Summary
We are seeking a highly organised, emotionally intelligent, and proactive Personal Assistant to support the Bishop of Basingstoke in her ministry and leadership across the Diocese. This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to work closely with a senior Church of England leader, providing executive support and helping to shape the effectiveness of her work.
About the Role
The Personal Assistant will play a pivotal role in enabling the Bishop to fulfil her responsibilities by managing her time, communications, and engagements. This includes diary management, correspondence, briefing preparation, travel arrangements, financial oversight, and acting as a trusted confidant and gatekeeper.
The role also involves coordinating events, supporting diocesan communications, managing office administration, and liaising with volunteers and stakeholders. You will be expected to build a strong working relationship with the Bishop, understand her priorities, and anticipate her needs with discretion and professionalism.
Key Responsibilities
* Manage the Bishop's diary, travel, and accommodation.
* Draft and manage correspondence, including sensitive communications.
* Prepare briefings and meeting materials, including executive summaries.
* Oversee financial records and budget planning for the Bishop's Local Account.
* Coordinate diocesan and external events.
* Maintain office systems and ensure GDPR compliance.
* Support the Bishop's role as Warden of Readers and manage related records.
* Liaise with diocesan staff, clergy, and external organisations.
* Provide administrative support for special projects and initiatives.
We are looking for someone who is:
* Administratively efficient, detail-oriented, and proactive.
* Emotionally intelligent, discreet, and confident in handling sensitive matters.
* A strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.
* Experienced in managing varied workloads and working independently.
* Sympathetic to the mission and values of the Church of England.
* Willing to learn about Church structures, terminology, and parliamentary processes.
Essential Skills & Experience:
* Minimum 2 years' administrative experience.
* Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook); willing to learn Excel and other tools.
* Strong literacy and numeracy skills.
* Experience in financial record keeping and online banking (or willingness to learn).
* Ability to work flexibly, including occasional off-site or out-of-hours meetings.
Key Requirements
* Willingness to occasionally work evenings and weekends, with time off in lieu (TOIL) provided for any additional hours worked
Your Salary
* A salary of £25,764.00 (FTE £32,205) per annum and pro-rated if working part-time, 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 plus eight bank holidays.
* 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.
* Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
* 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.
* Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.
Closing date for application is 27th November 2025
Interviews will take place on 11 December 2025 at Derby Church House.
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.