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 Cathedral and Church Buildings Division (CCB) supports the conservation and development of the Church of England’s cathedrals and church buildings and their contents for worship, mission and community engagement. The division provides support for three statutory bodies (the Church Buildings Council, the Statutory Advisory Committee and the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England), and works closely with other divisions within the NCIs.

The Buildings for Mission project is an £11m initiative funded by the Church Commissioners for the years 2023-25, It will provide expert advice, support and financial assistance to parishes and dioceses to help put church buildings in better condition, thereby better able to remain open and sustainable. This will help foster robust and flourishing congregations and release resources, energy and potential for mission and outreach. A significant element of the project is to extend the existing network of diocesan Church Buildings Support Officers (CBSOs) by at least twenty FTEs with a view to providing broadly national coverage across England, augmented by specialised officers in relevant partner bodies.

The CBSOs will help administer a £6m fund for minor repair and improvement grants, targeted at areas of need and prioritising urgent and necessary fabric repairs and ‘stitch in time’ projects which can save money in the long term.

The Cathedral and Church Buildings(CCB) team are in search of an Officer who will as necessary mentor, co-ordinate, support, and distil the experience and knowledge of diocesan or other Church Buildings Support Officers employed within the Buildings for Mission project to deliver the required outcomes, liaising with other CCB staff.

As National Church Buildings Training and Support Officer, you will be responsible for training initiatives and the production and updating of CCB guidance and will support the policy priorities of the Division.

You will co-ordinate and produce training resources, deliver a training programme, gather and consolidate best practice to create new guidance and refresh and update existing guidance, provide a forum for mutual learning for CBSOs and provide ongoing support and mentoring for them.

This is a fixed-term post until 31 December 2025.

Your normal place of work is Church House, Westminster, but a hybrid working arrangement can be negotiated. In addition, you will be required to travel regularly (by public transport or by car) to church buildings and conference venues around the country, with some overnight stays as necessary – appropriate travel and accommodation expenses will be paid.

To arrange an informal conversation, please contact joseph.elders@churchofengland.org

Interviews will be held on the 15 June 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. 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 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

Policy, training and capacity building work

• Supporting the Church Buildings Support Officers network, including the organisation and running of regular meetings.
• Mentoring and advising the CBSOs, signposting published guidance and other resources and helping achieve consistency in terms of policy and practice across the activities funded under the project.
• Working with the Buildings for Mission Grants Manager to analyse the impact of the CBSOs, grants and their distribution.
• Providing church sustainability advice through enhancing existing guidance and creating new material, where appropriate learning from the experience of the CBSOs.
• Running training events including a webinar programme.

Advisory function

• Working with a wide range of other bodies such as Historic England, the Churches Conservation Trust, the National Churches Trust, and national environment networks, to develop shared approaches and resources/materials to a wide range of policy issues.
• Take responsibility for the review and enhancement of the ChurchCare guidance in the area of Open and Sustainable Churches.
• Giving talks and training on areas of competence, and attending and reporting back from conferences of relevant organisations.

Other

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the Cathedral and Church Buildings Division.
• Support its training, communications and fundraising initiatives.
• Any other business the Director may determine.

The Requirements

Essential

Skills/Aptitudes

• An ability to think clearly about administrative procedures and how to implement them in a straightforward way, without losing sight of the values which the procedures are there to serve.
• A self-starter, able to manage a workload and manage time effectively, without routine direct supervision.
• An ability to write and speak English and present ideas clearly.
• An excellent working knowledge of the use of information technology in the office environment.

Knowledge/Experience

• Proven experience in supporting parish churches or comparable volunteer/community/charitable groups in a similar role.
• Experience of planning events and/or carrying out training.
• Sympathetic understanding of the use of church buildings as centres of Christian worship and mission.
• Knowledge/experience of the broad fields of conservation or heritage management in England including planning legislation and the operation of the systems.
• Knowledge and interest in extended use of church buildings.

Education

• A degree in a relevant subject, or a high level of relevant professional experience.

Personal Attributes

• A constructive member of a wider team, able to communicate and work creatively with colleagues.
• Flexibility and adaptability in the dace of changing requirements.
• Committed to the benefits of working inclusively and constructively with individuals and communities.

Desirable

Education

• Qualifications in environmental sustainability, conservation or heritage management.

Knowledge/ experience

• Knowledge/experience of the problems experienced by the Church of England in maintaining its historic buildings in the face of Climate Change and other often difficult circumstances.
• Previous experience in an organisation concerned with the environment, conservation of historic buildings, and their planned development.
• Experience of devising and delivering training.

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.