Closing date: Friday 6th October, 12:00pm.

Interview date: Monday 23rd October 2023

The Director of Ministry (DoM) will be the key officer responsible for the delivery of the Growing Leaders strand of Vision 2026. To do this, the DoM will oversee the discernment, formation and ongoing support of the leadership the Diocese. In addition, in collaboration with the senior team, they will play an important role in discerning strategy around leadership growth, designing programmes, and enabling a step change in Christian leadership development. We will need to be relentless in prioritising leaders with a passion for being carriers of God’s love to the people of Lancashire, while also increasing the numbers and broadening the diversity of vocations to reflect the communities we serve.

This appointment comes at a time of fresh opportunity. Our application for national strategic funding (Strategic Mission & Ministry Investment) places particular emphasis on developing a transformed leadership pipeline, a major investment in youth and children’s ministries, a Young Leaders’ Academy (13-18s) and Pioneer priests in forgotten communities. We expect the DoM to play an important strategic role all these developments.

To be the key officer responsible for the delivery of the Growing Leaders strand of Vision 2026, enabling leadership to flourish across the whole Diocese.

• In collaboration with colleagues to develop the support available to nurture all forms of leadership across the Diocese and in other Vision strands (e.g. planting & chaplaincies) especially in light of the January 2024 SMMIB funding application.
• Ensuring an increased and continuous flow of lay and ordained leaders who reflect the communities of Lancashire
  • Via the Diocesan Director of Vocations (DDV)
    • Foster a culture of vocational exploration in all traditions throughout the diocese, ensuring underrepresented groups are given support to explore and pursue God’s call on their lives.
    • Ensure all candidates move through local and national discernment processes in a purposeful and timely way.
    • Retain diocesan pastoral responsibility for all those in training for licensed lay and ordained ministry.
    • Oversee 36 volunteers in the vocations discernment and development teams, including 6 active ADDOs
  • Via the Lay Training Officer
    • Ensure the continued fruitfulness of the Authorised Lay Ministry (ALM) programme and broader initiatives in lay ministry
    • Delivery of the ALM and LLM CME programme.
    • Oversight of 50 volunteer tutors.
  • Via the M:Power Project leader
    • Provide oversight and support to the M:Power project which is an innovative diocesan-wide training programme for urban leaders.
  • Via the Warden of Lay Ministry
    • Oversee the five Assistant Wardens of Lay Ministry together with all ALMs and LLMs (currently there are 156 ALMs and 112 LLMs).
    • The annual commissioning of new ALMs and triannual relicensing of all LLMs.
  • Via the two Start of Ministry Officers
    • Provide ongoing formational support for curates and those in the first two years of their first incumbency.
• Ensure that safeguarding is promoted and complied with at all times.
• Work well relationally with Diocesan colleagues (see on), colleagues in neighbouring dioceses, Emmanuel Theological College and relevant national Ministry Development Team members.

The DoM will also be a member of the Vision and Strategy team and will be expected to contribute to the wider strategic leadership of the diocese.

Genuine Occupational Requirement

• There is an occupational requirement for the post-holder to be a practising Christian, and a member of the Anglican Church, in accordance with Schedule 9 to the Equality Act 2010.

Enhanced DBS

• This post will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check.

Qualifications

• Essential
  • An ordained Anglican priest or permanent Deacon
  • Completion of a pre and post ordination theological training programme within a Church of England context.
  • Evidence of continuing professional and self-development.
• Desirable
  • A degree or equivalent in theology and ministry.

Experience

• Essential
  • A Priest or permanent Deacon of good standing who takes genuine delight in their own call to service and lives it out in a way that can be a role model to others.
  • At least five years of experience in ordained parish ministry and a strong track record of fruitful leadership
  • Demonstrable experience of nurturing vocations, lay & ordained
  • Developed experience in teaching, mentoring and formation
• Desirable
  • Experience of senior leadership within the church or in another sector.

Knowledge and Skills

• Essential
  • Management skills, both to enable direct reports to flourish as well as enabling flourishing through structures and networks
  • Ability to network, collaborate and readily build relationships with a diverse range of people and organisations.
  • Ability to organise and publicise events and programmes.
  • Well developed analytical, strategic and communications gifts
  • A problem solver with the ability to identify solutions to problems when they arise.
  • Good administration
  • A good working knowledge of IT.
  • Ability to work independently in handling a large and diverse workload and in keeping to deadlines.
  • Robust ability to grasp nettles and offer pastoral firmness
  • Capacity to step into a significant leadership role within the Diocese
• Desirable
  • An understanding of the processes of discerning vocations in the Church of England.
  • Experience of working at a diocesan level either as a volunteer or employee.

Personal

• Essential
  • A person who is loyal to the inheritance of faith revealed in the Scriptures, who is excited by the Gospel and articulate in communicating the saving news of God in Jesus Christ.
  • Someone who takes real delight in the breadth of the Church of England with a genuine appreciation of the Five Guiding Principles and the willingness to work in diverse cultural and theological contexts.
  • A person of prayer who is serious and disciplined about their own formation in Christ.
  • Relational intelligence and prophetic discernment to notice gifts and draw the best out of others.
  • A team player, able to be an active member of the senior staff team, contributing to the common good, not only their own project
  • Collaborative instincts and humility to be supportive to senior colleagues in the Diocese
  • An enthusiast who can inspire others.
  • A heart for Christian service which is embedded in a local parish
  • Promoting and modelling healthy well-being

Other

• Essential
  • Flexibility to work some evenings and weekends.
  • Willing to travel both within the Diocese and beyond.
  • Full Driving licence and use of car for work purpose.

The Diocese of Blackburn serves almost the whole of the county of Lancashire with a population of 1.6 million. The Diocese covers an area of extraordinary variety, from the stunning countryside of the Trough of Bowland to the former mill towns of East Lancashire, from the University cities of Preston and Lancaster to the seaside towns of Blackpool and Morecambe, from elegant villages to Presence and Engagement Parishes. It is divided into 14 Deaneries and two Archdeaconries (Blackburn and Lancaster). We have parishes of all traditions and are strongly committed to the principle of mutual flourishing.

Outline of Terms and Conditions

Interview date: Monday 23rd October 2023

Employer: You will be employed by the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Finance

Salary: £56 753

Hours: This is a full-time role based on a 35-hour working week, but the post holder may be required to work additional hours as to meet the reasonable requirements of the role. The post holder will be entitled to time off in lieu for attending meetings outside normal office hours which may include evenings and weekends.

Location: The post holder will be based at the Blackburn Diocese Board of Finance, Clayton House, Walker Office Park, Blackburn, BB1 2QE. The nature of the role requires regular travel around the diocese, and sometimes beyond. A smartphone and laptop can be provided to assist remote working.

Pension: The default for staff is a Royal London Pension Scheme, 10% Employer contribution 2% minimum employee contribution. Clergy can opt into the Church of England Clergy Pension Scheme via a salary sacrifice. Details of this are available on request.

Annual leave: The full-time entitlement is 25 days (not including statutory bank holidays) in the first year of employment rising by 1 day per completed calendar year up to a maximum of 30 days per year. This is pro rata for part time employees. The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.

Additional discretionary days (non contractual) may be given between Christmas and New Year.

Probationary period: The appointment is subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

Notice Period: During the six-month probationary period two weeks’ notice is required on either party. Thereafter you will be required to give six months’ notice should you wish to resign.

Expenses: Working expenses are paid at the diocesan rates.

Right to work: The post-holder must have the right to reside and work in the UK.

Diversity - The Board of Finance believes that diversity enables us to thrive and develop and is committed to race equality, welcoming applications from UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds

Blackburn diocese is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment