The Diocese of Peterborough is the Church of England for the 348 parishes and 379 churches covering Northamptonshire, the northern part of Peterborough and the county of Rutland. Peterborough Cathedral is our mother church. With around 200 clergy and a similar number of lay ministers, we serve a population of just under a million people. As a diocese, we are on a journey to rediscover God’s mission call for us as we serve the communities where we live and work. We are at the early stages of developing a missional strategy which will shape our structures, our finances and our priorities. Over the last 18 months much has been done to identify the areas where we need to bring change and we have begun that process. The diocese is in good heart and there is energy and appetite for the direction of travel. We hope to have our new governance structure in place in 2026 and are confident that we have good people who can take on responsibilities as trustees.
The role of the Diocesan Secretary plays a critical part in the life of the mission and ministry in the region as a steward of our resources and a leader of our staff team. Through this period of change, you will be a key partner to the Bishop in shaping and implementing this vision and strategy, as well as ensuring that our people and resources are managed and aligned to support the day-to-day mission and ministry of the diocese. Across a broad operational portfolio, you will ensure that the diocese is served by cohesive and robust support from the central team. You will develop a high-performing and collaborative culture in which our staff flourish, and manage a range of relationships across the diocese with influence and regular engagement.
For this key role, we are looking for a committed Christian* able to bring a track record of successful strategic and operational leadership in complex environments. Your leadership will be marked by success in managing across a variety of functions in a collaborative and nurturing manner, with a track record of developing and empowering staff. You will be comfortable using your financial acumen to shape and support strategic decision making and have experience of delivering results within an environment where complex governance and deep rooted values are the norm.
This is an exciting time for Diocese of Peterborough and the impact you could have here is significant. For further information on this exciting opportunity, and for an informal discussion about your suitability, please visit our recruitment partners, GatenbySanderson, via the Apply button.
* It is an occupational requirement in accordance with schedule 9 paragraph 1 of the Equality Act for the holder of this role to be a practising Christian.