Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer

• Elmswell Parish Council
• Address: Elmswell, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP30 9UH
• Salary: £45,529 per annum pro rata (£54,143 actual)
• Hours: 25 – 30 hours per week
• Contract: Permanent, required as soon as possible
• Reference: 0026

Elmswell is a thriving large village in Mid Suffolk, in fact, one of the largest in Suffolk, with a population of c.5300, its own rail station and excellent road links via the A14 to Cambridge and Ipswich.

Elmswell Parish Council are looking for a self-motivated professional to take on the role of Parish Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer. The role will be part-time, between 25 and 30 hours per week, which will be kept under review. It will primarily be an office-based role but with the flexibility for some home-based working by arrangement. There will also be a requirement to attend at least 11 evening meetings of Council per year with possible additional committee meetings should they be called.

The council has a sizeable property portfolio based on the Blackbourne community centre and playing fields where the Parish Council offices are housed. Additionally, we own and run the Wesley coffee shop and meeting hall together with the adjacent Elmswell Tavern, a recently refurbished and reopened community public house. You will line manage two clerical staff based at the offices, an Assistant Clerk, primarily responsible for the accounts procedures plus a clerical assistant who is responsible for room lettings at the Blackbourne and Wesley but both undertake a full range of other duties. In addition, you will line manage the General Manager of the Elmswell Tavern and Wesley Coffee Shop for personnel issues.

Remuneration for the role will depend on the successful applicant’s knowledge, experience and qualifications but will fall within the LC3 complexity range with the spinal point to be determined by experience and qualification.

You will have a proven track record and experience in parish administration or other appropriate local government sector and be CILCA qualified, or, at the very least, prepared to study for the qualification, which would be funded by the Council. You should demonstrate a real interest in the local area and be prepared to build close relationships with other village organisations.

For more information

To find out more about us or to find out more about the role, please visit our website.

For an informal chat about this opportunity please feel free to contact Mike Schofield, Interim Clerk by emailing clerk@elmswell-pc.gov.uk on the above email address to arrange a call.

How to apply

Please submit a CV and covering letter by email to clerk@elmswell-pc.gov.uk.

Closing date: 1pm, 27 November 2026

Interview date: Week commencing 7 December 2026