Priest in Charge (Rector Designate) - Orchard Welle Benefice in Ely

Priest-in-Charge of Upwell, Outwell & Fen Orchards (0.6 FTE), Rector Designate of Orchard Welle Benefice, Cambridgeshire. This is a half stipend post (meaning Sundays plus 3 days, 0.6 FTE), held on common tenure terms, working within your benefice of Orchard-Welle (comprising 5 former parishes: Upwell, Outwell, Elm, Emneth and Friday Bridge). We will work with you to ensure that the role stays within those time boundaries, so you can have space to flourish within and outside work.

The main aim of the role is to help bring to birth the church of the future from the prayers and buildings of the past. You will collaborate with ordained and lay colleagues and members of local communities to dream and then build a vibrant expression of church in each place, holding in mind the Church of England vision of 10,000 new worshipping communities and a church that is younger and more diverse.

Required traits

• Prayerful and articulate – there is significant desire to communicate the Gospel
• Focussed and resilient – there is a significant but sustainable workload
• Faithful and gracious – you will be leading change which matters
• Wise and resourceful – there will be opportunities and challenges.

You will be realistic about what can be achieved and resolute in working in the direction that our situation and the Spirit of God demand. You will work with clergy, churchwardens and PCCs, alongside the experienced Rural Dean and Lay Chair.

In summary, the right person for this role will be a Christ-centred disciple, ever mindful of her/his daily dependence on the inner energising power of God's Holy Spirit: with effective personal organising and time management skills, thereby able wisely to fulfil this demanding but potentially richly rewarding role as the Priest-in-Charge of a new five-parish benefice.

Are You

• A strong, forward-thinking leader, with a positive 'can do' attitude.
• Keen to be part of & develop God's work within local communities.
• Approachable & a good listener.

Could You

• Bring inspiration to & work creatively with laity & local non stipendiary clergy within the benefice.
• Offer flexible churchmanship to accommodate a diversity of worship styles & traditions.

Do You Have

• A sympathetic, prayerful approach.
• A sense of humour!

Could you fulfil this demanding but rewarding role within our benefice? We offer you an excellent home to live in, a half stipend, annual CMD grant, retreat time, clear HR and supportive leadership. You will be able to draw on additional training and support from our Mission and Ministry Department and our Church Buildings Team, as well as Archdeacon and Diocesan Secretary.

Further Information and Applications

If you want to know more, then please get in touch with the Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech, Ven Richard Harlow, on 07415757527 or archdeacon.handw@elydiocese.org

Applications should be sent to archdeacon.handw@elydiocese.org

Closing Date: 16 March 2026

Interviews: 15 April 2026

Safer Recruitment in the Diocese of Ely

The Diocese of Ely is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees to undertake safeguarding checks and training relevant to their role and to adhere to the Church of England's safeguarding policies and procedures. Therefore, this position is subject to an enhanced disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).

Our Diocese

The Diocese of Ely stretches from Cambridge to Peterborough and out towards the coastal areas of West Norfolk. It houses 3/4 million people, which will rise to 1 million in the next 15 years. This area buzzes with energy from the academic, business and medical excellence of Cambridge University to the rich agricultural areas of Huntingdon, Fenland and Norfolk. Despite the presence of a world leading university, Cambridgeshire is not all affluent. Towns and cities have pockets of poverty and low attainment. Rural areas can be isolated and insular. The churches are strong in some places, but there is much work to be done.

The Diocese of Ely is a good place to live and work: stable finances, good housing, inclusive and warm hearted bishops, coupled with a rich diversity of benefices in all traditions make this a place that clergy stay once they have discovered us. We have just over 100 incumbent status clergy, with a strong Diocesan team, and a real emphasis on lay development and training.

We look forward to welcoming our next Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev Sarah Clark, and the diocese hopes to build on steady church growth in recent years. Our Mission Strategy, Ely 2025, devolves much decision making to the parishes, benefices and deaneries, so that clergy are able to innovate, take risks and build alliances for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the good of our communities. We welcome applications from clergy who are prepared to work collaboratively and faithfully. We will enable you to flourish and grow in ministry, whilst maintaining a sensible work life balance.

A Diverse and Inclusive Workforce

The Diocese of Ely is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workforce which represents our context and wider community. We are aware that those of Global Majority Heritage/United Kingdom Minority Ethnic (GMH/UKME), women, and disabled people are currently under-represented among our clergy and workforce, and we particularly encourage applications from those with the relevant skills and experience that will increase this representation.