Vacancy:
Parish Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer & Trust Secretary
Employer: Shrivenham Parish Council
Location: Parish Office, Memorial Hall, Highworth Rd, Shrivenham (office based, with flexibility for occasional homeworking)
Salary: From £40,000 FTE (pro rata to part-time hours), depending on proven experience and qualifications
Hours: From 25-30 hours per week, part-time
Direct report to: Shrivenham Parish Council
Role Type: People Manager
About the role
Shrivenham Parish Council is seeking an experienced and community-minded Clerk / Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) to lead the Council’s administration, governance and finances, while also serving as Secretary to the Viscountess Barrington Trust.
This is a genuinely varied and rewarding role within a unique governance arrangement. Shrivenham Parish Council is the sole managing trustee of the Viscountess Barrington Trust, meaning the successful candidate will work across both local government and charity governance, ensuring each organisation meets its own legal, financial and regulatory responsibilities.
The role would suit an established Clerk looking for a more complex opportunity, or an experienced Deputy Clerk who is ready to progress into their first Clerk position. You will lead a small staff team, advise councillors and trustees, and play a key role in delivering high-quality services to the local community.
What you’ll be doing
As Clerk/RFO and Trust Secretary, you will provide professional leadership across governance, finance, administration and people management, ensuring the Council and Trust operate effectively, transparently and in accordance with their respective legal duties.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Acting as the Council's Proper Officer and principal adviser to elected members on local government law, governance and procedure
- Undertaking the statutory duties of the Responsible Financial Officer, including budget setting, financial management, audit, AGAR and compliance with Financial Regulations
- Serving as Secretary to the Viscountess Barrington Trust, supporting trustees with governance, meetings, charity compliance and administration
- Preparing agendas, reports and minutes for Council, committee and Trust meetings, and ensuring decisions are implemented effectively
- Managing and developing the Parish Office team, including line management, performance, wellbeing and day-to-day supervision of staff
- Leading the delivery of Council services, projects and strategic priorities in partnership with councillors and trustees
- Ensuring compliance with legislation including the Local Government Act, employment law, Freedom of Information, Data Protection and Health & Safety
- Managing contracts, procurement, policies and organisational risk across both the Council and the Trust
- Building positive relationships with residents, community groups, contractors, partner organisations and external regulators
Who we’re looking for
We're looking for a confident and collaborative leader who combines strong governance knowledge with excellent organisational and people management skills.
Essential:
- Previous experience working within local government (Parish, Town or Principal Authority)
- Experience managing or supervising staff
- Strong knowledge of local council governance, legislation and committee administration
- Experience of financial management, budgeting and audit within a public sector environment
- Excellent written communication and report-writing skills
- A proactive, professional and community-focused approach
Qualifications:
Desirable:
- Understanding of charity law and governance, particularly the role of charitable trusts
- Experience supporting elected members or charity trustees
- Project management or community engagement experience
You do not need to meet every criterion to apply. If you have the essential local government and leadership experience, and are excited by the opportunity to develop your knowledge of charity governance, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Apply Now
Please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role to Bob Sheldon, Chairman of Shrivenham Parish Council at bob.sheldon@shrivenham.org.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact the Parish Office on 01793 782925.