Overview

Our aim is 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.

This post gives an excellent opportunity to be involved in setting up an new initiative in a small, friendly, busy office, in unusual and pleasant surroundings. The staff members at Lambeth Palace work as a small and close-knit team and support each other at busy periods with flexibility and good humour.

Post Introduction

The Centre for Cultural Witness (CCW) is an exciting new venture, based at Lambeth, yet working in partnership with university theology faculties, other denominations and partners, to share and re-tell the culture-shaping power of the Christian gospel in public.

As PA to the Director and Administrative Assistant you will support and enable the Director in his work, and provide administrative assistance for the various activities of the Centre as required.

Please see the document attached below for additional information about the Centre for Cultural Witness.

This post is offered on a fixed term contract initially for 3 years (subject to review and further funding).

Interviews will be held on Friday 22^nd July 2022.

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 Minority Ethnic Backgrounds. 

A comprehensive and supportive induction programme will be put in place to ensure that you have all the information, access and contacts you require to learn quickly and excel in this role.

We are taking a flexible approach to work, with many colleagues opting for a hybrid approach to their working week, with a mixture of home and office-based working. Further details will be discussed at interview.

In return we offer a unique environment with opportunities for continuous learning, generous annual leave for work life balance, season ticket loans and a range of benefits including discounted entry to attractions and what we feel is a market leading package when it comes to our pension scheme.

Role Responsibility

The Role

• Day-to-day diary management for the Director of the CCW.
• Dealing with mail, enquiries, telephone calls, email & other incoming and outgoing communications for the Director and the Centre as a whole.
• Monitoring the Director’s email inbox.
• Drafting letters, reports, communications.
• Support for the Director’s writing, both popular and academic, which may involve some proof-reading.
• Liaising with MPs, Bishops, Senior Christian leaders on the Learning programme of the CCW.
• Organising and overseeing the administration of the Learning Programme for senior leaders.
• Preparation and follow-up for meetings (assembling agendas, booking rooms, taking minutes etc).
• Making travel arrangements when required for the Director, both in the UK & internationally.
• Liaising with university theology departments to co-ordinate their contribution to the work of the Centre.
• Organising room bookings for events.
• Administrative support for events.

The Ideal Candidate

The Requirements

Essential

Skills/Aptitudes

• High level of interpersonal skills.
• Experience of MS Word, Outlook, Excel and the internet, as well as a networked computer system.
• High level of dedication and initiative.
• Ability to be self-directed and to organise work effectively.
• Pro-active and be able to multi-task.
• The ability to prioritise workload.
• A problem solver, looking for ways to overcome obstacles and find solutions to problems.
• Sense of responsibility that the work issued is of a consistently high standard with fast response times.
• Ability to assimilate information and process/produce documents and papers.
• Highly discreet and diplomatic.
• Exceptional judgement in understanding and dealing with urgent and complex matters across a wide range of issues.
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrable experience of drafting and preparing correspondence, briefs and other material, as required, or the capability/potential to learn this.
• Exceptionally well organised and methodical, with the ability to cope with conflicting priorities.
• A self-starter, able to use initiative and good judgement.
• Proven ability to work calmly under pressure.
• Confidence and tact in dealing with senior leaders in Church, politics, media etc.
• Able to adapt plans quickly in response to change.
• Ability to work collaboratively and as a member of a team.
• Highly resilient with the ability to work effectively within the demands of a busy office.  

Knowledge/Experience:

• Proven ability in managing diaries, correspondence and papers for a senior manager.
• Experience of dealing with a wide range of people in the course of work, including at senior level.
• A knowledge and interest in the work of the Archbishops’ ministry and the Church of England generally.

Education:

• Education to at least ‘A’ level standard, or equivalent.

Desirable

• Negotiation skills.
• Awareness of and interest in national and international politics and societal issues.
• Sympathetic to the values and beliefs of the Christian faith.
• Knowledge of the structures of the Church of England.
• Interest and commitment to the task of sharing Christian faith in public discourse.

About Us

We in the National Church Institutions support the mission and ministries of the Church all over England. We work with parishes, dioceses (regional offices), schools, other ministries and our partners at a national and international level.

Excellence, Respect, Integrity

We follow these three values in everything we do, whether we are of Christian faith, another faith or no faith. To learn more about working for National Church Institutions and our benefits, please click here

As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively look to attract, recruit and retain those of you who are disabled.

As a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, we welcome applications from those of you who have served in our Armed Forces and their families.

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and to ensuring that everyone, job applicants, customers and other people with whom we deal, are treated fairly and not subject to discrimination.  We will do whatever is necessary to provide genuine equality of opportunity. We continuously review our policies and processes to support our aim to create a workforce as diverse as the nation the Church of England serves.