Churches engagement officer jobs

St James’s Piccadilly is a Church of England parish in the heart of London. In addition to the regular services, a large and dynamic congregation, and committed staff team, we run and support a network of people with refugee asylum seeker lived experience, offering practical help and pastoral care as well partnering with organisations that support refugees and people going through the asylum system.

The successful candidate will have working knowledge and proven experience of the process of claiming asylum in the UK from first arrival to leave to remain and proven experience in supporting individuals going through this process; at least 2 years’ experience of working with volunteers, and team building networks of support; at least 2 years’ experience of providing pastoral care with people who have experienced significant trauma; understanding and appreciation of promoting and championing equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. Excellent understanding of Microsoft Office 365, computer literacy and online communication including social media.  

Candidates do not have to identify as Christian or belong to a religious faith, but the successful candidate will be in sympathy with, and actively promote St James’s ethos and values.

St James’s is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.

St James’s actively welcomes applications from people who are currently underrepresented in our community including people with global majority heritage, people with lived experience of poverty and people who identify as LGBTQ+.

Full role description and including application details can be downloaded from our website.

Closing date for applications: midday Friday 25th September 2026

Interviews:  planned for Thursday 8th October 2026

Job Title: Church Engagement and Events Officer 

Responsible to: Senior Fundraising Manager 

Salary: £29,706 – £31,908 

Location: USPG, 5 Trinity Street, London, SE1 1DB 
 

Hours of work: Full time – 35 hours per week (Minimum two days per week in the London office). Occasional weekend and evening work with time off in lieu. The post involves up to 20% travel within Britain and Ireland.Permanent contract. 

The package also includes 

• 8% employer contribution to a pension 

• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and additional discretionary leave during the Christmas week 

• Season Ticket Loan 

USPG is the Anglican mission agency that partners with churches and communities worldwide in God’s mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential and champion justice. You can find out more about our work by visiting our website.

The Job 

Reporting to the Senior Fundraising Manager, this role sits within the Communications, Engagement and Fundraising team. The Church Engagement and Events Officer will play a key role in building relationships with churches, supporters and volunteers across Britain, Ireland and Europe, helping them engage more deeply with USPG's vision and mission. 

You will lead the planning and delivery of USPG's events programme, including the USPG Conference, Founder's Day, In Conversation Dinners and the annual Carol Service, as well as supporting the organisation's presence at festivals, synods and other national events. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, you will help create inspiring and engaging experiences that raise awareness of USPG's global mission. 

As the first point of contact for many church supporters, you will provide excellent stewardship, support and resources that inspire churches and communities to engage through prayer, giving and action. You will also contribute to the development of USPG's church engagement activity, helping to strengthen supporter relationships and increase engagement across the church year. 

About You  

You are a confident and proactive relationship builder with experience in planning events and working with churches, supporters, volunteers or Christian organisations. You are passionate about helping people engage with mission, justice and the global Church. 

An organised and effective communicator, you can manage multiple projects and events, build strong stakeholder relationships and work independently while contributing to a collaborative team. You are comfortable engaging with clergy, church leaders, volunteers and supporters, and are motivated by USPG's mission and Christian ethos. 

This is an exciting opportunity for someone looking to develop a career in church engagement, events and supporter relations within a respected international mission agency. If you have the skills, enthusiasm and commitment to help churches connect with God's mission around the world, we'd love to hear from you. 

How to apply 

Please download and complete the attached application form and email it to HR as indicated on the document.

If you would like to discuss the role, please feel free to contact Natasha Bourne, HR Manager. 

Closing Date: 31st August 2026 

Provisional Interview Date: 8th September 2026 

The Diocese of Leicester is looking for a passionate, committed Diocesan Environmental Officer with a heart for Creation Care to lead the ‘Hearts and Minds’ activities of our Diocesan Environmental Programme (2026-29). If you’re an inspirational yet sensitive communicator who can empower parishes, champion environmental action, and share the call to care for God’s world, we’d love to hear from you. The Diocesan Environmental Officer’s core role is to lead in engaging the hearts and minds of people across the diocese as we work to care for God’s Creation and reduce our carbon emissions. We are looking for some to walk alongside people to encourage, inspire and challenge – reaching out to build relationships with individuals, churches and Minster Communities.

This is a new fixed-term post made possible by a grant from of The Church of England through their Net Zero Carbon Capacity Building Programme.

In this rewarding role, you will:

• Be an advocate & champion for environmental issues as integral to the Christian Gospel
• Lead the planning and activity required to enable the Diocese of Leicester to achieve the Silver Eco Diocese award by the end of 2029
• Support parishes to engage with and progress with the Eco Church Award Scheme
• Provide resources and deliver training on themes relating to Creation Care 
• Be responsible for the delivery of Carbon literacy training Encourage and equip a flourishing network of Eco Communities (see diocesan website for more information)

What we are looking for

• A strong founding in Christian theology particularly relating to the environment & up to date knowledge of environmental issues including climate justice.
• Experience of working with and developing prayer, worship and biblical resources, ideally related to the environment and of generating communications content intended to encourage, inspire and inform which is suitable for a range of media 
• Experience of managing or leading projects that seek to bring about change in culture and behaviour, ideally environmentally related
• Excellent people skills including experience of working with volunteers of different ages. 
• Able to engage, inspire, educate and challenge people about environmental matters in a way that is positive and brings people with you. 
• Highly organized and able to manage competing priorities effectively. 
• Creative approach to work with the ability to inspire creativity in others.
• Positive and proactive. 
• Flexible and adaptable whilst working in a team. 
• Committed to reducing carbon emissions by 2030 and to climate justice. 
• Practicing Christian.
• Good IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office and databases.
• Ability to travel regularly across the Diocese and work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Sympathy with and commitment to the values and mission of the Church of England and the Diocese of Leicester.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a new area of work within a collaborative and experienced team.
• Hybrid working with a Leicester office base 
• An opportunity to work with a variety of different communities across Leicestershire, each with its own needs.
• Make a tangible difference to local communities and to caring for and sustaining the environment.
• Generous pension (10% employer contribution) 
• Opportunities for training, development and professional growth.

Closing Date:      Sunday 6th September

Shortlisting date: Tuesday 8th September

Interview Date:   Tuesday 22nd September

Apply via the Pathways recruitment website. 

We particularly welcome applications from UK Minority Ethnic / Global Majority Heritage candidates, who are currently underrepresented in our organisation.

The Diocese of Leicester, part of the Church of England, is committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of everyone within our church community. We follow the Church of England’s Safeguarding Policies and relevant statutory guidance. We believe that safeguarding is everybody’s business.

This post is subject to a Basic DBS check and proof of right to work in the UK. The Diocese is unable to offer a Certificate of Sponsorship.

The generosity of individual supporters, churches and community groups enables Boaz Trust to provide accommodation and support for people seeking sanctuary, and to challenge and change the unjust systems that cause destitution, both locally and nationally. We are looking for a Fundraising Officer who will help us give supporters an excellent experience, maintain accurate fundraising records and develop opportunities for people and communities to get involved in our work. This is an exciting role which will give the right person the opportunity to work across a variety of fundraising activities and disciplines. 

The relationships built and fundraising activity enabled through this role will support Boaz’s work with people who are facing or experiencing homelessness because of their insecure, changing or uncertain immigration status. Our work includes providing safe accommodation and person-centred support, while working towards our mission of ending destitution among people seeking sanctuary.

Day to day, you will provide excellent care for supporters as you process and acknowledge donations, respond to supporter enquiries and ensure that our fundraising database is functioning well and information is recorded accurately in it. You will build positive relationships with supporters, churches and community groups, arrange and deliver speaking engagements, promote sponsored events and help people find meaningful ways to raise funds for Boaz. You will work also closely with colleagues to deliver fundraising projects across the breadth of Boaz’s fundraising activity as and when these arise. 

We are looking for someone who is warm, organised and attentive to detail, and who enjoys building relationships with a wide range of people. You will be confident communicating by email, telephone and in person, comfortable working with databases and financial information, and able to manage a varied workload. Most importantly, you will be thoughtful and collaborative, and aligned with Boaz’s values and our commitment to the dignity and rights of people seeking sanctuary.

Church Engagement & Fundraising Officer

12-month Fixed Term Contract. Full Time, Home-based (with weekly travel)

Location: London and the Northern Home Counties 

Salary: £44,945 per annum

If we receive a high volume of applications, we reserve the right to close the advert before the scheduled closing date. Therefore, we encourage interested applicants to apply at their earliest convenience. 

About us

Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and recognise the value this brings in forming strong, creative and high performing teams. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and from those with experience from outside of the voluntary sector. And no, you don’t have to be Christian to work here – we encourage people of all faiths and none to apply. We just ask that everyone lives out our values of dignity, equality, justice and love. We value a good work-life balance, so we’re open to part-time and flexible working. We also offer hybrid working for our office-based colleagues. This is a homeworking role and you are expected to be in the London office once a month

About the role

Reporting in to the Church Engagement & Fundraising Advisor, the Church Engagement & Fundraising Officer is a proactive fundraising and church engagement role.

You will be out in churches and communities across London and the home counties, building new relationships, strengthening existing high-value support, and inspiring churches to give, act and pray with Christian Aid.

You will identify and approach prospective churches, pick up the phone to book meetings, speak confidently in church services and local gatherings, and make compelling asks that lead to increased giving and deeper engagement.

This is a remote team to facilitate post holders to be proactively present in local church communities. Much of your impact will come from being out and about: visiting churches, meeting clergy and volunteers, attending local events, speaking at services, and building relationships face to face. You should expect regular travel across London and the home counties, including some evenings and weekends.

We are looking for someone who is energised by being out in the community, not someone looking for a primarily desk-based role.

In this role, success will mean:

• building a strong pipeline of churches and groups with the potential to support Christian Aid;
• securing meetings, speaking opportunities and invitations into church spaces;
• inspiring churches to increase their giving, particularly around appeals and key fundraising moments;
• strengthening relationships with current high-value church supporters so they feel known, thanked and encouraged;
• equipping volunteers and local champions to extend Christian Aid’s reach;
• using insight, data and local knowledge to prioritise the relationships with greatest potential.

A significant part of this role will be proactive new relationship-building. You will not only respond to churches already connected with Christian Aid; you will identify new opportunities, approach churches and leaders, and work creatively to open doors for giving, fundraising, campaigning and prayer.

About you

Who we are looking for:

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience driving fundraising and relationship building.
• Knowledge of church audiences across all denominations.
• Experience of mentoring volunteers to add capacity, skills and aptitude to empower and support them.
• Detailed knowledge of the principles of good donor management or customer care, and understanding of the principles of relationship building.
• Developed communication skills to inspire others to take action and use their skills and resources to fundraise and donate.
• Developed communication skills to communicate complex messages creatively and effectively to diverse audiences.
• An ability to analyse and interpret information and data to prioritise work and achieve results.
• Organisational skills to work under pressure and manage competing priorities to deliver multiple concurrent activities.
• The ability to travel frequently to locations, including some evenings and weekends.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of current fundraising legislation and good practice.
• Knowledge of relevant church networks and denominational structures.
• Ability to effectively portray development messages in a theological context.
• Knowledge of global development issues and Christian Aid’s work.
• Good knowledge of the London and South East geographical region.

This role would suit you if you are a confident relationship-builder who enjoys getting out into communities, opening doors and inspiring people to act. You might come from community fundraising, church engagement, major donor engagement, sales, business development, volunteer mobilisation or a church-facing role with clear fundraising experience.

You will need to be confident talking with churches, meeting ambitious targets, comfortable making asks for financial support, and motivated by helping local communities turn faith, generosity and concern for global justice into practical action.

Further information

At Christian Aid we strive to be an inclusive and diverse employer and recognise the value that this brings in helping to build strong, creative and high performing teams.

We are actively encouraging racialised minorities, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people with caring responsibilities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, women, and older workers to apply. This is because these groups are under-represented within our teams, especially at senior level, and we recognise and value the contributions members of these groups make to strong, creative and high performing teams. 

We have a strong Christian ethos and we encourage applications from all faiths. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and sympathy with Christian Aid’s faith identity. 

All successful candidates will require a DBS/police check appropriate to the role and location and a Counter Terrorism Sanction check as part of your clearance for commencing your role with us. We also participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information as part of the referencing process from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

This role requires applicants to have the right to live and work in the country where this position is based and undertake the role that you have been offered. If you are successful and we make you an offer for the role, we will be required to conduct a right to work check on your immigration status in the UK. We will contact you regarding the documentation you will need to provide to evidence this. 

As Head of Initial Training, you will lead a committed training team and play a key role in ensuring that our formation, teaching and equipping enable Evangelists and Pioneers to thrive in a rapidly changing church and mission context. You will bring together theological education, creative teaching, formation and practical mission, ensuring that our training remains both academically robust and deeply rooted in the realities of ministry.

This is a role for someone who is passionate about developing people, confident in leading teams and excited by the possibilities of theological education and digital pedagogy. You will need to be an excellent communicator and teacher, able to inspire others, build strong relationships and lead with both vision and practical focus.

Please see the job pack for the full job description and person specification. 

Salary: £47, 467 per annum

Hours: 37.5 hours per week with some weekends and flexibility as required for Training weekends and other relevant requirements.

Pension: Church Army is an auto enrolment pension employer. You will be assessed under pension auto enrolment criteria.

Annual Leave: 25 days, plus Bank Holidays (total 33 days)

Contract:Full-Time, Open Ended

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Application Deadline:9am on Friday 18th September 2026

Interview Date:  Thursday 1st October 2026, Sheffield

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To apply, please download and complete a Faith Based Application Form for this post. When you are ready to submit your application, please upload a copy on the Jobs page of our website. 

Job Title: Community Engagement Officer – Norfolk

Duration: 6 Months FTC

Hours: 18 hours net per week - includes occasional evenings and weekends

Salary: £30,300 FTE (£15,150 pro rata) per annum, plus pension and benefits

Location: Home-based

Overall job purpose

This is a fundamental role within our regional teams, internally the role is known as Local Community Officer.

The future of CCT’s outstanding collection of historic churches depends on communities supporting their local CCT church with funds, events, inspiring interpretation, visitor services and preventive conservation. The Local Community Officer will engage and support communities and volunteers to care for 13 historic churches across Norfolk, ensuring each site achieves agreed standards.

We have recently published our TRUST values, which outline the behaviours and expectations that act as our foundations at CCT. We have attached the pack, outlining each value, which we will also be using as part of our shortlisting and interview process to find the right candidates that align with our values.

If you would like to apply for this role, please visit our recruitment portal to begin your application. You will be asked to submit a CV and a short supporting statement (max 2 sides A4) outlining why you’d like to apply and how you fulfil the person specification for this post, so you’ll need to refer to the job description.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 8am on Monday 7th September 2026

The interviews will take place in Northampton onThursday 24th September 2026. Please note that the interview date and location have been specifically chosen according to the availability of the panel.

 Please note: As part of our recruitment process, we undertake candidate psychometric testing. If your application is successful and you are invited to interview, you will receive an email asking you to complete a series of activities, these need to be completed at least 2 days before your interview.

All successful applicants will be subject to a basic DBS, credit check, references and right to work checks.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. Candidates who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria for the job will be offered an interview.

If you have any queries about this role, or if you have a disability and wish to request a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us.

We are an inclusive employer and offer equal opportunities to all regardless of an individual’s age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are not a licensed sponsor at this time. Any offer of employment will be made subject to valid right to work in the UK being provided.

Are you an experienced Executive Assistant who takes pride in providing exceptional support to senior leaders? 

We are seeking a highly organised and proactive Executive Assistant to join the Conference Office team of the Methodist Church in Britain. This is a varied, rewarding and public-facing role, providing high-level professional support to the Church's most senior office holders, including the Presidency. 

About the Role 

You will provide high-quality executive support to senior office holders within the Methodist Conference, acting as a key point of contact and ensuring their time, priorities and commitments are managed effectively. 

Your responsibilities will include: 

• Managing complex and busy diaries, coordinating appointments and resolving scheduling conflicts to ensure seamless day-to-day operation of the office, 

• Organising travel and accommodation arrangements, 

• Building and maintaining positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders 

• Managing enquiries and correspondence, exercising sound judgement when prioritising and responding to requests, 

• Supporting the organisation of meetings and events, coordinating venues, catering, logistics and event administration in collaboration with colleagues, 

• Handling sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion. 

About You 

You are an experienced Executive Assistant who is confident managing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. 

You'll bring: 

• Significant experience of providing executive and diary management support to senior leaders

• Excellent organisational skills and meticulous attention to detail 

• The ability to manage a varied workload and respond effectively to changing priorities 

• The ability to quickly develop an understanding of a wide range of subject areas and understand links between them 

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and relationship management skills 

• The ability to engage well with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders 

• Experience of handling highly confidential information with discretion and professionalism 

• A proactive, solution-focused approach, with the ability to anticipate needs and take initiative 

• A high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and SharePoint 

This is an opportunity to use your skills in a role that makes a genuine difference. You will work alongside dedicated colleagues, support senior office holders, and contribute to the effective operation of the Methodist Church in Britain.

If you are looking for a role where your organisational expertise, professionalism, and relationship-building skills can have a meaningful impact, we would be delighted to hear from you. 

Please note that applications from Methodist Ministers (Presbyters and Deacons) cannot be considered for this role.

Our Culture, Values and Benefits 

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing, a work-life balance augmented by: 

• Generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year) 

• Flexi-leave and or TOIL (where applicable) 

• Access to an on-site Wellbeing Adviser service.

• A generous occupational pension scheme, where the Methodist Church will pay double the employee contribution up to a maximum of 16% employer contribution. 

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from all backgrounds, including Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups. 

Enquiries 

For questions or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact our HR team. Details on our website.

Key Dates 

Closing Date for Applications: 6 September 2026 

Interviews (on-site in London): 17 September 2026 

Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early ifsufficient applications are received. 

We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated Chief Executive to assume overall responsibility for the management of HMC. The purpose of this senior leadership role is to lead the organisation in fulfilling its purpose of supporting migrants in Hackney and the wider London community, ensuring they can access their rights and overcome injustices in the immigration and social welfare system.

Across the Diocese of Newcastle, churches are at the heart of their communities—offering hope, practical support and a place of welcome through every stage of life. Behind this ministry is the generosity of all those whose giving enables churches to continue making a lasting difference.

We're looking for a creative and motivated Communications and Engagement Officer (Voluntary Giving) to inspire greater generosity by strengthening relationships with supporters and telling powerful stories that demonstrate the real impact giving makes in people's lives and communities.

Working as part of a passionate and collaborative team, you'll create engaging content across a range of channels, develop inspiring communications, and build relationships with churches and communities across the diocese. You'll meet people whose lives have been transformed through local ministry, capturing authentic stories that bring our mission to life and inspire others to support it.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a newly created, externally funded role at a time of innovation and growth. If you're an excellent communicator who enjoys creating compelling content, building meaningful relationships, and using insight and data to inspire action, we'd love to hear from you.

This role is based at Church House, St John's Terrace, Percy Main, North Shields, NE29 6HS, with the opportunity for hybrid working. The successful candidate will be expected to travel regularly across the diocese to meet with churches and communities, so a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential. The role also requires flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends to support events and engagement activities.

This role is currently funded for an initial three-year period.

Closing date for applications: 9am on Tuesday 1st September 2026

Interviews will take place at Church House: weeks commencing 7th and 14th September 2026

St Barnabas with Christ's Chapel is a large, thriving, inclusive parish at the heart of Dulwich Village. This is an exciting opportunity for you to join our team in a central role that is key to the continued flourishing of our busy parish. This is a reconfigured and expanded role where you would have the opportunity to make a real difference to how we work together and implement our vision and mission priorities. In return we would offer you warm, collegiate, and engaged colleagues, both staff and volunteers.

This role is ideal for you if you a hands-on, collaborative, relational, and mission driven Christian professional who can balance operational excellence with a heart for people and community. As Operations Manager you will oversee the parish’s resources: people, buildings, IT, and finances, developing systems and structures that are effective, flexible, and culturally responsive.

PURPOSE:

● To work collaboratively with the Vicar, Wardens, PCC (church council), staff and congregation, supporting St Barnabas with Christ’s Chapel as we live out our vision and implement our Mission Action Plan (MAP).

● To help nurture a staff and volunteer culture rooted in mutual respect, honest communication and shared responsibility, supporting healthy rhythms of work and life.

● To be responsible for the management of the parish’s resources of people, buildings, IT, and finances. Developing effective, efficient, and flexible administrative processes, and robust and appropriate structures for leadership, management, and governance (including statutory compliance).

As a leadership role within a Church of England parish, there is an occupational requirement for the post-holder to be a Christian and enthusiastic about the vision and values of St Barnabas with Christ’s Chapel.

Full details of the role, benefits and the person specification for this exciting role can be found in the attached job pack. 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

The Office Administrator will cover the reception and core office administration and be responsible for coordinating bookings and assist with marketing. They will be responsible for greeting visitors to Hinde Street Methodist Church and ensuring that they are warmly welcomed. This crucial and interesting role has the opportunity to be part of a friendly and efficient team in an inclusive and engaging community. Whilst the majority of the work is administrative, there are opportunities to be involved in the digital communications and also in engagement and support of the diverse groups who use the church’s spaces.

Executive Officer to the Secretary of the Conference

Could you help shape the governance and leadership of the Methodist Church?

Do you have the judgement, organisational skills and initiative to support one of the Methodist Church's most senior office holders?

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced, highly organised and proactive Executive Officer to support the Secretary of the Conference.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of the Methodist Church's governance, leadership and decision-making structures.

Working closely with the Secretary of the Conference and colleagues across the Conference Office, you will provide executive, governance and project support, helping to ensure the effective delivery of key priorities and the smooth operation of major governance processes.

The role combines executive support, committee and governance administration, research and briefing, stakeholder engagement and project coordination. It offers the opportunity to work with senior leaders, office holders and colleagues from around the Methodist Connexion and beyond.

The post holder will provide advice and support to the Secretary of the Conference across the entire range of their responsibilities. They will prepare briefing papers, reports, presentations, worship material and other documentation supporting the Secretary.

In this crucial role, the Executive Officer will read committee and meeting papers and flag items requiring the Secretary's attention/awareness, ensuring appropriate briefings are received and that the Secretary is alerted to key issues. 

The post holder will also lead on the preparation for regular meetings on behalf of the Secretary of the Conference including the Connexional Leaders’ Forum and the Nominations Committee.  The successful applicant will also liaise with the wider Methodist family of charities and organisations to enable regular engagement and updates for the Secretary. 

The successful applicant will also undertake and develop special projects, or plan or commission research on behalf of the Secretary of the Conference.

Please note that applications from Methodist Ministers (Presbyters and Deacons) cannot be considered for this role.

About You

We are seeing an individual committed to making a positive contribution to the work of the Conference Office by providing executive support to the Secretary.

To be successful in this role you will be confident navigating complex organisations, managing competing priorities and exercising sound judgement when handling sensitive matters.

You will bring strong executive support, governance or project coordination experience, alongside excellent communication skills and a proactive, collaborative approach. You will be equally comfortable preparing high-quality briefings and reports, coordinating key meetings and governance processes, and building effective working relationships with colleagues, volunteers and partners.

The successful applicant will demonstrate the ability effectively to support a senior manager or senior office holder and be experienced in researching information and producing briefings and reports.

You can prioritise, work unsupervised and demonstrate imitative.  You can assimilate new information quickly and keep abreast of rapidly changing situations and work themes. 

You will have outstanding organisational and communication skills, with a meticulous eye for detail, and strong proficiency in written and spoken English.

You have strong interpersonal skills and can work with colleagues as an effective member of a team and work alongside and guide volunteers. 

Ability and willingness to travel for work purposes including some evening, weekends and overnight stays is essential for this role. 

If you meet most of the requirements, we encourage you to apply; transferable skills and experience will also be taken into consideration.

Our Culture, Values and Benefits

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing, a work-life balance augmented by:

• Generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year)
• Flexi-leave and or TOIL (where applicable)
• Access to an on-site Wellbeing Adviser service.
• A generous occupational pension scheme, where the Methodist Church will pay double the employee contribution up to a maximum of 16% employer contribution.

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from all backgrounds, including Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups. 

Closing date: Sunday 6 September 2026

Interview Date: Monday 14 September 2026 in London

Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early if sufficient applications are received. 

The Head of Vocations and Discernment will offer national leadership of the ongoing renewal of lay and ordained ministerial vocations in the Church of England. This will include a broad span from encouraging initial enquires through to the smooth operation of national discernment processes.

Leadership

• Lead the renewal of ministerial vocations across the Church of England at a national level to ensure the church has the lay and ordained leaders we need to fulfil our vocation to proclaim afresh the Gospel in every generation including this one.

• Lead the development and operational excellence of the Shared Discernment and Candidates Panel processes, ensuring that the processes meet the evolving needs of the whole church. This will include personally leading panels on occasion and ensuring that high-quality training for people involved in discernment continues to develop and evolve over time.

• Ensure that strong foundations of Christian prayer and discipleship are developed and maintained as key foundations for the renewal and discernment of ministerial vocations in the church.

• Build trust and confidence with key stakeholders, especially Bishops and diocesan officers working in vocations and discernment.

• Lead the national Vocations & Discernment team, developing and shaping the team as necessary, with a clear focus on delivering the renewal of ministerial vocations that the church needs.

• Ensure good safeguarding practice is embedded into the work of renewing ministerial vocations and discernment across the Church of England.

• Play an active role in the wider work of the Ministry Development Team, especially as a member of the Ministry Leadership Team.

• Represent the Church at a national level on matters of vocations and discernment within the Church of England, with ecumenical colleagues and with wider society.

Management

• Line manage the national Vocations and Discernment Team directly or indirectly as appropriate.
• Manage the Vocations and Discernment budgets with a clear focus on supporting the key objective of renewing ministerial vocations across the church.

Governance

• Synthesise complex information into clear reports, proposals and recommendations for senior governance bodies
• Work in collaboration with the Lead Bishops for Vocations and Discernment and the relevant advisory group(s)
• Ensure that the advisory group(s) actively support the renewal of ministerial vocations, including by ensuring it has the membership it needs and by facilitating regular productive meetings of the group(s).
• Support the work of the Ministry Development Board (who oversee the work of the Ministry Development Team) plus the Archbishops' Council and College/House of Bishops as necessary.

Essential

Skills & Abilities:

• A passionate and convincing advocate of Christian ministerial vocation and prayerful discernment with a capacity to personally prayerfully discern.
• An accomplished inherently collaborative leader who can offer strategic, creative and entrepreneurial leadership which draws on data analysis and is rooted in Christian prayer.
• A proven ability to work fluently across the breadth of Church of England traditions.
• A strong networker who can inspire confidence from a wide range of stakeholders across the church.
• A track record of successfully initiating and implementing change.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to adapt to a wide range of audiences including formal reports for senior leaders.
• Strong administrative skills, including good familiarity with Microsoft 365/Office and CoPilot.
• An ability to hold a portfolio of high profile work and to progress it at pace, prioritising and delegating well, and adapting and adjusting in response to feedback and experience.

Knowledge/Experience

• A strong fruitful track record of creative nurturing and discerning of ministerial vocations in the Church of England.
• A working knowledge of the Shared Discernment Process
• A proven commitment to serving the breadth of the church and enabling a diverse range of people to pursue their vocations.
• Substantial experience of ministry in the Church of England (lay or ordained).
• An established manager with line management and budget management experience.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding within the Church of England (further training will be provided).

Personal Attributes

• High levels of emotional maturity and self-awareness. Sophisticated handling of conflict and difference.
• Resilience in complex relational environments.
• This post is subject to a genuine occupational requirement (GoR) that the post holder be a committed, communicant member of the Church of England under Part 1, Schedule 9 of The Equality Act (2010), as the post holder will lead on renewing ministerial vocations in the Church of England, including personal engagement in discernment processes, through prayer and appeals to theological and spiritual understandings of the Church and God's way of calling people to lay and ordained ministry.
• Further the post-holder will be engaged in consulting and giving advice to dioceses on vocations based on those same understandings and in the context of prayer, preaching and spiritual/theological advice.
• In light of the GoR above, the post holder will need to have a disciplined pattern of prayer and personal discipleship to sustain them in their ministry and to enable that ministry to be fruitful in the life of the church.
• This role will involve regular travel (including some which require the post holder to be away from home overnight) in England and occasional weekend work.

Applications close 07 September 2026 23:55, please ignore the Charity Jobs closing date.