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Executive Assistant and Policy Advisor

Please Note: The application deadline for this post has now passed.

Post Introduction

This is an exciting opportunity to provide core administration support as well as completing independent research and drafting papers as Executive Assistant and Policy Advisor to the Director for Ministry.

What you'll be doing
The Executive Assistant and Policy Advisor to the Director for Ministry (EA) is a key aide to the Director, providing core and advanced administrative support, including as secretary to the Ministry Development Board. The role includes diary and meetings management, taking initiative in writing briefings, conducting research, drafting papers and presentations, providing support for senior level-meetings and organising regular team meetings including an annual residential. In addition, a key part of this role is to carry out independent research for the Director, including taking the initiative to gather relevant information the Director might need for meetings and current projects, or for policy development. 

Key role requirements:
  • You will be required to work from the primary office location 1-2 days per week, subject to business need.

About the Department/Role
The Ministry Development Team (MDT) is a team of 41 people which sits within the Archbishops’ Council. We are nationally responsible for ensuring that there is a pipeline of lay and ordained ministers together with their terms of service and the development of future and current senior leaders to meet the missional needs of the church. As such we have a key role to play in the delivery of our national Vision and Strategy in which we aspire to be a church which is Jesus Christ shaped and centred. Our work requires us to work collaboratively with a wide range of stake holders and partners including the 42 Church of England Dioceses, 20 Church of England Theological Colleges, the House and College of Bishops, the College of Cathedral Deans and the College of Archdeacons together with a range of universities and other external bodies. Our work is overseen by the Ministry Development Board, which is a subcommittee of the Archbishops’ Council and is chaired by a Diocesan Bishop. The responsibilities of the team are wide ranging and therefore the work of the Director is diverse, high energy and high volume.  

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/be:
  • Experience of executive level office management and holistic administrative support in a working partnership with high levels of mutual trust and accountability.
  • Experience of agenda setting, minute-taking and action logging/monitoring.
  • Proven track-record in the preparation of high-quality presentations and papers.
  • Sensitivity and good judgement in dealing with urgent, confidential and complex matters, including proactively scanning the horizon for potential opportunities and issues. 
  • Ability to work under pressure using own initiative to creatively problem solve, prioritise and meet competing deadlines in a complex working environment.

Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and person specification. 


Closing date: 9 March 2025

Interviews: Friday 21 March 2025


What we offer
Your Salary 
  • A salary of £48,556 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 your salary.
Your Benefits
  • 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus eight bank holidays and three additional days (pro-rated if working part-time).
  • We welcome all flexible working arrangement requests. This is looked at in a case-by-case scenario and if this fits within the department’s needs. 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.
  • We offer many services and initiatives under our Family Friendly Programme, some of these include enhanced Maternity Leave initiative, Adoption leave, Paternity Leave, & Shared Parental Leave. Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships.
  • Automatic enrolment and access to Medicash (one of the UK’s leading health cash plan providers), providing you with many services including reimbursements of routine dental treatment, optical, specialist consultations, and therapy treatments. Unlimited access to virtual GP & Private prescription service and health & Stress related helplines.
  • Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme 
  • Access to the Department of Education Restaurant and Westminster Abbey with a plus-one guest.
  • Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.
  • Opportunity to join 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 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.

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for the role. 

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Post in the same category

Overview

Salary ​£48,556
Annually
Post Reference cofe/TP/89775/8109
Contract Type Employee
Permanent
Closing Date 09 March, 2025
Post Category Administration and Business Support
Business Unit CofE Central Services
Location Church House, Great Smith Street, London, United Kingdom
24 January, 2025

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