The post holder will shape, support and advise the Church of England and its senior leaders on its interreligious relations and the need for effective social policy and practices that enable flourishing communities and build social cohesion. They will work closely with, and provide line management to, the Presence and Engagement National Programme Coordinator.
Administrative support to the work of the sub-team (this post and the Presence and Engagement National Programme Coordinator) is provided through the Faith and Public Life support team.
This is an important senior role based within the Faith and Public Life (FPL) Team. The work involves establishing and maintaining trusted relationships with leaders and staff of other world faith organisations.
This post is subject to an occupational requirement that the holder be a communicant Anglican or a communicant of a church in communion with the Church of England under Part 1 of Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010. This is because of the post’s senior representational role to other faiths and its responsibility for representing the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Closing date is 23rd October 2026.
Provisional interview date is 24th November 2026.
Responsibilities
As National Interreligious Affairs Advisor, you will inform, support and develop the interreligious work of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop or York, and the Church of England.
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Advising and supporting the Archbishops and their staff on interreligious relations work that their offices require — both domestically and internationally.
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Contributing to the development of strategies and plans for the Archbishop of Canterbury’s interreligious work both domestically and internationally.
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Ensuring the effective organisation of the Archbishop’s inter faith related visits within Britain and overseas.
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Providing advice and support to the Lead Bishop for inter faith engagement and other colleagues and stakeholders, including bishops and diocesan officials, the Lords Spiritual, the House of Bishops, the General Synod, and the Archbishops’ Council.
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Monitoring developments in interreligious relations in dioceses and identifying emerging issues on which national action is needed.
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Maintaining and developing a strong network of contacts with staff counterparts, leaders and representatives from other religious organisations in the UK and overseas and co-ordinating the variety of Archbishop’s inter faith relationships overseas.
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Being a point of contact with the Anglican Communion Office, the World Council of Churches, the Council of European Churches, and multi religious international dialogues and organisations on interreligious issues.
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Representing the Church of England and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York at meetings of relevant bodies of which the Church is a member, such as the Inter Faith Network; Churches Inter Religious Network (CIRN); Anglican Interfaith Commission.
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Contributing as a senior officer in the FPL staff team to the strategic direction of the team’s activities, taking forward and helping to shape the Church of England’s priorities for interreligious affairs.
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In accordance with the governance arrangements for FPL, seeking the guidance of the Mission and Public Affairs Council on topical interreligious issues in the public square.
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Providing line management and support to the Presence and Engagement National Programme Coordinator, working in a collegial way, each complementing the work of the other.
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Providing strategic oversight for the Church of England’s Presence and Engagement programme and support to diocesan interreligious relations advisors.
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Preparing and presenting briefings and reports for senior staff, bishops, archbishops and other key stakeholders. Convening working groups of bishops and other stakeholders on matters relating to interreligious affairs.
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Responding to correspondence and working closely with press colleagues to handle press enquiries and respond to occasional enquiries from the public.
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Participating regularly in meetings of the Faith and Public Life team and relevant subgroups.
Underpinning all these responsibilities is time spent nurturing relationships with faith leaders and their offices across England, with a willingness to travel and invest in face-to-face relationship building.
This list is not exhaustive and is intended to reflect the main tasks and areas of work. Changes may occur over time, and you will be expected to agree any reasonable changes to your job description that are in line with the general nature of your post. You will be consulted about any changes to your job description before these are implemented.
Qualifications
Essential
Knowledge/Experience:
- Deep knowledge of contemporary interreligious matters gathered through experience and engagement and the ability to demonstrate established professional relationships across faiths in an international, national, local or diocesan context..
- Experience of working with and across different religious communities, building relationships that can withstand sincere and respectful differences of opinion in seeking the common good together.
- Evidence of delivering positive tangible outcomes despite inter faith differences and challenges.
- Experience of successfully establishing and nurturing networks
- Knowledge/awareness of other relevant areas of the Church’s work such as social responsibility, education, theology, evangelism, government policy (particularly issues to do with religious hatred, religious freedom and relations with faith communities) and work concerning New Religious Movements.
- Awareness of political issues to do with Faith communities.
- Knowledge of Anglican and other church structures. Alertness to organisational issues and the complexities of Anglican ecclesiology.
Skills/Aptitudes:
- Ability to build trust and rapport; to actively listen and remain professionally curious.
- Ability to work well across professional and organisational boundaries, to work collaborative to form and sustain networks based on trust and mutual understanding.
- Demonstrable ability to influence and advise at a senior level.
- Strong presentation skills – sometimes in front of large, external audiences – demonstrating credibility and the ability to discuss and debate with respect and kindness.
- Ability to absorb and comprehend sometimes lengthy, complex information and to be able to impart that to busy senior colleagues succinctly and concisely, whether in written or verbal form.
- Ability to master a brief, write concisely and clearly, and provide research and briefing notes for a variety of stakeholders.
- Good time management skills and an ability to negotiate the different needs of many stakeholders, especially in balancing support of the Archbishops and of the Church of England at large.
- Competence in IT skills, including Microsoft Word and Outlook.
Personal Attributes:
- Open, with a willingness to listen and remain curious.
- Considered and calm; able to bring people together from different perspectives.
- Resilient and able to work flexibly and across a wide range of traditions and approaches.
- A collaborative team player and team leader with the ability to learn from others and enable them to learn from each other.
*This post is subject to an occupational requirement that the holder be a communicant Anglican or a communicant of a church in communion with the Church of England under Part 1 of Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010. This is because of the post’s senior representational role to other faiths and its responsibility for representing the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Desirable
Education:
- Relevant post graduate research degree or equivalent.
- A degree in theology or other relevant discipline or equivalent.
- Evidence of having done further reflection or equivalent in the field of inter faith dialogue and relations and the theology of religion.
Knowledge/experience:
- Experience of being immersed in another culture.
- Extended experience of presence and engagement with people of other faiths in England.
Skills/abilities:
- Fluency in another language.
National Inter Religious Affairs Adviser employer: National Church Institutions (Church of England)
Bishopthorpe Palace offers a unique and fulfilling work environment for the Team Administrator role, where you will play a vital part in supporting the Archbishop’s Chaplain and the wider team. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, safeguarding, and community engagement, employees benefit from a supportive culture that encourages personal growth and development. Located in a historic setting, this position not only provides meaningful work but also the opportunity to contribute to the mission of the Church of England while enjoying a balanced work-life dynamic.
Contact Details:
National Church Institutions (Church of England) Recruitment Team
