The Church of England
Vocations and Development Adviser
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Job Description
This role offers a unique opportunity to engage with the mission and ministry of the Church of England in a wide range of contexts across the country. Through regular engagement with dioceses, cathedrals and other ministry settings, the postholder will build relationships across the breadth of the Church while contributing to the discernment, development and support of future senior leaders.
The role combines significant responsibility for supporting senior appointments processes with a particular focus on vocational discernment, leadership development and the pastoral accompaniment of those discerning God's call to senior leadership within the Church. The postholder will support individuals as they seek to recognise and respond faithfully to that call. The postholder will provide professional advice and support to bishops, appointment bodies and candidates, helping to identify and develop future senior leaders whilst contributing to the continuous improvement of discernment and appointments practice across the Church.
The postholder will work with a high degree of autonomy, exercising sound judgement in complex and sensitive situations, building trusted relationships with senior clergy and stakeholders across the Church, and helping to shape and deliver appointments, discernment and development activity.
The balance of responsibilities within this role will vary over time according to the demands of the senior appointments programme. The successful delivery of appointments processes is the team's primary responsibility and, during periods of peak activity, this will necessarily take precedence over other areas of work. As a result, the proportion of time devoted to appointments, vocational discernment, development activity and wider projects will fluctuate. The postholder will therefore need to be comfortable working flexibly, adapting priorities as required and moving confidently between operational delivery and longer-term developmental work.
For an informal conversation about the role, please contact stephen.knott@churchofengland.org
Interviews will take place in London on Thursday 5th November. For shortlisted candidates, there will be some activities to complete in the week of 26th October.
Please note the role is expected to commence in early February 2027.
Responsibilities
Working alongside the Appointments and Vocations Adviser and other members of the team, and supporting the Archbishops' Secretary for Appointments, you will:
Senior Appointments
- Proactively and professionally engage with diocesan stakeholders on the planning and delivery of appointment processes and associated consultations within dioceses and cathedrals.
- Draft high-quality consultation reports and other documentation that sensitively and accurately articulate the opportunities, challenges and context of a diocese, cathedral or appointment.
- Support the work of appointment panels, professionally and confidently guiding and advising them in their discernment whilst ensuring compliance with agreed policies, procedures and best practice.
- Draft and coordinate high-quality role profiles, adverts, candidate briefing packs and other appointment documentation.
- Coordinate and prepare for, advise on and participate in all stages of appointment processes.
- Journey alongside candidates throughout appointment and discernment processes, providing pastoral support as they reflect on vocation, calling and future ministry.
- Provide constructive and developmental feedback to candidates and advise on areas for ongoing ministerial development.
- Build trusted relationships with diocesan bishops and other senior leaders, advising on succession planning, talent identification, vocational discernment and the development of future senior leaders.
- Contribute to the continuous review and improvement of appointments policies, frameworks and processes.
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Vocational discernment and development
- Advise, guide, prepare and pastorally accompany individuals discerning God's call to senior leadership in the Church.
- Support the identification and development of a diverse and sustainable pipeline of leaders for the Church's future, ensuring that considerations of belonging, inclusion and equity are embedded within discernment, development and appointments processes.
- Advise bishops and others on clergy who may have a vocation to senior leadership roles, helping to identify strengths, development needs and appropriate next steps.
- Provide coaching, development opportunities and skills training for those engaging with senior appointment discernment processes, including applications, written submissions, interviews and assessment activities.
- Design and deliver courses, webinars, seminars, training sessions and other development activity as appropriate.
- Build and sustain effective relationships with colleagues across the Ministry Development Team, dioceses and other Church institutions, supporting the effective identification, development and appointment of those called to senior leadership within the Church.
- Contribute to leadership development programmes and networks by sharing expertise on senior appointments, discernment processes, vocational pathways, and opportunities for ministry and leadership within the Church.
- Build and maintain networks across the Church to identify, share and implement good practice in leadership discernment and development, and to facilitate effective signposting and support.
- Contribute to the implementation, review and development of the AAAV Vision and Strategy, particularly in relation to leadership development and the diversity of the senior ministry pipeline.
Safeguarding, policy and projects
- Ensure that safeguarding considerations and a healthy safeguarding culture are appropriately embedded within appointments, discernment and development activity.
- Act in accordance with safeguarding policies and procedures and escalate concerns appropriately.
- Use best practice in leadership development, coaching, organisational development and HR to contribute to projects related to the work of the team.
- Contribute significantly to the development, implementation and review of policies, strategies, frameworks and systems relating to senior appointments, vocation and leadership development.
- Undertake research and analysis and draft high-quality reports, guidance, briefing papers and other materials.
- Contribute to governance, communications and oversight activity connected with the work of the team.
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the team remains at the forefront of best practice in appointments, discernment and leadership development.
- Contribute flexibly to the wider work of the team as required.
Qualifications
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 appointment of senior clergy. The team's work supports the Crown Nominations Commission in identifying new Diocesan Bishops, those involved in appointing Suffragan Bishops and the selection panels who nominate new cathedral Deans. The team also supports senior clergy in their vocation and discernment, working closely with key stakeholders throughout the Church to identify, encourage and equip future senior leaders. Guided by the AAAV Vision and Strategy, the team seeks to strengthen discernment and appointments practice and support the development of faithful, capable and diverse leaders for the future of the Church.
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This role provides an excellent opportunity to work in a small, highly collaborative, supportive and professional team. The AAAV team is known for its strong sense of mutual support, shared purpose and commitment to one another's success. Together we work on a complex, detailed and fast-paced portfolio of senior appointments, vocational discernment and associated projects. Our work is rooted in excellence, compassion, collaboration, respect and integrity, combining prayerful discernment, professional rigour and pastoral care. 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.
About Us
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About The NCIs
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.
We offer a highly competitive benefits package that supports your health, wellbeing and long-term financial security. This includes annual leave starting at 25 days' plus bank holidays and three additional NCI days, family friendly policies, a wellbeing cashback scheme, an electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, a defined benefit pension with employer contributions of up to 18%, and generous life assurance cover.
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