Director of Secretariat
This is a role in which you can make a major difference to the smooth running of the diocese, which serves the whole of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.
This is a full time role offering hybrid working.
Position: Director of Secretariat
Location: Kidlington, Oxford/hybrid
Hours: Full-time
Salary: Approximately £75,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Start date: On or around 1 September 2025
Closing Date: Sunday 27 April 2025 at midnight. Interviews will take place on Monday, 12 May 2025, with a prior online meeting with the Diocesan Secretary, ideally on Friday 9 May 2025, and a confirmatory meeting for the recommended candidate with the Bishop of Oxford.
The Role
In leading a department within Church House, which largely comprises of the church buildings team and governance functions, you will be blessed with a highly skilled group of people. You will have the opportunity to lead and guide them and to make a significant contribution to the life of the diocese through being part of the Bishop’s senior team and heads of department group, and deputising as required for the Diocesan Secretary.
The main areas of work are:
• Organisational leadership
• External grant-funding
• Oversight of our highly regarded Development Fund
• Governance and compliance, including elections, data protection, and risk
About You
You will have well-honed skills in leadership and governance, and ideally also project management. You will have very strong communication and interpersonal skills, with high attention to detail, and will have operated at a senior level in a complex organisation. You will be self-motivated and have a real interest in the very diverse work of the diocese as it seeks to support over 800 church communities and to carry out strategic work as determined through our governance structures.
There is a genuine occupational requirement that the appointee must be a communicant member of the Church of England or of a church in full communion with it, in accordance with schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010.
Benefits and rewards include:
• 25 days holiday per annum, rising each year by one day to a maximum of 30 days
• In addition to the statutory UK public holidays, the Diocese offers three privilege days
• Free parking and subsidised on-site café
• Generous employer pension contribution of 12.5%, which includes death in service benefit (5% Employee Contribution)
• Electric car and cycle-to-work salary sacrifice schemes
• Access to wellbeing support via Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced family-friendly policies and a generous sick pay provision
• Access to low-interest financial services from Churches Mutual Credit Union, including loans
• An attractive modern working environment
The Organisation
The Diocese is the administrative area of the Church, broadly speaking, covers the three counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire. There are 815 churches in the Diocese – more than any other diocese in the Church of England. So, in many ways the best description is that it is the family of the 55,000 or so regular worshippers in these churches.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews. If you do not hear from us, your application has not been successful.
We want our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion for all to be reflected in the composition of staff. We are particularly keen to receive applications from candidates from communities currently underrepresented in the diocese.
You may also have experience in areas such as Secretariat, Director, Director of Secretariat, Governance, Project Management, Project Manager, Faith, Grants, Compliance, Operations, Operations Director. #INDNFP
PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.
