From The Right Reverend Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Southwark

The Deanery of Southwark is within my gift as Patron and I wish to appoint a priest with singular gifts, someone who is highly relational, rooted by a deep and sustaining life of personal prayer, and able to balance the demands of a role which is both the Rector of a vibrant and South Bank parish church and the Dean of the Mother Church of this Diocese. The next Dean of Southwark will be sensitive to the charism of the Cathedral and its distinctive vision of embracing the God-given diversity of this Diocese with thanksgiving, and also committed to our Diocesan priority of speaking well of each other. Archbishop Josiah Fearon, the former Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, describes Southwark as a microcosm of the Anglican Communion and this rich breadth is the context in which the Dean is an ambassador for the Cathedral, and should be willing to accept preaching invitations across the Diocese.

The story of Southwark Cathedral is one which spans over 1400 years and has seen the original Augustinian Priory grow and transform into a vibrant inner city parish church Cathedral It is the oldest Cathedral building in London and stands at the historic crossing point of the tidal Thames Throughout its history it has served not only as a place of worship, but also as a place of welcome and inclusion, regardless of circumstance.

The Cathedral, under the leadership of the Dean, supports the priorities of the Diocese to release gifts, renew vocations and deepen people’s life of faith The Cathedral shares the aim of doing so by effective stewardship of our resources, by collaborative team working, by respect for all and transparent accountability.

These will include to:

• Bring a naturally relational, emotionally intelligent, priestly leadership that is Christ-centred, visible and unifying. Give priority to growing a community of prayer, developing the daily rhythm of public worship including our online presence.
• Lead the Cathedral in considering and clarifying its values in order to articulate and deliver a strategic plan for its mission and ministry including the growth of a Cathedral community that is younger and more diverse.
• Expand and diversify the existing platform of relationships and partnerships including ecumenical and interfaith, to turn the Cathedral into a missional force for good and a voice to be heard on the South Bank, in the Diocese and across the nation.
• Ensure that the Cathedral’s work and mission is fully integrated into all aspects of Diocesan life, supporting the Bishop’s teaching ministry and working in partnership to proclaim the Gospel within a mixed ecology of church.
• Address the financial situation and cherish the rich musical heritage and fabric of the Cathedral, with careful and constant stewardship, particularly in relation to the Church’s commitment to sustainability.

• An experienced priest with demonstrable pastoral and leadership skills, who will have led in complex and large scale contexts – Cathedral experience desirable. A calm, courageous, resilient leader who is emotionally intelligent, collaborative and innovative.
• Energised by the inclusive, progressive Catholic tradition of the Cathedral with evidence of a passion for diversity in all its forms. Able to speak prophetically and effect change in a theologically grounded and compassionate way.
• Able to demonstrate an entrepreneurial openness which enables an appreciation of the missional opportunities of connecting with the people who enter the Cathedral.
• A gifted preacher and teacher in mission who is committed to prayer, to inspiring people as confident missionary disciples and to growing the church to be younger and more diverse.
• Skilled in developing partnerships, someone at ease in the public square and passionate about social justice, who understands and maximises the Cathedral’s convening power, who loves community engagement, ecumenical and interfaith working and is able to move seamlessly between intersecting worlds and relationships.
• Committed to good governance and its effective implementation with financial and commercial awareness. Experience of leading, developing, motivating and empowering staff teams. Someone who is strategic, resilient and looks to the long-term with the ability to instil and inspire a strong sense of momentum and purpose.

The Diocese of Southwark founded in 1905 forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England and is part of the wider Church of England, in turn part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The Diocese covers primarily the area of Greater London which is south of the Thames, together with the eastern part of the county of Surrey It is one of the largest dioceses in terms of population and parishes as well as one of the most diverse.

The Cathedral is a community of prayer at the heart and edge of our Diocese At the heart because it is the seat of the Bishop and the Mother Church for the parishes of the Diocese The Cathedral is also right on the northernmost edge of the Diocese.