Are you a highly-organised, unflappable administrator with the ability to manage competing priorities in a timely manner? The Student Christian Movement is looking for someone to lead the administration function of our small but mighty charity.
Responsible to the CEO, you will work across the charity, acting as secretary to our board of Trustees, responsible for HR and payroll function, act as line manager to two administrators, and add to the sustainability of the organisation by writing and submitting robust trust funding applications.
SCM has six members of staff, all but one of whom are part time, and achieves a great deal. Supporting progressive Christian students and members across the country to put their faith into action, no two weeks are ever the same. We are a dynamic and energetic organisation, working to challenge injustice and exclusion, grow thoughtful disciples and create community.
Each SCM community is different, but students can expect to find a warm welcome as well as activities including bible study, prayer, campaigns and social action, talks, discussions, and socials. As a national movement we come together at regional and national events to learn more about our faith and spend time as a community. We take action on issues of social justice chosen by our members.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and LGBTQ+ individuals who are currently underrepresented in the organisation. Due to the nature of this role and the responsibilities of the successful post-holder, a genuine occupational requirement to be a committed Christian is in place for this role in accordance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010.
Please use the forms provided; CVs will not be accepted. Applications should be submitted electronically in Word format by email to the address provided in the application pack.
Student Christian Movement is a registered charity in England and Wales, number 1125640, and in Scotland number SC048506
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
BACKGROUND
Church of England Birmingham (CofEB) is on a journey of growing churches at the heart of every community. Through this we are seeing growth in many exciting ways. Financially we are at a challenging point. We have had an operational deficit for a number of years and this cannot continue. There are current conversations happening with the National Church around how we get to a sustainable platform through partnership. One key aspect of this is for us to increase our Common Fund returns (the giving from our parishes that supports the costs of our life together). We are taking a radical new approach to our finances which includes intentional reallocation of income to support the costs in our most economically deprived parishes and deeper relationships with each parish around finance through conversation rather than correspondence. Over the next five years we are hoping to be able to move to a financially sustainable platform which will enable us to better serve our communities in the future.
JOB DESCRIPTION
We need a Head of Generosity to lead the team, and project, that will focus on developing long term relationships with all of our parishes leading to:
- Greater support for our parishes.
- Increased generosity by, and within, our parishes.
- Increased Common Fund.
A steering Group has been established, which the Head of Generosity will be a part of, to plan, design and implement the activities needed to deliver our vision. Through partnership with the National Church we are expecting that there will be four members of this Generosity Team.
This role, and the team, will need to work closely with Archdeacons and Area Deans, Directors of Mission, Ministry and Finance (and their teams), the Head of Communications and many others. We have one strategy and this is a part of that so needs to link well with all other parts.
The Head of Generosity will also be Bishops Advisor for Common Fund. Bishop Michael is passionate about supporting our parishes and seeing Common Fund increase and this role will both channel his desire to parishes and help reflect what is learnt back to the Bishop as we progress.
The post holder will have the support of the National Giving Team who have extensive experience and resources to support those responsible for giving and generosity. They will also be given access to a strong and growing national network of people in similar roles. Their experience has proven invaluable to people in roles similar to this, building on best practice and learning from others across 41 Dioceses.
The role will have the following key responsibilities:
- Support in the recruitment and the establishment of the Generosity Team.
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the members of the Generosity Team.
- Support the delivery design of this project and deliver the actions agreed by the Steering Group.
- Lead on Parish engagement across all areas of generosity, including the spiritual / theological nature.
- Appropriately discern and allocate team members to support different phases of the process and the different and wide-ranging developmental needs of parishes.
Through the team:
- Create a bespoke multi year plan for Common Fund with every parish with key stakeholders including Archdeacons.
- Provide consultancy, resources, and hands-on support to parishes to grow regular giving, legacies, and other forms of financial support. This work will be able to draw on the resources developed by the national church as well as the data held on their Cornerstone Platform. The post-holder will be expected to engage in the work of the National Giving Team as part of the development of these wider resources.
- Develop and deliver training for clergy, lay leaders and PCCs, on financial management and giving and generosity with the Ministry team.
- Encourage and assist parishes in the implementation of the Parish Giving Scheme, introduction of contactless giving mechanisms and related diocesan initiatives.
- Source, develop and curate practical resources (digital and print) to support local stewardship campaigns and initiatives.
- Evaluate the impact of stewardship and generosity initiatives and adapt strategies accordingly to achieve the project outcomes.
- Create compelling communication tools that articulate the impact of generosity with our communication team.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Qualifications & Experience:
- Proven leadership experience preferably in financial management, fundraising, or stewardship within a faith-based or nonprofit organisation.
- Strong understanding of church governance structures and financial operations and requirements.
- Knowledge of generosity principles and Christian financial stewardship.
- A prayerful Christian with a deep commitment to the Church’s mission (Genuine Occupational Requirement).
Essential Skills & Attributes:
- Resilient and adaptable, able to handle challenges and maintain momentum in a demanding role.
- Strong people skills, able to engage effectively with parishes and church communities.
- Good communicator being able to engage a wide range of stakeholders and hold their attention.
- Trustworthy and credible, able to build and maintain confidence with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Empathetic towards parishes and deeply committed to supporting the local church.
- Excellent conflict resolution skills, capable of handling difficult conversations with care and professionalism.
- Highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities and keep track of numerous ongoing responsibilities.
- Team leadership ability. A good line manager able to set a positive team culture.
- Capable implementer, ensuring initiatives are successfully delivered, both at a local and diocese wide level.
- Financially literate, with a good understanding of budgets, stewardship, and sustainability within the Church.
Other Considerations:
- The role requires significant evening and weekend work, demanding flexibility and commitment.
- Local presence is essential—the role must be delivered in an incarnational way, engaging directly with communities.
- Must be able to balance multiple demands, effectively managing several "spinning plates" at once.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The post-holder will be employed by the Diocesan Board of Finance for five years.
Salary and Pension: Salary of £48,000 plus membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with 12% employer contribution. We are open to discussion especially if you are ordained and are moving out of parish ministry.
Hours: Full-time 35 hours (5 days) per week. Weekend and evening work will be required, for which the equivalent time may be taken back from standard working hours. We are happy to consider requests for flexible working, and please do mention in your application if you would be interested in looking at alternative working hours.
Holidays: 5 weeks per year plus Bank Holidays and 3 Discretionary Days between Christmas and New Year
Employer: Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance
Responsible To: Director of Strategic Transformation
CLOSING DATE: 18th July
INTERVIEWS: 1st August
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where all can be themselves and bring their unique identity to their ministry and/or work.
We welcome applications from any individuals who feel that they meet the person specification for any post, in particular from those who are currently under-represented in or staff teams such as those from Global Majority Heritage or UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQI+.
We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and other services to our staff teams.
The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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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!
Job Summary
Location : Requirement to attend our sites in Basildon, Harlow and Thurrock if required and to team meetings quarterly.
Type: Remote
Salary: £48,000.00 per annum
Hours : 37.5 hours per week
Term: Permanent
Main Responsibilities:
Leadership
1. As a member of the Operational Leadership Team and wider Senior Leadership Team, work collaboratively and take collective responsibility for the strategic management and leadership of the organisation.
2. Work closely with the CEO, Treasurer and Board of Trustees to facilitate good governance and risk management.
3. Manage, maintain and develop all financial systems and control; increasing their impact and quality, and implementing best practices in financial management.
4. To supervise finance assistants and ensure that they are adhering to financial code of practices.
Financial Management
1. Lead and manage all aspects of the financial cycle, including budgeting, forecasting, fixed asset management, reserves & designated fund management and financial reporting.
2. Work with HR & Payroll Officer to manage and retain oversight of the day to day financial operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, banking and general ledger maintenance, including the reconciliation of petty cash, credit cards and all bank accounts on a monthly basis reviewing and approving payment runs and payroll.
3. Work with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team to prepare the annual budgets and forecasts.
4. Lead and manage the provision of regular budget monitoring and reports to budget holders.
5. Assist with the budget preparation for funding bids. Manage, monitor and keep track of any grants, funding or commissioned income, working with relevant managers to provide relevant financial information for inclusion in monitoring reports.
6. Lead and manage the provision of quarterly financial reports to the Board and advise them on financial issues as appropriate
7. Provide insightful financial analysis and reporting to inform and support organisational management, development and decision[1]making, and funding applications across the organisation.
8. Work with the CEO to prepare medium term financial forecasts for the organisation to support strategic decision-making and delivery of strategic priorities.
9. Lead on the audit process and the preparation of year end accounts to trial balance including preparation of the audit file and the closing down of the accounts on our accounting management system to ensure that the organisation is compliant with legal requirements and good practice.
10. To work closely with the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and designated Trustees to advise, review and cost the annual pay award.
11. To provide back-up and holiday cover for the processing of monthly payroll.
12. To work with and support the HR & Payroll Officer in providing payroll information and reconciling payroll monthly.
Governance and compliance
1. Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements (e.g. Companies House, HMRC and the Charity Commission).
2. Attend Trustee Board meetings to report on financial matters, including the identification and management of financial risk, and provide any relevant reports.
3. To support the Trustees, SLT and line managers in managing our finances carefully and within our financial means, through provision of advice, guidance, support and training.
4. To be the main point of contact with external auditors.
5. To ensure that robust financial controls are in place, underpinned by appropriate financial policies and procedures and to ensure that they are adhered to and that the organisation is protected from fraud and error.
Closing date for applications : 21st July 2025
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.