Diversity & Inclusion Adviser
Please Note: The application deadline for this post has now passed.
Post Introduction
This is an exciting 12-month opportunity for an experienced Diversity and Inclusion Adviser to contribute to culture change in a significant national institution. This role is open to someone working 4-5 days per week, and the location is flexible with travel to London required monthly.
The opportunity
You will take a lead role in delivering key elements of our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy and action plan which builds on the solid foundations of two previous Belonging and Inclusion action plans. Our strategy began in 2018 and has been widely supported by senior stakeholders and is visible to staff working at all levels and all parts of the organisation. It also addresses the recommendations made by the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce in the 2020 From Lament to Action report about addressing racism in the Church of England.
About the Department
The Human Resources department provides a strategic and operational HR service to the seven National Church Institutions (NCIs) and the 42 Diocesan Bishops’ offices. Our HR Operations team focusses on the entire employee lifecycle providing support, advice and guidance to senior leaders, line managers and staff. The Organisational Development team lead on culture, values, wellbeing, development, and our belonging & inclusion strategy. Through our External Service team, we also offer HR support on a consultancy basis to other Church of England organisations including our dioceses and cathedrals.
We are a friendly, diverse, well respected, and highly engaged HR team who are committed to actively sharing knowledge and learning across the team and beyond. We encourage flexible working within the team and meet online weekly and in-person once a month for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and building relationships within the team.
What you'll be doing
This role focuses on designing and implementing equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives within the National Church Institutions (NCIs). A central responsibility is ensuring the implementation of the Church of England’s "Lament to Action" report and other EDI-focused strategies across departments. This involves collaborating with various teams to create a unified approach, nurturing a group of change agents to promote inclusion, and offering tailored advice to managers on fostering diverse and inclusive environments.
A significant part of the role includes using our diversity data to inform strategy. You will work closely with HR and data teams to analyse diversity metrics, enhancing the quality of data collection and interpretation. This analysis will help shape future actions, including how different demographic groups engage with NCIs, and improve response rates through building a culture of trust.
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Leading data analysis to inform diversity strategy and advise on actions
- Collaborating with HR Operations to enhance diversity data collection
- Reporting on demographic engagement from pulse surveys
- Overseeing key reporting functions, including annual benchmarking through the TIDE MARK process
- Ensuring consistent communication of progress on the NCIs’ Belonging and Inclusion Action Plan with employee network groups, Trades Unions and senior stakeholders.
- Supporting staff networks and ensuring their effectiveness through action plans.
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:
- Have ability to use own lived experience to relate to others and inform practice
- Have data analysis skills and evidence led approach
- Have track record of leading change which has led to greater diversity in the workplace.
- Be an excellent communicator- particularly in relation to presentations
- Passionate about accountability and thinking creatively about to achieve this in a complex organisation
- Have strong project management skills with the ability to prioritise work appropriately, monitor progress and escalate where necessary.
For a detailed person specification, please see the attached job description.
Closing date: 17th October 2024
Interviews expected to be held: 25th October 2024
Please note this is a 12-month fixed term contract
What we offer
- A salary of £56,833 per annum 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.
- 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus three additional days.
Our benefits
- Flexible working hours and location with travel to London required monthly.
- 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.
About the National Church Institutions
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.
