Parliamentary and Policy Researcher
Post Introduction
The purpose of the Parliamentary and Policy Researcher to the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of York is to support the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of York in their duties as Members of the House of Lords. The work includes research and information gathering, drafting speeches and questions, managing meetings, appointments and other events on behalf of the Bishop and Archbishop and such other work as they and the Head of Parliamentary Affairs may require from time to time.
About the Department/Role
The Parliamentary and Policy Researcher will be based with the Parliamentary Team. The work of the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of York in the House of Lords is guided by their policy and local interests, as well as their status as religious leaders with a national profile. Both have a shared concern for issues of economic, environmental and social justice at home and overseas. In addition the Bishop of London has a particular focus on healthcare provision and health inequalities, in which she is supported partly by a member of the Faith and Public Life team, and partly by the holder of this post.
What you'll be doing
The Parliamentary and Policy Researcher’s priorities and tasks will be determined by the Bishop and Archbishop, with whom the postholder will be expected to have frequent direct contact along with their key advisers. In conjunction with their offices, the Head of Parliamentary Affairs will manage, guide and oversee the parliamentary work of the postholder.
The role will involve:
- Supporting the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of York in their work in the House of Lords.
- Advising on and researching materials for parliamentary speeches and interventions.
- Monitoring and keeping the Bishop of London and the Archbishop of York informed about relevant parliamentary developments and timetables.
- Liaising with MPs, Peers and their staff, Parliamentary officials and others in and outside the NCIs on behalf of the Bishop and Archbishop.
- Drafting articles for publication, press notices or social media about the Bishop’s and Archbishops’ work, in close collaboration with their Communications Officers.
- Providing research resource for the Archbishop in his provincial role and both he and the Bishop in their dioceses for non-parliamentary work. This may involve researching and drafting for talks, articles and lectures.
- Assisting with disseminating the Church’s responses to specific issues or bills, as agreed with the Head of Parliamentary Affairs and Deputy Head of Parliamentary Affairs. Supporting the Head and Deputy Head of Parliamentary Affairs in their wider responsibilities and standing in for them as and when required.
- Working with the Parliamentary Team to ensure that the Bishop and Archbishop are kept abreast of the wider activities of the Lords Spiritual and the Parliamentary Team.
Key role requirements:
- This is a full-time post which is offered initially for a fixed-term of 12 months.
- 75% of the postholder’s working time will be spent in support of the Bishop of London and 25% of the Archbishop of York.
- Base location will be Lambeth Palace, London, SE1 7JU
- Work also expected to take place from Church House, Westminster, SW1P 3AZ; The Old Deanery, London, EC4V 5AA.
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.
Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and person specification.
The start date will be 1 September 2025
Interviews will be held on 16 July 2025 in London
What we offer
Your Salary
- A salary of £35,938 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.
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.
