Our aim is 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.

The Church of England is committed to reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2030. To do this requires a decade of action by all parts of the Church. The priority is to reduce the carbon emissions arising from the energy used in our buildings and our work-related transport year-on-year. This work is part of the wider Environment Programme.

The Church has set out a Routemap to Net Zero and established a new Net Zero Carbon Programme team to deliver the ambition, working closely with colleagues across the National Church Institutions, and with staff responsible for delivering carbon savings in dioceses and at the individual building level. As a large and very devolved organisation, implementing the net zero carbon plan will involve all parts of the Church. This change is as much about “hearts and minds” as it is “bricks and mortar”.

This new role will work across the organisation to develop a National Communications and Engagement Strategy and deliver inspiring and engaging stories which reach out as widely as possible. We also aim for our parish and school communities to be aware of the steps we are taking nationally and to encourage them to make positive environmental changes locally.

As Net Zero Carbon Programme Communications and Engagement Coordinator, you will develop and deliver an effective Communications and Engagement strategy, primarily for internal audiences, that will engage, inspire and influence all parts of the Church to deliver reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

You will also work with the Church of England Digital and Media teams to seek ways to communicate more widely the positive environmental actions the Church is taking, and through doing this, influence our church and school communities to take action themselves.

This post is offered as a fixed-term contract expected to last until the end of 2025. The post is Home-based, with regular meetings in Church House, Westminster andmay require some travel to different dioceses, and occasional evening meetings for which time off in lieu will be given.

For an informal conversation please contact denise.rowley@churchofengland.org

Interviews will be held on Tuesday 7 March 2023.

The Church of England is for everyone, and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. This is a priority for the Archbishops. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we particularly welcome applicants from UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities.

We offer a unique environment with opportunities for continuous learning, generous annual leave for work life balance, season ticket loans and a range of benefits including discounted entry to attractions and what we feel is a market leading package when it comes to our pension scheme.

The Role

Communications and Engagement Strategy and Planning

• Developing a national strategy for communications and engagement. It should primarily consider influencing and reaching those within the church with responsibility for implementing net-zero carbon actions, at national, diocesan and local level. For example, those who work for the National Church Institutions (NCIs), bishops, archdeacons, Diocesan Environment Officers, clergy, school business managers and others – especially those responsible for property and asset management. It should also consider influencing members of our local parishes and their wider communities.
• Based on the strategy, devise and maintain a plan and timeline for regular communications and campaigns. It will be a live document that will need reviewing and updating on a regular basis.
• Delivering high quality communications to the various audiences through different channels to support the range of initiatives within the NZC Programme.
• Liaising closely with colleagues in the NCI Communications team to achieve the greatest impact, ensuring NZC messaging integrates with wider messaging.
• Ensuring communications around grant funding are distinct but complementary to communications on other NCI funding streams.
• Working with the Diocesan Communications Officer network as appropriate to develop suitable messages.
• Gathering feedback from dioceses to ensure there is a two-way flow of information.

Digital Media

• Co-ordinating and assembling content for electronic newsletters and issuing the newsletters to a regular schedule.
• Managing and updating of online resources including pages on the Church website.
• Working with the Church of England Digital team to brief and manage social media campaigns where appropriate.
• Maintaining the environment image library and collecting relevant new images as necessary.
• Supporting other teams, in conjunction with the Digital Media team, to prepare and distribute content, including the planning and creation of videos (production may be outsourced, but some in-house editing of Zoom recordings as a minimum). This is to include consent and permission management and quality control.
• Ensuring the accessibility of content, including subtitles and alternative formats.
• Engaging with external designers and other content producers, including setting briefs, advising on tender submissions and coordinating feedback and final sign off.

Net Zero Carbon Programme Board

• Attending the Programme Board meetings when required to advise on communications and engagement and preparing papers as necessary.
• Preparing for and attending other meetings as required by the NZC Programme Director.
• Supporting the NZC Programme Director to assist the NCI Communications team in responding to any external media enquiries which relate to Net Zero Carbon activity.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Developing KPIs for communications and engagement along with the monitoring, measurement, evaluation and reporting methods necessary to provide Board assurance. Own the KPIs and identify areas for improvement and new opportunities.

Events and Webinars

• Supporting colleagues in event management (eg General Synod Fringe events, conferences).
• Working with colleagues in the NZC Programme team and the Environment Programme, to develop content for the webinar series and to assist in hosting webinars.

The Requirements

Essential

Skills/Aptitudes:

• Engaging communicator with excellent written and verbal communication skills for a wide range of audiences.
• Able to adjust communications to the audience.
• Ability to manage time effectively, prioritising tasks and ensuring that deadlines are met.
• Well presented, accurate work.
• Strong team-working skills.
• Able to analyse and target appropriate communications materials to a range of identified audiences.

Knowledge/Experience:

• Internal communications experience in a large and distributed organisation.
• Successfully delivered a communications and engagement strategy.
• Experience using newsletters, intranets, web content, social media, print and other channels to engage and inform effectively.
• Experience of communications planning, including monitoring and reporting.

Personal Attributes:

• Self-motivated and able to work under own initiative.
• Collaborative and positive, with good influencing and inter-personal skills.
• An interest and enthusiasm for environmental issues.
• In sympathy with the aims of the Church of England.
• Understanding of and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Circumstances:

• This role may require some travel to different dioceses, and occasional evening meetings (time off in lieu will be given).

Desirable

• A qualification in marketing, business, communications or training.
• Professional Qualification and membership of a relevant professional body.
• Worked or volunteered for an environmental charity or similar organisation.
• A good understanding of the structures and ways of working of the Church of England.
• Experience running webinars/workshops.
• Event management experience.
• Project management experience.

In the National Church Institutions (NCIs), we support the mission and ministries of the Church of England. We work with parishes, dioceses, schools, chaplaincies and other ministries, and with national and international partners including mission agencies, and other denominations and faith groups.-.

Find out more about working for the National Church Institutions by visiting Careers | The Church of England

NCI values

• We strive for excellence
• We collaborate
• We act with integrity
• We show compassion
• We respect others

We welcome everyone and we accept and value people for who they are and what they contribute, treating others in the way we would wish to be treated ourselves. We actively listen to and include others, encouraging and enabling everyone’s voice to be heard in discussions and decisions. When we disagree, we aim to disagree well with respect and kindness.

We want to encourage applications from a diverse group of people. 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. If there is anything we can do to support you in your application please get in touch via email to hr.recruitment@churchofengland.org.

• As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively look to attract, recruit and retain those of you who are disabled.
• We are a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and welcome applications from those of you who have served in our Armed Forces and their families.