changes.
12. To act as the representative of the council as required.
13. To issue notices and prepare agendas and minutes for the Annual Parish Meeting. To attend the Parish Meeting and to implement the decisions made at the Parish meeting, as agreed by the council.
14. To prepare, in consultation with the Chair, press releases about the activities or decisions of, the council.
15. To manage and contribute to the council's website and Facebook pages, to ensure that it adheres to current legislation and access standards.
16. To prepare, in consultation with the council, publications such as newsletters for circulation to residents.
17. To assist with the organisation of events on behalf of the Council to maximise inclusion and bring the village together.
18. To complete training as required by the council. If not already obtained, to register for CiLCA (or equivalent) at the earliest opportunity and gain certification within twelve months of registration.
19. To continue to acquire the necessary professional knowledge required for the efficient management of the affairs of the council.
20. To ensure that all Declarations of Councillors' Interests, Acceptances of Office, and the Code of Conduct are available to and completed by councillors. To initiate and/or where appropriate arrange/facilitate the filling of any councillor vacancies on the council.
Person Specification
Education, professional qualifications and training
* High level of numeracy and literacy: minimum GCSE English and Mathematics A-C, Levels 1-5 (or equivalent) (essential)
* CiLCA qualified, or commitment to complete in post (essential)
Abilities: practical and intellectual skills
* Ability to work individually, using own initiative (essential)
* Ability to prioritise work, set and meet deadlines (essential)
* Ability to follow instructions and procedures (essential)
* Comprehensive knowledge of MS Office [Word, Excel, Publisher & Power Point] and Outlook (essential)
* Ability to use databases and spread sheets to produce budgets, inventories and other financial matters (essential)
* Ability to problem solve (essential)
* Ability to recognise legal/political consequence of actions being recommended by Councillors (essential)
* Ability to communicate at all levels in the community both orally and in writing, with good presentation skills (essential)
* Ability to provide sound advice to Councillors professionally and in a timely manner (essential)
* Ability to work pro-actively to keep on top of council obligations (essential)
* Experience as a Clerk, Deputy Clerk or other administrative role (desirable)
* Experience in the production of Agendas, Papers, Reports, Minutes, Publicity and Financial reports (desirable)
* A good working knowledge of Local Government structures and practices, including Local Government Act, Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information, Employment Law and Planning Legislation (desirable)
* Experience of risk management and insurance (desirable)
* Experience of Project Management (desirable)
* Knowledge of website management and social media (desirable)
* Experience of bidding for external funds and grants (desirable)
* Experience of staff management (desirable)
* Experience of successfully building, managing and maintaining effective relationships with the public and external organisations (desirable)
* Ability to design newsletters and other promotional material (desirable)
Personal Circumstances
* Willingness to work flexibly as required, attending meetings of the Council, its committees and working groups (normally held in the evenings) and occasional weekend working (events) (essential)
* An understanding and commitment to the goals of the council (essential)
* Reliable transport to Bestwood Village (essential)
* Knowledge of Bestwood Village and issues impacting the parish (desirable)
Customer Care
* Knowledge and understanding of effective customer care, especially in confrontational circumstances. (essential)
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Pay: £31,537.00-£33,699.00 per year
Expected hours: 6 – 10 per week
Benefits:
* Flexitime
* Work from home
Education:
* GCSE or equivalent (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Nottingham NG6 8UU