Full Time – 35 hours per week
The Diocese of Chester is seeking to recruit a Diocesan Secretary who will be:
1) A senior member of the Bishop of Chester's core staff team,
2) The chief officer of the charitable business that undergirds the Diocese of Chester, and
3) The most senior, 'lay' officer of the Diocese of Chester.
The role is complex as well as important. You will need an open heart and deep courage, patience, kindness, humility, determination, and constantly reflective practice. We value competence founded on transparent good character, grounded deeply in Christian faith. You will need to be able to see over the horizon without missing the personal needs of team members, enabling both with persistent grace and strategic focus.
The successful candidate will be inspirational, humble, skilled and experienced in leadership in both ‘first-’ and ‘second-chairs’, a change manager, relational and the technical ability to fulfil the role.
This role is based in Church House, Daresbury, Warrington which is a key operational centre for the life of the Diocese.
For informal conversation, contact the Bishop of Chester - contact details in the attached documents or via the apply/redirect to recruiter button.
The recruitment pack, including job description, person specification and application form can be downloaded from the Diocesan website: Please see website address in the attached documents or via the apply/redirect to recruiter button.
Completed application forms should be returned by email - contact details in the attached documents or via the apply/redirect to recruiter button
Closing date: Sunday 23rd August 2026
Interviews: Tuesday 8th September 2026
The Diocese of Chester is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
An Enhanced DBS Disclosure will be required for the successful candidate.
An Occupational Requirement exists for the postholder to be a practising Christian, in accordance with the Equality Act, 2010.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
*This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.
Stop Domestic Abuse is a trauma informed organisation; the work we do to support those effected by domestic abuse may be triggering for those with past trauma. Please only apply if you are living free from abuse. If you’d like to talk to us about this, please get in touch.
Location: Basingstoke
Salary: £26,805.75 - £27,464.70
Hours per week: 37
Contract Type:Fixed Term Contract until 31st March 2027
Reference Number: STOPDA914
Main Purpose and Scope of the Job:
The work will focus on preventing domestic abuse and breaking the cycle of abuse by providing support for children and young people in the refuge and in the community and supporting children and young people to keep safe.
- Providing support, advice and assistance to women who have experienced domestic violence and abuse and are staying in the refuge.
- Empowering and supporting women to make positive choices.
- Establishing resettlement services to support women to move on from refuge accommodation.
- The post-holder work as part of the refuge team, with clients who live in the refuge after being referred via the Front Door Service
What We Offer:
Time off and Flexibility:
-25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (Increasing with service)
-Birthday day off
-Child’s first day of school off
-Option to purchase up to 10 additional days’ leave per year
-Flexible and hybrid working
-Protected time of up to one hour each month
Family-Friendly Benefits:
-Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental and Adoption leave
-IVF Leave
Health and Wellbeing:
-Westfield Health Healthcare Cashback Plan (after probation)
-Westfield Health Personal Health Insurance (after 2 years’ service)
-Employee Assistance Programme
-Eye care vouchers
-Cycle to Work Scheme
About Stop Domestic Abuse:
Stop Domestic Abuse is a proud women-led organisation supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse across Portsmouth and Hampshire. Our vision is a world without domestic abuse, and we work to ensure that it’s ‘everyone’s business.’
We provide refuge and community-based support, delivering in a trauma-informed way for adults, children and young people, tailored to individual needs. Our 19 refuges offer safe, welcoming homes, and across our services we provide one-to-one support and group activities to help improve their safety and to meet others with similar experiences. We support children process their experiences and help regain a sense of safety.
Our UP2U programmes support those seeking to change abusive behaviours, and we also offer specialist support for victims of stalking. We also deliver training to professionals, including the hair and beauty industry, to recognise domestic abuse and connect people to specialist support services.
Our Values:
Equality, Openness, Honesty, Respect for individual dignity and diversity, Empowering women and children, and Care and Compassion – are at the heart of everything we do. By committing to these values, we aim to significantly improve the lives of those we support and work towards our vision of a world without domestic abuse.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
*This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.
Stop Domestic Abuse is a trauma informed organisation; the work we do to support those effected by domestic abuse may be triggering for those with past trauma. Please only apply if you are living free from abuse. If you’d like to talk to us about this, please get in touch.
Location: Basingstoke
Salary: £26,805.75 - £27,464.70
Hours per week: 37
Contract Type:Permanent
Reference Number: STOPDA850
Main Purpose and Scope of the Job:
The work will focus on preventing domestic abuse and breaking the cycle of abuse by providing support for children and young people in the refuge and in the community and supporting children and young people to keep safe.
- Providing support, advice and assistance to women who have experienced domestic violence and abuse and are staying in the refuge.
- Empowering and supporting women to make positive choices.
- Establishing resettlement services to support women to move on from refuge accommodation.
- The post-holder work as part of the refuge team, with clients who live in the refuge after being referred via the Front Door Service
What We Offer:
Time off and Flexibility:
- 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (Increasing with service)
- Birthday day off
- Child’s first day of school off
- Option to purchase up to 10 additional days’ leave per year
- Flexible and hybrid working
- Protected time of up to one hour each month
Family-Friendly Benefits:
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental and Adoption leave
- IVF Leave
Health and Wellbeing:
- Westfield Health Healthcare Cashback Plan (after probation)
- Westfield Health Personal Health Insurance (after 2 years’ service)
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Eye care vouchers
- Cycle to Work Scheme
About Stop Domestic Abuse:
Stop Domestic Abuse is a proud women-led organisation supporting victims and survivors of domestic violence and abuse across Portsmouth and Hampshire. Our vision is a world without domestic abuse, and we work to ensure that it’s ‘everyone’s business.’
We provide refuge and community-based support, delivering in a trauma-informed way for adults, children and young people, tailored to individual needs. Our 19 refuges offer safe, welcoming homes, and across our services we provide one-to-one support and group activities to help improve their safety and to meet others with similar experiences. We support children process their experiences and help regain a sense of safety.
Our UP2U programmes support those seeking to change abusive behaviours, and we also offer specialist support for victims of stalking. We also deliver training to professionals, including the hair and beauty industry, to recognise domestic abuse and connect people to specialist support services.
Our Values:
Equality, Openness, Honesty, Respect for individual dignity and diversity, Empowering women and children, and Care and Compassion – are at the heart of everything we do. By committing to these values, we aim to significantly improve the lives of those we support and work towards our vision of a world without domestic abuse.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.


