DIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Mission Support Officer
Location: Trinity House, London Bridge
Hours: 17.5 hours a week (The work pattern for this half-time post is flexible, to be agreed with the successful candidate.)
Accountable to: Canon Missioner
Responsible for: Overseeing the work of Mission Action Planning facilitators
(a team of 20+ volunteers when complete)
BackgroundThe Canon Missioner is a Canon Residentiary post of Southwark Cathedral with Mission responsibilities within the wider Diocese of Southwark. Those wider responsibilities include Mission Action Planning, church planting and Fresh Expressions, teaching and preaching across the Diocese and, more recently, oversight of children and youth work in the Diocese. Following a review of how this work could best be supported, the Diocese will soon begin identifying a team of advisers and champions willing and able to offer support to parishes in specific areas of parish development and church growth.
Role
To support the Canon Missioner in the effective set-up and running of a team of advisers and champions available to parishes, ensuring that they and their work are supported, promoted and coordinated, with specific responsibility for the overseeing the work of the Mission Action Planning facilitators.
This is a key post in the organising of mission in the Diocese. The post holder will support the team of advisors and champions, acting as their main link with Trinity House and with each other, and provide a first port of call for parishes who are asking for support. S/he will develop clear briefs and job descriptions for the team, and act as ‘resource investigator’ when required.
Main duties and responsibilities
Co-ordination of parish development work
1. Build, strengthen, and equip, in collaboration with the Canon Missioner, a team of advisers and champions within the Diocese who are willing and able to offer support to parishes in specific areas of parish development and church growth.
2 As the first port of call for parishes seeking advice or support, develop a broad understanding of the range of areas covered in order to be effective at linking parish requests with suitable advisers or other sources of help.
3 Maintain and develop clear briefs and a set of up-to-date outline role descriptions for the team.
4 Take specific responsibility for overseeing the work of the Mission Action Planning facilitators, either directly or through the team leader, if one is in post.
5 Develop and support effective communication channels between parishes, advisers, and other diocesan staff and maintain accessible up-to-date records of contact details, availability etc.
6 Seek opportunities across the Diocese to publicise and promote the role and work of the team, encouraging parishes both to take up the support on offer and to consider offering support themselves.
7 Work closely with the Canon Missioner and any Children and Young People’s Mission and Ministry staff.
Secretary of Parish Development and Church Growth Group and Mission Network
8 Convene and plan agenda, in collaboration with Chairs of PDCG Group and Mission Network and Canon Missioner, for all meetings of these groups, arranging input and producing resources as required.
9 Take minutes and circulate in a timely manner.
10 Act as research officer for the Group and Network, staying current with relevant research, distilling, reflecting on, and disseminating it to the team.
11 Follow up action points between meetings where necessary to ensure they are being implemented.
Administrative support for Canon Missioner
12 When requested, check and deal with correspondence (email, post, phone), particularly when the Canon Missioner is away from his office.
13 Plan and co-ordinate events as requested.
14 Undertake other administrative, development or research work as may be required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
· Highly organised with demonstrable administrative and record-keeping skills
· A good understanding of and passion for supporting parishes in their mission outreach and church growth
· Able to make sound judgements and exercise initiative
· Evidence of research and report-writing
· Experienced in Outlook Express and Microsoft packages including Word and Excel
· Effective at networking
· Interpersonal skills for building good working relationships
· Able to act as a confident and respected diocesan advisor
Desirable
· Evidence of supporting committees including minute-taking
· Experience of coordinating the work of volunteers
· Experience of coordinating mission or children and youth work in a parish setting
An Occupational Requirement exists for the post-holder to be a practicing Christian in accordance with the Equality Act 2010
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