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.

As a nationally and internationally significant religious leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury receives thousands of letters, e-mails, invitations and phone calls from members of the public every year, each of which needs to be carefully examined and an appropriate response given and recorded.

The Correspondence Team process and log all correspondence and ensure correspondents receive a helpful, gracious and timely response. From official correspondence to questions and queries from the general public covering a rich diversity of topics and subjects. As such, the way the correspondence operation is delivered and managed is essential to the witness and ministry exercised by the Archbishop.

This post gives an excellent opportunity to work in a small, friendly, busy office, in unusual and pleasant surroundings. The staff at Lambeth Palace work as a small and close-knit team, supporting each other at busy times with flexibility and good humour.

As Correspondence Administrative Assistant, you will provide high quality administrative support to the Correspondence team, which is responsible for processing, distributing and responding to the Archbishop’s email and letters.

You will be a confident, approachable and diplomatic person who enjoys working as a team, paying attention to detail and using your communication skills to ensure that all correspondents feel that they have been responded to in a timely and helpful way.

This post will be based on site at Lambeth Palace due to the nature of the role. Flexible working hours, within core hours, may be considered. It may also be possible to work remotely on one day a week, subject to review and the operational constraints of the team.

This post is offered as a fixed term contract expected to last for 12 months.

To arrange an informal conversation about the role please contact jessica.mcclellan@lambethpalace.org.uk

Interviews will take place on the 13th April 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 would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minority Ethnic Backgrounds and disabled people.

We also invite interest from those with excellent experience in a number of areas that may not meet every criteria.

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

• Processing the Archbishop’s correspondence (up to 1000 letters and emails per month): receiving, opening, and logging letters and emails on a database.
• Scanning and distributing the post to the appropriate person for reply.
• Under guidance, using standard texts to respond to selected correspondence.
• Assisting with the compilation of statistics and reporting on volume and trends within correspondence.
• Assisting the Executive Correspondence Officer with large volume, mail merge and standard replies, and generally facilitating smooth efficient and timely handling of email and letter correspondence from the public.
• Assisting with franking and post handling ensuring outgoing mail is ready for daily collections.
• Maintaining quality and consistency of data and records in the databases.
• Answering the telephone and taking messages.
• Assisting colleagues with ad hoc practical preparations for small events and meetings.
• Liaising with the Facilities Team on stationery needs within the Correspondence Team.
• Assisting the Executive Correspondence Officer with the annual Christmas card project.
• General administrative duties in support of the Executive Correspondence Officer and at times other Lambeth Palace staff to contribute to bigger events or projects.

The Requirements

Essential

Skills/Aptitudes/Knowledge/Experience:

• Professional manner both on the phone and in person.
• High attention to detail including a high standard of accuracy when processing data.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to extract key information from text.
• Attention to detail and a methodical approach to both routine and more complex tasks, including a willingness to follow procedures precisely.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an understanding of how to relate appropriately to a variety of stakeholders from VIPs and senior managers to colleagues and the general public.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Word, Access, Outlook, Excel and web-based software.
• Ability to work calmly under pressure and to meet competing deadlines.
• Smartly presented.
• Confident communicator with professional working style.
• Comfortable representing a large and significant organisation as the first point of contact.
• A knowledge of and interest in the work of the Archbishop’s ministry and the Church of England generally.

Desirable

• Educated to at least A-Level standard or equivalent.
• Experience of working in an office environment.

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.