The Diocese of Exeter is the Church of England in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay. We have an extraordinary reach across Devon, with 600 churches and 130 schools across every town and village. We also have a portfolio of 330 clergy houses and pockets of glebe land across Devon. More than 20,000 people would call themselves part of our rich and diverse community.

We’ve set a target to work towards Net Zero by 2030, and we’re looking for someone with a passion for helping communities take action on climate change to join our team.

Are you someone who can inspire and encourage, support and enable? Are you someone who can empathise and understand the challenges that others face, but can come alongside church and church school communities to help them find solutions?

Main duties

• You’ll be working closely with our Net Zero Carbon Officer and our Mission Enabler to support churches to work towards A Rocha’s Eco Church awards.
• Enabling churches and church schools to participate in projects and innovative fundraising trials which will lead to real carbon reductions by installing low carbon heating, PV, LEDs and many other decarbonisation measures.
• Providing theological perspectives on creation care; including net zero, climate justice, and biodiversity, and the opportunity for Christian leadership in this area.
• Managing our Volunteer Biodiversity Advisor who runs the Living Churchyards programme.

Part of something bigger

The Church of England has adopted an ambitious target to achieve Net Zero by 2030 and we have aligned with the national Routemap to Net Zero Carbon 2030.

We’ve signed the Devon Climate Declaration and are aiming to reduce our own Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions by 90% by 2030.

We’re partnering with the Diocese of Truro and will be working closely with them on our net zero journey.

You’ll also be part of the national network of Diocesan Environment Officers with many opportunities for peer learning and support.

Working environment

We offer flexible hybrid working to enable staff to travel by public transport, work from home and make the most of the beautiful county in which we’re based. Our head office is in the Grade II listed, Old Deanery, opposite Exeter Cathedral and is a wonderful welcoming place to work, with a beautiful garden for meetings or coffee breaks. In addition to this we offer an excellent package of employee benefits.

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Educated to at least A-level with further qualification in relevant fields or relevant experience

Desirable

• Degree or equivalent

Experience

Essential

• Knowledgeable and passionate about environmental issues / climate change.
• Excellent communicator, with experience speaking to large and small groups and variety of audiences.
• Experience using social media effectively.
• Experience and enjoyment of working successfully in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Confident and competent in leading initiatives and groups.
• Able to prioritise work around long term aims.
• Able to confidently work with a wide range of stakeholders.

Desirable

• Experience within a church or school community - understanding of the issues they face
• Experience managing staff or volunteers

Technical

Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication, especially being able to communicate challenging information to a range of audiences, both technical and non-technical.
• Ability to use contacts database and keep up to date and accurate records
• Be task focused and strategic
• Excellent attention to and understanding of detail

General Requirements

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with a wide variety of individuals.
• Ability to manage workload and priorities.
• Sensitive to the different cultures, traditions and activities within the Church and maintain a consistent approach to clergy and non-clergy matters.
• Understand how the belief systems which shape the life of the Church may affect safeguarding work in Church of England.
• Welcome visitors and receive incoming enquires and telephone calls, dialing promptly and courteously with enquires,
• Ensure all health and safety instructions are followed and that care is taken to ensure safety for self and colleagues, reporting concerns immediately.
• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practices within the Church of England’s legal context.

Personal Requirements

Essential

• Committed to and confident in the aims and ethos of the Diocese of Exeter and of the mission and ministry of the Church of England.
• Self-motivated and able to work under own initiative
• Collaborative and positive
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Excellent time-management and organisational skills

Desirable

• Practising communicant member of the Church of England or of a church belonging to a member body of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland or Churches Together in England.
• An understanding of other Christian denominations and non-Christian faiths.
• A full driving licence for possible work-related travel across Devon. Co-cars are available.
  

The Diocese of Exeter is part of the Church of England and covers the whole of Devon. We are a family of Christians living out our faith across the county, worshipping God in a variety of different ways and doing our best to serve the communities we live in. There are over 600 churches in the diocese, many of them rural.

Our vision is to grow in prayer, make new disciples and serve the people of Devon with joy. We are led by the Bishop of Exeter, aided by the Bishop of Plymouth and Bishop of Crediton. We are governed by the Diocesan Synod, which is made up of representatives from all over the Diocese.

Our central office is the Old Deanery next to Exeter Cathedral. There are staff who cover mission and ministry, schools, communications, safeguarding, property, finance, community relations and more.