Finance Support Specialist — Parish & Town Councils

Rialtas is the market leader in accounting and administrative software for local councils in England and Wales. We're looking for someone with solid, hands-on finance experience to join our support team, helping parish and town councils get the most out of our software.

This isn't a technical IT role. The vast majority of our support queries are finance queries, and that's exactly where your expertise comes in. Day to day, you'll be helping clerks and RFOs with the kinds of problems that can only really be solved by someone who understands the accounting behind them - questions about double-entry postings, journals, VAT treatment and reclaims, budgets, bank reconciliation, year-end, and the everyday realities of keeping the books.

Our software also covers other areas councils manage including cemeteries, allotments, and facility bookings. You don't need any experience with these; we'll train you on them fully. In practice, most of what you'll deal with day to day will be finance.

You'll work fully remotely, with occasional visits to our office near Swindon (M4, Junctions 15/16) and very occasional travel to client sites or UK-wide conferences.

What you will do

Your key responsibilities will include (but will not be limited to):

• Help clerks and RFOs troubleshoot the finance issues they bring to us — journaling, VAT (including reclaims), budgets, bank reconciliation, year-end, and everything in between

• Support customers using our broader range of modules — cemeteries, allotments, and bookings — which we'll train you on thoroughly

• Manage support cases from first contact through to resolution, keeping customers informed throughout

• Help new councils get set up and settle in confidently once they're up and running

• Contribute to training resources and guidance materials written in language clerks, RFOs and bookkeepers will instantly recognise

• Build trusted relationships with customers — often people in roles just like the one you've come from

• Join product demonstrations and help prospective customers understand what good looks like in practice

• Stay connected to the sector through User Groups and feed that knowledge back into how we improve our products

What we are looking for

We are seeking a motivated and customer-focused professional who embodies our values (harriscomputer.com), understands how finance works within parish or town councils, and enjoys helping others solve problems.

Essential

• Solid, working knowledge of the accounting fundamentals our customers rely on every day: double-entry bookkeeping, VAT, PAYE and other tax treatment, bank reconciliation, budgeting, and year-end

• Hands-on finance experience in a role where you were responsible for keeping the books — whether as an RFO, clerk, deputy clerk, finance officer, bookkeeper, or accounts assistant

• Strong problem-solving skills and a calm, methodical approach to investigating issues

• Excellent communication skills — the ability to explain things clearly and reassuringly to people who are often under time pressure

• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage several cases at once

• Comfortable using everyday software such as email and spreadsheets — if you can do that, you can learn ours

Ideal, but not required

• Direct experience in parish councils, town councils, or the wider local government sector — an RFO, clerk, or finance officer background would put you ahead on day one

• Familiarity with council-specific topics such as Section 137 spending, earmarked reserves, AGAR, internal audit, or Section 33 VAT reclaims

• Knowledge of cemetery management, allotment administration, or facility bookings — useful, but we train all new team members on these from scratch

• An AAT qualification or equivalent bookkeeping training

No IT qualifications are expected or needed.

About Us

Rialtas is the market leader in providing accounting and administrative software and services for local councils in England and Wales. Rialtas is proud to be part of the Harris Computer family, a provider of mission critical software solutions for the Public Sector, Healthcare, Utilities and Private Sector verticals throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The opportunity for personal career growth, as a result, is significant

Rialtas employment Policy

Rialtas is dedicated to the achievement of equality of opportunity for all of its staff and applicants for employment.  This broadly interpreted policy not only prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national or ethnic origin, disability or any protected category under applicable law, but also ensures that competent individuals will be given the opportunity to join Rialtas and progress within the Company in accordance with their own abilities.

Benefits

Harris offer an extremely competitive UK employee benefits programme. 5 Personal Days leave entitlement are granted over and above the standard 25 days holiday and bank holidays. Harris also offers all UK employees an annual Lifestyle Reward amounting £325 per annum/pro rata.

Supporting your application

Our recruitment process will comprise of interviews and, at times, a written exercise, an assessment day and/or a presentation. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we want to make sure we do all we can to make this a positive experience for you. If your application is progressed, please make us aware of any adjustments or additional support we can provide you with.