Head of Vocations & Discernment in London

The Head of Vocations and Discernment is charged with leading the renewal of ministerial vocations across the Church of England to ensure the church has the lay and ordained leaders we need to fulfil our vocation to proclaim afresh the Gospel in every generation. Sitting within the Archbishops’ Council’s Ministry Development Team (MDT), the post holder will lead a combined team of 15 people working together and in partnership with the 42 Church of England dioceses to grow the pipeline of lay and ordained ministers. A key part of this will be ensuring the smooth operation and ongoing development of the Shared Discernment Process and Candidates Panels for ordained ministry.

Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Lead the renewal of ministerial vocations across the Church of England at a national level.
  • Lead the development and operational excellence of the Shared Discernment and Candidates Panel processes.
  • Ensure that strong foundations of Christian prayer and discipleship are developed and maintained.
  • Build trust and confidence with key stakeholders, especially Bishops and diocesan officers.
  • Lead the national Vocations & Discernment team.
  • Ensure good safeguarding practice is embedded into the work.
  • Play an active role in the wider work of the Ministry Development Team.
  • Represent the Church at a national level on matters of vocations and discernment.
• Management
  • Line manage the national Vocations and Discernment Team.
  • Manage the Vocations and Discernment budgets.
• Governance
  • Synthesise complex information into clear reports, proposals and recommendations.
  • Work in collaboration with the Lead Bishops for Vocations and Discernment.
  • Ensure that the advisory group(s) actively support the renewal of ministerial vocations.
  • Support the work of the Ministry Development Board and the Archbishops’ Council.

Qualifications

• Essential Skills & Abilities:
  • A passionate and convincing advocate of Christian ministerial vocation and prayerful discernment.
  • An accomplished inherently collaborative leader.
  • A strong networker who can inspire confidence from a wide range of stakeholders.
  • A track record of successfully initiating and implementing change.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong administrative skills, including familiarity with Microsoft 365/Office.
  • An ability to hold a portfolio of high profile work and to progress it at pace.
• Knowledge/Experience:
  • A strong fruitful track record of creative nurturing and discerning of ministerial vocations.
  • A working knowledge of the Shared Discernment Process.
  • A proven commitment to serving the breadth of the church.
  • Substantial experience of ministry in the Church of England.
  • An established manager with line management and budget management experience.
  • A strong understanding of safeguarding within the Church of England.
• Personal Attributes:
  • High levels of emotional maturity and self-awareness.
  • Sophisticated handling of conflict and difference.
  • Resilience in complex relational environments.

This post is subject to a genuine occupational requirement (GoR) that the post holder be a committed, communicant member of the Church of England under Part 1, Schedule 9 of The Equality Act (2010). The post holder will need to have a disciplined pattern of prayer and personal discipleship to sustain them in their ministry. This role will involve regular travel in England and occasional weekend work.