The Diocese of London (LDF) is seeking a Children and Families Ministry Advisor to play a key role within the Children and Youth Team team, based from Diocesan House Causton Street.

The LDF is the employment body that serves and supports the Diocese of London and Church of England.The Diocesan of London comprises of c400 parishes north of the River Thames and within the M25 motorway. The Church of England in London is vibrant, growing and is at the heart of communities throughout the city and the purpose of the LDF is to support this work, seeking to use our resources to facilitate the ministry of our parishes and chaplains who seek to serve four million people.

The diocese has just launched a new 2030 vision, which outlines our priorities for the next 10 years. For an outline, please see our website: london.anglican.org/our-2030-vision.

EDI

The Diocese of London is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workforce which represents our context and wider community.

We are aware that those of Global Majority Heritage/United Kingdom Minority Ethnic (GMH/UKME), women, and disabled people are currently under-represented among our clergy and workforce, and we particularly encourage applications from those with the relevant skills and experience that will increase this representation.

Benefits

The LDF offers a supportive working environment, opportunity for career development and the following financial benefits:

• Competitive remuneration package
• 27 annual leave days to rise to 30 after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays
• 15% employer pension contribution
• Death in service benefit 3x of basic, gross salary
• Season ticket loans of public transport
• Access to Benenden Health Insurance
• EAP counselling through Health Assured
• Up to £100 for eye test and contribution to spectacles
• Two additional paid days for community volunteering

The Children’s and Youth department exists to do everything we can to support parishes in developing their ministry among children and young people. What we do ranges from simple one-on-one consultations to large projects such as Captial Youth and the Learning Hub, but the focus is the same.

The post holder will contribute to the Christian mission of the Diocese of London by delivering training in the Church’s ministry among children and families. They will provide advice and consultancy reflecting best practice for parishes, support paid children’s workers in our parishes and work with the wider Children and Youth team to deliver the objectives of the 2030 Vision. The role is 35 hours per week in total.

There is an occupational requirement that the job-holder is a Christian under the Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the Equality Act 2010.

A) Training and Resourcing Children’s and Families Ministry in the Diocese of London:

1. Within the children and youth team, lead on the support of children’s and families ministry.
2. Arrange to meet one-to-one with children and families workers and establish regular simple contact.
3. Work with the rest of the team to arrange regular training and networking opportunities for children and families ministers.
4. Be part of planning, writing, and presenting content for the learning hub.
5. Support and encourage the Stepney area in its work with children, young people, and families, including joining the area leadership team.

B) Within the diocesan Growing Faith strategy, lead on the home-church axis

1. Take a lead on developing and delivery of a strategy to help churches invest in their connection to the home, in line with Growing Faith objectives.

C) Supporting the Development of new worshiping communities for children and young people (including Messy Church) in the Diocese inline with Diocesan objectives to plant new worship communities.

1. Support parishes seeking to launch new worshiping communities for children and young people; including arranging training when appropriate.

D) Communicating information

1. Regularly contribute to the Diocese of London Children and Youth Ministry Communications. With support available from the Children’s and Youth Ministry Communications Manager.
2. The maintenance of a personal level of awareness of national developments and trends in the nurture of children’s faith and discipleship. This will mean attending some conferences and absorbing material relevant to the role.

E) Events

1. Take a lead from the Diocesan side in the delivery of Messy Cathedral.
2. Be apart of arranging and leading relevant children and youth Diocese events.

F) Other roles and responsibilities

1. Create new relationships with other areas of the Diocese that would benefit from children’s ministry input or support e.g. Church Planting.

G) Participate in the leadership of the LDF and Diocese, through:

1. Contributing to the overall strategy for the Diocese and the LDF.
2. Exemplary living out of the values (service, teamwork, individuals thriving) and spirit of the organisation.
3. Doing everything possible to ensure the success of colleagues across the LDF and Diocese.
4. Supporting the General Secretary in his/her leadership role

​Essentials:

• A satisfactory Enhanced DBS check (to be carried out by the Diocese at offer stage).
• Degree level qualification in Children and families ministry or relevant experience.
• Significant experience working within Christian children families ministry.
• Proven knowledge of Christian children and families ministry.
• Experience leading training for adults in children and families ministry and related topics.
• Experience writing and developing training resources for adults.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to relate to different groups of people appropriately.
• Excellent communicator with good I.T. skills.
• Self-starter.
• Good interpersonal and social skills.
• Ability to work flexibly over a wide range of tasks
• Ability to work enthusiastically in support of the aims and ethos of the Church of England
• Willingness to work in line with the Diocese of London Safeguarding policy

Desirables:

• Flexibility on occasional weekend and evening availability.
• Experience networking within the Church of England and other relevant para-church organisations and charities.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and to anticipate what needs to be done.
• Ability to work in a diverse contexts.
• Ability to work with others but also independently when required

The LDF exists to support the mission of the Church of England in London. The principal activity of the London Diocesan Fund is to operationally and practically serve and support the parishes and people within the Diocese of London, enabling the vision that every Londoner will encounter the love of God in Jesus Christ.