Could you be our Assistant Church Buildings Officer?
About The Department/Role
The Cathedral and Church Buildings Department supports the care and sustainable development of the Church of England’s 42 cathedrals and 16,000 church buildings, of which 12,500 are listed, to help fulfil the vision and strategy of the Church of England. It also supports dioceses with the disposal of church buildings no longer required for worship and finding them a new future.
Through advice, guidance, advocacy and fundraising, we provide strategic support on conservation and caring for historic church buildings, making change to support worship and communities, and working towards Net Zero Carbon 2030. Members of the department engage with dioceses, parishes and cathedral teams, as well as nationally with government, agencies, charities, funders, General Synod and across the National Church Institutions to make the case for church buildings and their vital role in worship, community and our national life. The Church Buildings Council is a statutory body responsible for advising Chancellors, dioceses and parishes on faculty applications.
What You'll Be Doing
As the Assistant Church Buildings Officer, you will play a vital role in shaping the future of church buildings across the country. You’ll be responsible for producing reports that explore the history and significance of these buildings and assess the impact of proposed changes. Your expertise will help guide dioceses and parishes in making informed decisions that balance heritage with mission.
Working closely with the Church Buildings Council (CBC) and the Statutory Advisory Committee (SAC), you’ll contribute to policy development, support strategic initiatives, and help ensure the sustainability of church buildings, particularly those under consideration for closure.
The postholder will prepare reports for church buildings considering closure, researching and assessing their significance and potential sustainability. This role will also require updating and developing guidance for parishes and dioceses.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide consistent, practical, and timely advice on proposals affecting church buildings, including their wider use beyond worship.
- Prepare written advice and reports, drawing on Council policy and precedent.
- Assess the archaeological, architectural, ecological, and art historical value of churches.
- Contribute to the development and updating of guidance for parishes and dioceses.
- Identify emerging issues and support strategic initiatives within the church heritage sector.
- Assist in the preparation and smooth running of Church Buildings Council (CBC) and the Statutory Advisory Committee (SAC) meetings.
- Stay informed on key policy areas such as contested heritage, net zero carbon, and equal access.
Key Role Requirements
- This is a 12-month fixed-term role with the expectation of working 1-3 days a week from your primary office location.
Please note: This role is also suitable for candidates who prefer to work from home. If you opt to be a homeworker, you are responsible for your travel expenses to your primary/base location, as the role requires you to attend infrequent face-to-face meetings 1-2 days per month.
About You
The Church of England is for everyone and we want to reflect the diversity of the community the Church serves across the whole country. Therefore, while of course we welcome all applications from interested and suitably experienced people, we would particularly welcome applicants from UK Minoritised Ethnicities (UKME)/Global Majority Heritage (GMH) and other under-represented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to recruiting disabled people. We offer interviews to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the role.
Role
We’re looking for a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and proactive individual who can bring both expertise and empathy to this vital role. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:
- A sympathetic understanding of church buildings as centres of Christian worship and mission.
- Solid knowledge or experience in the use and development of church buildings, their contents, and churchyard.
- Familiarity with conservation and heritage management in England, including relevant planning legislation and systems.
- Interest in the extended use of church buildings for community and cultural purposes.
- Awareness of the challenges faced by the Church of England in maintaining historic buildings.
- Ability to take ownershipof tasks and deliver high-quality work independently.
- Clear thinking around administrative procedures, with a values-driven approach.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to persuade and inform diverse audiences.
- Flexibility and adaptability in dynamic environments.
- A collaborative mindset, with the ability to work creatively and effectively within a team.
Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and person specification.
For an informal conversation about the role, please email:
[email protected]What We Offer
Your Salary
- A salary of £40,572 per annum, plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of your salary.
Your Benefits
- 25 days annual leave (increasing to 30 days within 5 years) plus eight bank holidays and three additional days (pro-rated if working part-time).
- We welcome all flexible working arrangement requests. This is looked at in a case-by-case scenario and if this fits within the department’s needs. We try to be as flexible as we can in your work pattern to support you with other commitments, and to give a good work-life balance.
- We offer many services and initiatives under our Family Friendly Programme, some of these include enhanced Maternity Leave initiative, Adoption Leave, Paternity Leave, & Shared Parental Leave. Structured induction programme and access to a range of development opportunities including apprenticeships.
- Automatic enrolment and access to Medicash (one of the UK’s leading health cash plan providers), providing you with many services including reimbursements of routine dental treatment, optical, specialist consultations, and therapy treatments. Unlimited access to virtual GP & Private prescription service and health & Stress related helplines.
- Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme
- Access to the Department of Education Restaurant and Westminster Abbey with a plus-one guest.
- Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.
- Opportunity to join the Civil Service Sports & Social Club, and get involved in a range of staff networks, groups and societies.
About National Church Institutions
The National Church Institutions comprises a wide variety of teams, professions and functions that support the mission and ministries of the Church of England in its vision to be a church, centred on Jesus Christ, for the whole nation - a church that is simpler, humbler, bolder.
We Include. You Belong.
Our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy aims for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.
Living out our values in all that we do, we:
- Strive for Excellence
- Show Compassion
- Respect others
- Collaborate
- Act with Integrity
We believe our commitment to belonging and inclusion fuels our progress and drives us forward. The NCIs are a safe, inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome applications from people of all faiths and of no faith. We want to encourage applications from a diverse group of people who share our values. Even if you have never thought about working for us before, if you have the skills and experience we’re looking for then we would like to hear from you.
Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for the role. 
