Equip Trainer – Early Years and Children
Location: Hybrid – based at St John’s House, (Apply online only) The Rock, Bury BL9 0ND
Salary: £33,971 per annum (Diocesan Pay-scale Band 4.1 – spot grade)
Hours: Full time – 35 hours per week
Contract Type: Fixed term to 31/12/2029 with the possibility of extension to 31/12/2033 subject to funding from the Church Commissioners
The Diocese of Manchester is stepping with renewed hope into a season shaped by our Growing Younger priority — a bold commitment to ensure that every child has access to a flourishing children, youth and families ministry and that the number of young active disciples across our diocese can be doubled in the years ahead. This vision is reshaping how we train, support and invest in those who nurture faith in our youngest generations. Within this movement, the Equip programme plays a central role, offering structured formation that increases the confidence and skills of lay and ordained leaders involved in ministry with children and their families.
The Equip Trainer - Early Years and Children will be an important part of that story. The post-holder will work as part of the Equip team to deliver high quality training that supports clergy, volunteers and children’s practitioners across Manchester Diocese. They will help leaders grow in their ability to welcome children well, to nurture them in their faith, and to shape environments where families experience church as a place of belonging, joy and discipleship. Through this work the post-holder will contribute directly to the wider diocesan vision of becoming a worshipping, growing and transforming Christian presence within every community.
The post-holder will engage deeply with those who work with early years and children. They will deliver training across Equip ALM, Equip Weekend, Equip Bespoke and Equip Clergy pathways, providing both foundational skills and context-specific support for ministry with children aged 0–11. Their teaching will help leaders think creatively about early years ministry — whether that is establishing distinctly Christian toddler groups, shaping early years worship such as Wiggle Worship, or developing children’s discipleship that is age-appropriate, rooted in Scripture and responsive to today’s cultural landscape.
The post-holder will also curate and source content for Equip Spotlight events, drawing on local and national voices to ensure that leaders have access to the most relevant and practical insights available. They will maintain a database of local and national trainers, enabling Equip to draw on a wide network of expertise to enrich the training offer across the diocese.
In partnership with the Diocesan Early Years and Children’s Officers, the post-holder will host Equip training events across Manchester Diocese, ensuring that each session is delivered with clarity, warmth and confidence.
Alongside this, the post-holder will play a key role in the ongoing development of Equip Hubs — spaces designed to bring children’s ministry practitioners together for support, networking and best practice sharing. They will offer input to Equip Connect online sessions and contribute to the Equip podcast, helping ensure that leaders feel connected, supported and encouraged throughout the year. The post-holder will also work with the Administrator and Digital Communications colleagues to secure appropriate training venues and create publicity materials that help broaden engagement across parishes.
To thrive in this role, the post-holder will bring at least five years of experience working with early years and children in either a church or school setting and be confident in delivering training or public speaking in a variety of contexts. They will understand child development, early years ministry approaches, effective children’s discipleship practices and the realities leaders face in local parish and school contexts. Their communication skills will be strong, both written and verbal, and they will be confident using Microsoft Office, social media, and creative tools such as Canva and AI as part of their work. They will be someone who collaborates well with others, manages their own workload effectively, and responds positively to the changing needs of the Equip programme.
The post-holder will be a practising Christian, committed to the mission and values of the Church of England and able to work confidently across the breadth of its traditions. They will value the diversity of communities within the Diocese of Manchester, be committed to racial justice, inclusion and the flourishing of every child, and be willing to travel across the diocese as needed, including occasional evening and weekend commitments.
There is an Occupational Requirement for the post-holder to be a practising Christian, in accordance with Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010.
The post will be offered subject to an enhanced DBS check, proof of the right to work in the UK and satisfactory references.
To apply, please click the APPLY button. Applications should be submitted via laptop or desktop rather than mobile device. Please refer to the job description and person specification for further information.
Closing date: Wednesday 18 March 2026 at 12 noon
Interview: Tuesday 24 March 2026 at St John’s House, Bury, BL9 0ND
You may have experience in the following: Early Years Practitioner, Early Years Trainer, Children’s Ministry Leader, Children’s Worker, Family Worker, Youth and Children’s Worker, Christian Children’s Ministry, Church Children’s Worker, Early Years Education, Church Trainer, Christian Educator, Toddler Group Leader.
REF-(Apply online only)