Job Description
The Archbishops' Advisers for Appointments and Vocations (AAAV) team is a key team within the Office of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, supporting and advising the Archbishops and the wider Church on the appointments process for senior clergy.
The team supports the work of the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) in the nomination of Archbishops and Diocesan Bishops, those involved in appointing Suffragan Bishops, and the selection panels who nominate new cathedral Deans. The team supports senior clergy in their vocation and discernment, working closely with the Ministry Development team and others to develop and equip a diverse pipeline of candidates for senior roles. The team also helps to ensure that senior clergy are equipped for the Church of England's missional challenges and for the vital role it plays in the life of the nation.
This role provides an excellent opportunity of working in a small, friendly, committed, professional and busy team supporting a complex, detailed and fast-paced portfolio of senior appointments, vocational discernment and associated projects. We work as a close-knit team in beautiful surroundings, part of the Lambeth Palace community and Office of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, supporting each other with care, flexibility and good humour.
Responsibilities
To provide high quality support to the busy programme of work of the Archbishops' Advisers for Appointments and Vocations team, ensuring the efficient administration of senior recruitment processes. Providing support to colleagues in the team who are leading the appointments, and to members of selection panels (which will often include Bishops and other senior stakeholders), as well as guiding candidates through the appointments processes.
Collecting, acknowledging and tracking candidates' papers relating to senior appointments.
Coordinating arrangements for panel meetings, interviews and pre-interview briefing meetings.
Engaging professionally and efficiently with candidates and the appointment panels involved with senior appointment processes, making sure they are properly supported and briefed.
Preparing shortlisting and interview paperwork for the Crown Nominations Commission and other selection panels.
Helping to organise high-quality events and meetings.
Managing and prioritising communications, whether by phone, e-mail or in person, drafting high-quality and timely responses.
Building and maintaining effective and professional relationships with key contacts and their offices.
Helping with pre-appointment checks (medicals, DBS etc) and liaising with the Prime Minister's Appointments Secretary's office, Provincial Registrar and Archbishops' offices on post-interview processes.
Arranging induction meetings and training for new appointments.
Helping with the renewal of DBS checks and routine medicals for bishops and deans.
Updating candidate databases, personal files and diversity monitoring data, ensuring information held on candidates is accurate.
Supporting effective and secure record keeping and information management.
Being an ambassador for the wider team by greeting and welcoming guests/visitors.
Providing administrative support across the wider team as required.
The main duties and responsibilities of your post are outlined in your job description. This list is not exhaustive and is intended to reflect your main tasks and areas of work. Changes may occur over time, and you will be expected to agree to any reasonable changes to your job description that are commensurate with your banding and in line with the general nature of your post. You will be consulted about any changes to your job description before these are implemented.
A comprehensive and supportive induction, and ongoing training, programme will be put in place for the post holder to ensure that they have all the information, access and contacts required to acclimatise and excel in this role quickly.
All staff working at Lambeth Palace share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture with regard to children and vulnerable adults, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.
Interviews for shortlisted candidates will take place on Wednesday 11th March.
Essential
QUALIFICATIONS
Skills & Abilities
Excellent knowledge of IT, Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams, SharePoint, the internet, a networked computer system and the ability to use IT to find creative solutions.
Experience in using databases and the ability to navigate them effectively.
Excellent word processing and proof-reading skills with outstanding attention to detail.
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with an understanding of the importance and effectiveness of good communication.
Strong sense of responsibility that the work issued is of a consistently high standard, with fast response times.
Ability to meet deadlines.
Comfortable working in an environment where high levels of confidentiality (both internally and externally) will be required alongside sensitivity, tact and diplomacy.
Emotionally intelligent with the ability to respond sensitively and pastorally.
Excellent judgement in understanding and dealing with urgent and complex matters across a wide range of issues.
Enthusiastic, proactive and forward thinking with highly effective planning skills.
Ability to draft and prepare high-quality, accurate correspondence and other material as required.
Highly focused, process-oriented, organised and methodical with the ability to plan and prioritise workload, and respond to changing and competing demands.
High level of interpersonal and social skills, experience of, and confidence in, dealing with a wide range of people in the course of work, including at senior level.
A self-starter, able to use initiative and good judgement.
Resilient and able to work calmly under pressure.
Flexibility with the ability to adapt plans quickly in response to change.
Strong collaboration and team working skills.
Ability to continuously improve and streamline processes.
Knowledge/Experience
An interest in recruitment/HR and senior clergy appointments in the Church of England.
Previous experience in a Human Resources department, particularly recruitment and/or equivalent professional experience.
Desirable
Knowledge of the structures of the Church of England, its ministry and the role it plays in the life of the nation.
About Us
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.
Use of AI in your application
We appreciate that you may want to use AI tools to help you with your application. We're happy for you to use AI to come up with ideas and help structure your thoughts, but you shouldn't use AI to fabricate information or write your whole application for you. One of our values is integrity, and although we want you to demonstrate your best self, we don't want an AI-generated persona. If you simply copy and paste AI-generated content into your application, this will reduce your chances of success.