At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative projects to maximise the value of church and community assets.
- Company: Diocese of Liverpool, committed to sustainable community development.
- Benefits: Grant-funded role until 2032 with potential for extension and impactful work.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team focused on creative and sustainable solutions.
- Why this job: Shape the future of community spaces while making a real difference.
- Qualifications: Leadership experience and strong project management skills required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 € per year.
This post is grant funded until June 2032 (potential for further grant funding in the future but this cannot be guaranteed).
The Diocese of Liverpool is undertaking a strategic shift in how it stewards, develops, and deploys its land and property. Many historic churches, halls, housing, and land assets are currently under‑used, while others are no longer required for mission or ministry. This role exists to support the Diocese and its parishes in realising maximum social, financial, environmental, and missional value from these assets as part of a long‑term, future‑focused land and property strategy.
As the Head of Asset Development, you will play a key leadership role within the newly formed Property & Buildings Team, acting as a delivery enabler and strategic partner to the Head of Property & Buildings and senior diocesan colleagues. You will manage and develop key Buildings Team members and provide clear oversight and coordination of a broad programme of work. This requires creative design thinking, commercial awareness, and strong project delivery expertise to translate strategic intent into practical and achievable outcomes.
You will oversee the delivery of a diverse portfolio of church, hall, housing, and land projects, ensuring robust governance, risk management, and financial oversight. Working with internal teams and external partners, you will shape and deliver innovative and sustainable solutions that secure a resilient, future‑proof estate and ensure each asset—whether retained, transformed, or released—delivers the greatest possible benefit. Working closely with parishes, you will enable local leaders to make informed, future‑focused decisions about their buildings and navigate complex project, design, and development pathways. By championing creative, viable, and sustainable approaches, you will help shape long‑term models of mission and ministry while maximising the financial, social, environmental, and spiritual value of both historic and contemporary assets across the Diocese.
The Diocese of Liverpool has embarked on a transformation journey, in partnership with the Church Commissioners, to deliver a clear, shared vision for mission, growth and a sustainable future. This aligns with the Church of England’s commitment to making its buildings more accessible and valuable to local communities.
Job Summary
- Strategic Delivery Enablement: Enable the Diocese’s new strategic land and property approach by coordinating a portfolio of projects across church, hall, housing, and land assets, ensuring decisions and projects support a resilient and future‑proof estate.
- Asset Realisation: The Right Buildings Process, managed by this team, is delivering a steady stream of emerging assets for disposal/income‑generating alternative use, as parishes rationalise their buildings. For those buildings that will be sold, scope and land the right deal for parishes and the Diocese, ensuring that the sites continue to support our desire for good community development.
- Asset Development: Oversee refurbishment projects relating to churches and halls that will be retained, or schemes on existing sites to deliver new worship facilities alongside other uses, designing solutions for developments that are viable, sustainable, and aligned with the Diocese’s long‑term mission and ministry needs.
- Value Maximisation: Ensure that all activity—across disposal, redevelopment, and retained assets—maximises financial, social, environmental, and spiritual value for the Diocese and its parishes.
Duties And Key Responsibilities
- Lead, manage, and develop key members of the Buildings Team (5), ensuring capability, confidence, and a high‑quality delivery culture.
- Foster a collaborative, supportive, and solutions‑focused working environment within the Property & Buildings Team.
- Provide clear leadership across complex programmes of work.
- Oversee a diverse portfolio of building related projects from feasibility to delivery, ensuring quality, pace, and alignment with diocesan strategy.
- Develop clear project plans with defined scope, objectives, milestones, and success measures.
- Manage risks and resolve issues proactively to ensure controlled delivery within agreed timescales.
- Ensure robust project governance, reporting, risk management, and financial oversight.
- Track delivery against plans and provide accurate progress updates to internal and external stakeholders.
- Capture and apply lessons learned across future projects.
- Work closely with parishes to understand local needs, opportunities, and constraints.
- Empower parishes to make informed, future focused decisions about their buildings.
- Guide parishes through complex projects, design, and development pathways.
- Engage with local teams to capture ideas for buildings requiring refurbishment and shape projects with parish leadership.
- Build strong, trust based relationships with key diocesan and parish stakeholders.
- Coordinate and manage external consultants, technical specialists, and professional advisers.
- Build and nurture relationships with suppliers.
- Enable open and transparent communication, manage expectations, and secure commitment to project outcomes.
- Secure all necessary approvals for project progression.
- Negotiate and manage supplier contracts to deliver value for money.
- Nurture partnership relationships with public bodies to generate shared use and/or income.
- Champion creative, viable, and sustainable design solutions that support long term mission and ministry.
- Contribute to strategic planning around resilience, sustainability, and asset optimisation across the Diocese.
- Promote outcomes that deliver social, pastoral, and community value aligned with diocesan priorities.
Head of Asset Development in Liverpool employer: The Church of England
The Diocese of Liverpool is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead transformative projects that maximise the social, financial, and spiritual value of its diverse assets. With a strong commitment to employee development and a collaborative work culture, you will be part of a supportive team dedicated to making a meaningful impact in local communities. The role not only provides a chance to shape the future of church properties but also fosters personal growth through innovative project delivery and strategic partnerships.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Asset Development in Liverpool
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the Diocese of Liverpool and its mission. Understand their strategic goals and think about how your skills can help them achieve those. Tailor your responses to show that you’re not just a fit for the role, but also passionate about their vision.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or family to get comfortable with common questions. Focus on articulating your experience in asset development and project management clearly and confidently.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team and are familiar with the process. Let’s get you that dream job!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Asset Development in Liverpool
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific requirements of the Head of Asset Development role. Highlight your experience in managing diverse projects and how you've maximised value in previous roles.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:We want to see how you’ve led teams and fostered a collaborative environment. Share examples of how you've developed team members and ensured high-quality delivery in complex programmes.
Demonstrate Your Strategic Thinking:This role is all about strategic delivery, so be sure to illustrate your ability to think long-term. Discuss how you've previously aligned projects with broader organisational goals and how you can do the same for the Diocese.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at The Church of England
✨Know Your Assets
Before the interview, dive deep into understanding the Diocese of Liverpool's current land and property strategy. Familiarise yourself with their historic churches, halls, and housing assets. Being able to discuss specific examples of how you can maximise social, financial, and environmental value will show your genuine interest and expertise.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As the Head of Asset Development, you'll be leading a team. Prepare to share examples of how you've successfully managed teams in the past. Highlight your ability to foster a collaborative environment and how you've empowered others to make informed decisions, especially in complex project scenarios.
✨Demonstrate Creative Problem-Solving
This role requires innovative thinking. Think of past projects where you had to come up with creative solutions to challenges. Be ready to discuss how you approached these situations and the outcomes, particularly in relation to asset development and maximising value.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Building strong relationships is key in this role. Prepare to talk about your experience working with various stakeholders, including parishes and external partners. Share how you've navigated complex relationships and ensured open communication to achieve project goals.
