The Diocesan ‘Vision 2026: Healthy Churches Transforming Communities’ highlights four priorities – Making Disciples of Jesus Christ, Being Witnesses to Jesus Christ, Growing Leaders for Jesus Christ and Inspiring Children and Young People. Work in each of these areas is led by one of the bishops or archdeacons. Whalley Abbey in its new role as a Centre for Prayer and Discipleship falls within the ‘Making Disciples’ team, which is led by the Archdeacon of Blackburn.
Whalley Abbey has been a Retreat and Conference Centre for the diocese since the diocese was founded in 1926. The house is set in the ruins of a 14th Century Cistercian Abbey on the banks of the River Calder in the beautiful countryside of the Ribble Valley, but with easy access to road and rail networks.
Main Responsibilities
Operational Activities
Management of staff
The Director is responsible for the care of all staff and arrangement of rosters within individual constraints. Delivery of the staffing strategy is delegated to the Assistant Director. The Director will be willing to help the Assistant Director cover other roles when needed in emergency.
The Director is responsible for ensuring adequate staffing levels are in place and that all recruitment is carried out according to legal and DBF policy.
The Director is responsible for making sure all staff are fully trained in all legal aspects, processes and practices eg Food Safety, dangerous machinery, customer care.
The Director will oversee management of staff in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Diocese of Blackburn including appraisals, whilst maintaining good working relations amongst the Abbey staff.
Personal Qualities
Knowledge and Experience
Qualifications
Skills and Abilities
Circumstances
For more information on the job description and person specification, please see the attached documents.
The Diocese of Blackburn represents the Church of England in most of Lancashire and part of Wigan Metropolitan Borough, covering an area of 878 square miles with a population of 1.3 million. The Diocese is made up of two archdeaconries, Blackburn and Lancaster, with a total of fourteen deaneries. There are 275 licensed churches, comprising around 237 parishes, with around 254 licensed clergy (of whom 146 FTE are stipendiary incumbents, plus approx. 25 stipendiary curates) and 158 licensed Readers.
This role requires an enhanced DBS check.
Accountability: The Director is licensed by the Bishop of Blackburn and is responsible to the Diocesan Secretary, as line manager.
The Whalley Abbey Governance Committee, chaired by the Archdeacon of Blackburn, provides support, oversight and strategic direction, within terms of reference agreed by the DBF. This may be replaced in the future by a charitable trust owned by the DBF.
Responsible for: Paid staff, volunteers and the resident community
Salary: £35,391 per annum
Pension: Membership of the DBF, Royal London Pension Scheme 10% employer contribution and 2% employee contribution. Salary sacrifice is available if membership of the Clergy Pension Scheme is preferred.
Hours of Work: 40 hours per week, with one complete 2.5 day off every month, and holiday entitlement.
Status: The post-holder will be an Anglican Priest, eligible to hold a Bishop’s License. The Abbey is committed to generous hospitality and to mutual flourishing within the Five Guiding Principles. This means that priests of both integrities are encouraged to apply and both male and female priests will be welcome to preside at any altar within the Abbey.
Review: The post-holder will be required to participate in the Diocese of Blackburn’s ministerial development review scheme and an annual appraisal carried out by the line manager, currently the Archdeacon of Blackburn.
Accommodation: The successful applicant will be provided with attractive accommodation within the grounds of Whalley Abbey.
Holiday Entitlement: Entitlement to 25 days (not including statutory bank holidays) in the first year rising by 1 day per completed calendar year up to a maximum of 30 days per year. The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.
Probation: This post will be subject to a six-month probationary period.
For an informal conversation about the position, please ring Mark Ireland, Archdeacon of Blackburn, on 07866 778791 or email mark.ireland@blackburn.anglican.org