This is an important and senior role within the Diocese, focused on developing and delivering the strategic objectives of the Board of Mission and Ministry

We are looking for someone with experience of parish ministry, but who also has experience of training and leadership which will allow them to play a key role in the delivery of our vision for Mission and Ministry in the future.

Do you have a heart for God’s mission and the Church’s ministers? Are you passionate about enabling our churches to flourish? If so, this is the role for you.

Please see further details on our website - stalbansdiocese . org

Purposeful mission and ministry is essential to our vision for flourishing churches that make disciples of Christ. Alongside the Director, the Deputy Director of Mission and Ministry is a key and substantial diocesan role focused on developing and delivering the strategic objectives of the Board of Mission and Ministry. The role plays a pivotal part in integrating our work in both mission and ministry development, and more specifically oversees the management and strategy of discernment, development and training of missional leadership and ministry. The role contributes to the delivery of our Diocesan Living God’s Love Vision, of Going Deeper into God, Transforming Communities and Making New Disciples.

The Deputy will support the Director and Mission and Ministry Core Leadership Team in embedding our department purpose, vision and values in all our work and oversee the following work towards the strategic objectives:

• More activities that seek to grow discipleship enabling us to join in with God’s action in the world through effective Mission Action Plans, and leadership development that enables the making of disciples of Christ in every context.
• Parishes equipped with appropriate ministerial capacity through the development and implementation of a Ministry Development Strategy to resource parishes with lay and ordained leadership for mission and growth.
• The enhanced wellbeing of our Ministers through delivering the wellbeing survey, attending the Diocesan Wellbeing Group, overseeing Mission and Ministry Development Reviews, Extended Study Leave, Initial Ministry Education Phase 2 and Continuing Ministerial Development.
• Churches growing younger and more diverse by supporting colleagues in the development of a pathway of vocations and lay and ordained leadership that is fully integrated with the Growing Younger and More Diverse Diocesan Programme.
• Parishes that are financially sustainable by supporting diocesan and senior colleagues in the delivery of training and roundtables, addressing key financial issues and promoting generous giving.
• More new worshipping communities by resourcing leaders to grow a mutually life-giving mixed ecology of flourishing new forms of church alongside thriving age-old forms of church.
• Parishes operating safely and with good governance through supporting and influencing training of parish office-holders, provided by the Archdeacons and helping build a safe church culture in and through all training, events and programmes.
• Net Zero Carbon by 2030 by representing the Mission and Ministry Department at the Diocesan Environment Group and leading on the embedding of Net Zero Carbon actions within M&M activity.

Resource ministry that enables flourishing Christ-centred churches through missional leadership, cultural change, creativity and good practice, through the following specific responsibilities:

• Develop and implement the Ministry Strategy for the Diocese which assesses the needs for and delivery of ministerial deployment and training.
• Oversee annual training events and conferences to support our objectives.
• Work alongside the Diocesan Director of Vocations and DDO and Vocations Team Administrator to grow vocations (especially among those who are younger, of Global Majority Heritage, or from underrepresented groups), placing curates, planning and delivering vocations events and the annual ordination retreat. in the planning and implementation of discernment processes.
• Support the IME2 Officer in the training of Training Incumbents, developing the programme for curates and readers to meet the needs of today’s church and contributing to the IME2 programme.
• Oversee the Extended Study Leave programme and the training and grant making programme for clergy and Readers.
• Oversee Mission and Ministry Development Reviews for Stipendiary and SSM Clergy, and the training of MMDR consultants.
• Oversee the Transforming Conversations (coaching) and Advanced Coaching Training Programme for clergy and lay leaders.
• Deliver First Incumbency Training along with regional colleagues.
• Lead the New to Diocese events.
• Oversee the planning and delivery of Bishops’ Conferences.
• Support the Director in the planning and leading of the annual Rural / Area Deans and Deanery Lay Chairs Conference.
• Provide follow-up conversations to Mission and Ministry Development Reviews with stipendiary and SSM clergy to explore training and wellbeing needs.
• Arrange ministry consultancy and coaching for clergy as required.
• Support the Growing Vocations and Lay Ministry colleagues in growing vocations to lay and ordained ministry, developing and contributing to the Diocese’s training for clergy and Reader ministry.
• Oversee the following volunteer Diocesan roles - SSM Officers and Retired Clergy Officers
• Deputise for the Director of Mission and Ministry as required.
• Support the Director in reporting progress to the Board for Mission and Ministry, Diocesan Synod and Bishop’s Council.
• Manage the Ministry Development budget (this does not include the vocations and ordination training budgets) and support the Director in managing the Mission and Ministry Department budget.

Line manage the following Mission and Ministry staff:

• Diocesan Director of Vocations and DDO
• Flourishing Churches Team Leader
• IME 2 Officer
• Growing Vocations and Lay Ministry Officers (x2)
• Ministry Development Administrator
• Mission and Ministry Development Review / IME2 Administrator

• Ordained in the Church of England with degree level Theology (or higher) and experience of parish ministry.
• A heart for God’s mission and seeing the church grow and flourish.
• A heart for the Church’s ministers and their wellbeing and training.
• An understanding of the current missional context, and the missional and innovative leadership and training required to enable the church to flourish through lay and ordained leadership.
• Ability to enable leadership to cultivate the mixed ecology of the church and the mutual flourishing of new and age-old forms of church, together with pioneering and traditional forms of ministry.
• Experience of mission action planning, enabling teams and churches to identify locally appropriate vision, priorities and goals that lead to growth.
• Clear strategic and imaginative thinker with theological insight and practical application.
• The ability to lead vision, change and experimentation.
• Experience of enabling others to discern a calling to lay or ordained ministry.
• Knowledge of the structures of the Church of England relating to lay and ordained ministry and familiarity with the Church of England’s Vision.
• A gifted facilitator, trainer and collaborator and a strong communicator both personally and in written work.
• Ability to work with all theological traditions for the mutual flourishing of all.
• The ability to manage a diverse and changing workload, prioritise tasks and deliver work on time and on budget.
• The ability to relate well to and collaborate with a wide range of people.
• A good listener to team members and church leaders.
• A good networker with regional dioceses and nationally.
• Good emotional intelligence.
• Commitment to the lifelong learning and formation of all God’s people for the whole mission of God.

The Diocese of St Albans consists of the counties of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and part of the London Borough of Barnet. The population is approximately 1.8 million, and the total electoral roll number is approximately 32,000. The Bishop of St Albans has overall responsibility for the Diocese. He is assisted by two suffragan bishops, the Bishop of Bedford and the Bishop of Hertford, who in turn are assisted by the Archdeacons of St Albans, Bedford and Hertford. There are twenty deaneries, and the Diocese has 340 parishes, of which about one third are rural, 210 benefices, 380 churches, 257 stipendiary clergy, 44 non-stipendiary clergy, 185 clergy with Permission to Officiate and 300 Lay Readers. There are 137 Church Schools and Academies in the Diocese.

The Diocese of St Albans has a clear vision of Living God’s Love with three priorities: Going Deeper into God; Transforming Communities and Making New Disciples, and doing so with: creativity, joy imagination and courage. The vision flows from God’s love for us and is expressed in our love for God and our neighbours. Through Living God’s Love we are seeking spiritual and numerical growth across our parishes, benefices, schools and chaplaincies.

The statutory work of the Church and support to the parishes is provided by the staff of the Diocesan office, located in Holywell Lodge in St Albans. There is a strong Christian ethos within the office, but there is no expectation that all staff will necessarily be practising Christians.