Discernment Support Co-ordinator
Post Introduction
The Discernment Process Coordinator role includes co-ordination, logistical organisation and support for some online and several in-person discernment panels. It also involves oversight of the administration for the candidates panel. These all need to run effectively so that all stakeholders experience a high quality and efficient service. The Discernment Process Coordinator will help with internal and external enquiries, often as the first point of contact, so effective communication, presentation and responses are required.
This is a key opportunity for a gifted, organised coordinator who can take the initiative, yet has a heart for team-working in one of the major discernment processes in the Ministry Development Team which impacts upon churches and dioceses across the Church of England.
About the Department
As members of the Ministry Development Team (MDT) our work both shapes and is aligned with the Church of England’s Vision and Strategy to see a Church which is Jesus Christ shaped and centred. We aim to be a younger and more diverse church where a mixed ecology of worshipping communities is the norm. Our focus is primarily outwards, towards those we support and guide in local churches, 42 Dioceses, Cathedrals, and 22 Theological Education Institutions. In order to deliver this we will work collaboratively with colleagues in other parts of the NCIs.
In this role you will:
- Provide administrative and logistical support.
- Ensure that details are up-to-date in the ministry discernment portal, maintaining records and providing reports using the people-related data with attention to current GDPR and NCIs policies.
- Act as the first point of contact and responding to enquiries received via the shared inbox for the discernment process from stakeholders and colleagues.
- Handling requests from work colleagues and stakeholders to give one-to-one advice and to resolve problems.
For further details, please see the attached job description.
About You
The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to recruiting disabled people. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.
To be successful in this role, you will be/have:
- An instinctive team player, able to work collaboratively whilst being able to use your own initiative to work individually.
- A positive, proactive attitude to all tasks approached.
- Highly professional approach grounded in graciousness, care and sensitivity to ensure consistency of tone in our engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
- Supportive of the work and Christian ethos of the Church of England.
- Very good IT skills with experience of working with web-based applications such as portals, SQL databases and virtual learning environments, as well as using MS Office and effective use of Teams and Zoom.
What we offer
- A salary of £19,459 per annum (FTE £38,918) plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of salary.
Our benefits include:
- 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus three additional days
- Flexible working hours and location, with an expectation of just 1 day per week in our office in Westminster
- Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships
- Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme
- Opportunity to the Civil Service Sports & Social Club, and get involved in a range of staff networks, groups and societies
We try to be as flexible as we can in your work pattern to support you with other commitments, and to give a good work-life balance.
The National Church Institutions comprises a wide variety of teams, professions and functions that support the mission and ministries of the Church of England in its vision to be a church, centred on Jesus Christ, for the whole nation - a church that is simpler, humbler, bolder.
We Include. You Belong.
Our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy aims for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.
Living out our values in all that we do, we:
- Strive for Excellence
- Show Compassion
- Respect others
- Collaborate
- Act with Integrity
We believe our commitment to belonging and inclusion fuels our progress and drives us forward. The NCIs are a safe, inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome applications from people of all faiths and of no faith. We want to encourage applications from a diverse group of people who share our values. Even if you have never thought about working for us before, if you have the skills and experience we’re looking for then we would like to hear from you.
