Opportunities

Job Title: Parish Clerk

Salary: £29,174 to £32,978 pro-rata    

Contract: Permanent

Hours of work: 30 hours per week

Location: The Office at the Moor, Hawkhurst, Kent, TN18 4NT

Start date: As soon as possible

About us

Hawkhurst Parish Council is seeking to appoint a new Parish Clerk who will operate as the Proper Officer taking overall responsibility of carrying out all those functions and will serve or issue all the notifications required by law of a local authority’s Proper Officer.

The role

The Clerk to the Council will advise the Council on and assist with the formulation of Council policies and will produce all information required for the Council to make effective decisions. You will have the responsibility for ensuring that the instructions of the Council, arising from its functions, are implemented and responsible for the administration of all functions of the Council.

The Clerk will ensure open and effective communications with residents, Councillors and all key stakeholders and will ensure the annual precept information and paperwork, once approved by the Parish Council, is submitted to the relevant local authority within specified deadlines.

What you will be doing

You will advise the Council on legal, statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the Council, ensure the legal, statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the Council are observed.

You will ensure that health and safety procedures, including risk assessment and insurance obligations are met for all Council activities and properties owned or leased by the Council, monitor and balance the Council’s accounts.

You will keep all Council policies and procedures up to date ensuring compliance and recommend amendments as necessary in line with relevant legislation and guidance and monitor the performance of the Council and implementation of council policies to ensure they are achieving the desired result and where appropriate suggest modifications. Where appropriate, to produce reports for circulation and discussion by the Council.

Hours of work are 30 per week. The normal working pattern will be Monday 9am to 4pm and Tuesday to Friday 9am to 3.30pm with a one hour unpaid lunch break each day. Two paid hours per week are for attending evening meetings. Should evening meetings be less than 2hrs per week, then the balance will be made up in office hours. Should evening meetings be more than 2hrs per week, then time off in lieu will be given.

To apply

If you would like to apply for this role, please click here to begin your application or contact Katherine Mitchell at [email protected]

You’ll be asked to submit a CV and a supporting statement (max 2 sides A4) outlining how you fulfil the person specification for this post.

Please note that the supporting statement is an important part of the application and will be assessed as part of your full application. Hawkhurst Parish Council will only accept applications with a supporting statement

Please provide details of two professional referees together with a brief statement of their relationship to you and over what period of time they have known you. Referees will not be contacted without your prior consent.

Closing date: Midnight on 18 September 2022

Interviews: September/October 2022

Hawkhurst Parish Council is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

No agencies please.