Post Introduction

The Bishop’s Chaplain must be a person in priest’s orders, who is ordained in the Church of England or a Church in full Communion with it. This post has attached to it an Occupational Requirement under the 2010 Equality Act, Part 1, Schedule 9.

The Bishop’s Chaplain plays a key role in supporting the Bishop of Worcester in his ministry as he leads the diocesan Kingdom People vision, develops a culture marked by faith, hope and love, and drives the diocesan Transformation priorities.

Specifically, the Chaplain acts as a confidant to the Bishop and leads the work of the Bishops’ Office, ensuring strong and effective connections with the other parts of the diocesan eco-system and nurturing a faithful, hopeful and loving culture within the office and the wider diocese.

The Chaplain is often the key point of connection between clergy and the Bishop. S/he needs to be pastoral and wise, skilled in knowing what needs the Bishop’s attention and what doesn’t. The Chaplain needs to be comfortable playing a key role in the life of the diocese, but which is largely in support of priorities set by others.

The Chaplain will be welcome to lead worship in parishes and other settings, especially on Sundays. 

Responsibilities

• Maintaining and developing a pattern and culture of worship, prayer and faith filled curiosity within the Bishop’s office and Bishop’s Staff Team, including overseeing the pattern of prayer and worship in the Old Palace Chapel.
• Preparing liturgies and acts of worship both within the Bishop’s office and for the Bishop.
• Working closely with the Bishop of Worcester, praying with and for him and acting as confidant, advisor and truth-teller.
• Working closely with the Bishop’s EA to keep the Bishop focussed on his key tasks and priorities, by discerning carefully what he needs to attend to directly, what he needs to be aware of and what can best be dealt with elsewhere.
• Supporting the Bishop in his engagement with civic society in Worcestershire and Greater Dudley, developing contacts and liaising with external bodies on behalf of the Bishop.
•  Leading the work and modelling the culture of the Bishop’s Office, ensuring the efficient management of the work of the office and that it is hospitable, faithful and attentive.
• Prioritising safeguarding in every element of diocesan life, chairing and/or participating in Multi-Team Meetings, Case Management, Early Intervention and other groups as needed, communicating closely with the Diocesan Director of Safeguarding and ensuring that the Bishop and the Bishop’s office are aware of safeguarding policy requirements and follow best practice at all times. 

About You

• Be episcopally ordained in the Church of England or a Church in full Communion with it. This 
  means an ordained Anglican cleric who can conduct worship on behalf of the Bishop and 
  administer all sacraments appropriate to the Church of England.  This post has attached to it a 
  genuine occupational requirement under the 2010 Equality Act, Part 1, Schedule 9.
• Have a deep faith, and a broad experience of life and ministry.
• Have a high level of emotional intelligence, skilled in working with and relating to people across a 
  wide diversity of personality, culture, background, theological conviction and age.
• Have, or will quickly develop, a strong commitment to the life, strategy, priorities and values of the 
  Diocese of Worcester
• Be flexible, adaptable and able to prioritise between competing demands in the midst of 
  complexity, and to do so with grace and good humour. A proven capacity to work calmly and 
  effectively through more stressful seasons of ministry. Be flexible with working hours, including 
  assisting at and attending evening/weekend functions
• Have proven experience as a team leader, with the ability to set culture, line manage, support and 
  give direction to team members as needed.
• Have a complete commitment to confidentiality, with the ability to hold sensitive information in a 
  trustworthy way. Have a strong commitment to the ministry and work of the Bishop, with the ability 
  to given honest feedback, support and challenge.
• Have an understanding of and commitment to the highest standards of safeguarding practice and 
  the ability to lead and nurture a safeguarding culture.
• Be confident and assured in following due process in supporting the bishop in all matters relating 
  to safeguarding and clergy discipline.
• Have very good communication skills, verbally and in writing, with the ability to draft texts, emails, 
  letters, memos and briefing papers to a high standard and with attention to detail.
• Be familiar with traditional and contemporary liturgies, with the ability to work creatively with a diversity of styles and kinds of worship.
• Have strong administrative skills, with an understanding of operating in a church context in 
  which policy, practice and practical wisdom are all required. The ability to gather and marshal 
  information and resources on a wide variety of subjects.

To apply, please use this link: https://enhi.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/NCICareers/job/172/?utm_medium=jobshare&utm_source=External+Job+Share by 01 June 2026 at 12 noon