The West Midlands Racial Justice Initiative is a partnership with six Midlands' dioceses: Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield and Worcester. In response to the Church of England's 2021 report 'From Lament to Action' we are committed to advancing racial justice by transforming church structures and communities across the region so that every individual, regardless of race or background, belongs, thrives, and experiences the love of God.
Purpose
The key purposes of this post are to:
* Enable participating dioceses to fulfil their obligations under 'From Lament to Action' through training and learning for racial justice.
* Work collaboratively with the six dioceses, the Regional Racial Justice Board and the Regional Racial Justice Team to ensure consistency in approach and quality of training and learning and effective analysis for impact and development.
* Build a supportive and collaborative approach to training and learning that reaches multiple audiences; build networks of diocesan and community partnerships to add value to WMRJI resources and build capacity.
* Coordinate regional resources and personnel to encourage and support a creative and innovative training and learning network.
* Build key links with national and other regional stakeholders to broaden strategic approaches, avoid duplication and share best practice, and coordinate with the national Racial Justice Unit to support dissemination of centralised training and learning.
Role Contextual Information
The role holder will be able to:
* Understand and work collaboratively across the six participating dioceses and create appropriate and effective training and learning development mechanisms.
* Lead on creating a training and learning framework that links robust training and learning needs analyses across the region and ensures that delivery is sustainable within the current capacity in dioceses.
* Create and track progress against a comprehensive training and learning framework within regional contexts.
* Understand the core principles of anti‑racism learning and the theological mandate for anti‑racism within the Church of England.
* Have experience of creating and delivering anti‑racism training in varied contexts, to differentiated learners.
* Build relationships and connections, spot opportunities, build confidence and capacity, and offer support and advice.
* Write reports that communicate appropriately to recipients.
* Have a strategic approach to training and learning, with an eye to long‑term sustainability and embedding of racial justice in different contexts.
Specific Responsibilities
* Coordinate and provide strategic oversight: develop and implement a strategic training framework aligned with WMRJI’s racial justice objectives, and ensure consistency in training content across dioceses with high standards of effectiveness and theological integrity.
* Facilitate collaboration between dioceses and the networks/partnerships they are part of, creating strong and supportive networks, sharing best practice, pooling resources, and coordinating training delivery.
* Establish excellent stakeholder management, working relationships within the national teams and with parish partners.
* Produce accurate, detailed reporting and analysis: develop mechanisms for engaging diocesan colleagues in feedback on learning and training, track progress, and share information across participating dioceses and the national audience/stakeholders.
* Link with national resourcing and strategic plans: build effective working relationships with the national team, support available or developmental resources, and invest in opportunities to pilot activities that offer constructive feedback.
* Build strong working relationships within the team, support colleagues in developing learning and training approaches that connect with their roles, and promote a problem‑solving culture within the project.
* Ensure timely, evidence‑based reporting for project management, Board conversations and decisions, and focus on outcomes from training and learning aimed at different audiences.
* General responsibilities: safeguarding training, data and GDPR compliance, and health and safety.
General Requirements
Due to the nature of this post, the holder must be of a Global Majority / United Kingdom Minority Ethnic background and a practising Christian, in order to work within the under‑represented communities of the six dioceses. This is a Genuine Occupational Requirement under the Equality Act 2010.
Person Specification
We are looking for someone who:
* Is passionate about helping UKME/GMH people realise their full potential in God’s mission and the Church’s ministry.
* Supports the Church of England and can navigate its frameworks.
* Has a heart for enabling people to learn and grow in confidence.
* Models emotional sensitivity, empathy and resilience when supporting people to engage with the challenging subjects of race, faith and identity.
* Is analytical, and can produce clear, well‑structured evidence‑based reporting and communicate with people at all levels.
* Can listen, communicate and network naturally to create meaningful relationships across a variety of levels.
* Is an effective team worker, follows the Director’s reasonable directions, and supports other roles and the overall aims of the Initiative even when it falls outside one’s specialism.
* Can travel across the six dioceses.
* Is flexible, a team player, and willing to attend occasional evening and weekend activities, with time off in lieu.
Additional Information
* Pension: Church of England’s Church Worker Pension Scheme – 12% employer contribution.
* Annual leave: 25 ordinary days, all bank/public holidays, and 3 days between Christmas and the New Year (7.2 weeks) pro‑rated for part‑time employees.
* The employing body is the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance.
Application Details
Closing date: 15th May 2026.
Interview date: 26th May 2026.
Interview location: Birmingham.
For more information or to arrange an informal conversation, contact Jennie Johnson at jennie.johnson@wmracialjustice.org.uk.
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