Church Buildings Adviser and CBSC Secretary - Property Services

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to help support the long-term sustainable future of historic church buildings across Exeter Diocese and assist individual parishes and wider Mission Communities to care for these assets and manage change.

To be successful in this role you will have a developed understanding and experience of building conservation, churches and their history and be educated to degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject (e.g. planning, history, archaeology, architectural history). You will be able to make sound decisions on complex and potentially contentious issues and work under pressure to prioritise and meet deadlines.

The Church Buildings Adviser will work directly with the Senior Church Buildings Adviser on a diverse range of tasks including:

• processing and assisting with Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) casework;
• issuing feedback and decisions on applications to parishes;
• arranging and attending site visits;
• providing and presenting information, training and guidance for parishes in all aspects of managing their churches;
• administering electronic records and databases;
• Acting as Secretary to the Church Building Strategy Committee (CBSC) for closed churches;
• preparing agendas, recommendations and collations of papers for DAC and CBSC meetings.

The post will involve travel to churches across the diocese and a Full UK driving licence is essential.

Introduction

The Church Buildings Adviser role requires a high degree of proficiency across the domains of:

• Regulatory compliance and historic building works
• Mission Community and Parish relationship building
• Committee work  
• Information and data management
• Multi agency team working

The Senior Adviser will be required to apply for a Basic disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service in connection with this role.

Extensive travel will be involved due to the geographical location of parishes.

The job reports to the Senior Adviser – Church Buildings & DAC Secretary and will work closely with:

• Director of Property
• Archdeacons of Barnstaple, Exeter, Plymouth and Totnes
• Parish / Mission Community representatives and their professional advisers
• Chair, members and consultants of the Diocesan Advisory Committee
• Growing the Rural Church Officers and Mission Resources Advisers
• Diocesan Registrar and Chancellor
• Church Buildings Council
• Statutory and local amenity societies, English Heritage and Local Authorities

Main Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities for the Church Buildings Adviser include;

• Support the SCBA in working with Mission Communities to assist them with understanding their church building and site and to advise them of the issues and processes relating to the planning of maintenance, repairs, alterations and developments to church buildings and church sites.
• Manage a caseload of applications for List B or faculty approval via the Online Faculty System, and undertake all associated administration
• Under the direction of the SCBA, review minor faculty and List B applications, consult DAC advisers as necessary, and issue recommendations to DAC committee and Archdeacons.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the Church Buildings section of the website providing the guidance noted above and identifying good practice and detailing case studies of extended uses of church buildings.
• Arrange and participate in site visits to churches including consultations; produce written reports of such visits.
• Schedule CBSC meeting dates, oversee the preparation of detailed agendas, supporting papers and minutes.
• Work collaboratively with all diocesan officers and in particular those in the Property Department, Growing the Rural Church and Ministry Resources for the fulfilment of the Diocesan Vision and Strategy.
• Ensure Safeguarding training and awareness completed to required level C0/C1.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate that they hold the following specifications:

• Graduate or equivalent in architecture, history, planning, surveying, heritage or conservation related subject.
• A post-graduate qualification in heritage conservation.
• Experience of, and knowledge and interest in building conservation, churches and their history.
• One year’s post-qualification experience in a similar role.
• Able to take sound decisions on complex and potentially contentious issues, with an eye for detail
• Able to adopt a proactive approach to discovering solutions to less straightforward matters.
• Sensitive to the different cultures, traditions and activities within the Church and maintain a consistent approach to clergy and non-clergy matters.
• Flexibility and adaptability whilst working in a team; capacity to provide cover for others.
• A full driving licence and use of a car for work related travel across Devon.
• Available for occasional evening and weekend working.

About us

The Diocese of Exeter matches almost exactly the boundaries of the county of Devon, including Torbay and Plymouth.  We are a family of Christians, worshipping God in many different settings and groups. We are led by the Bishop of Exeter, and governed by Diocesan Synod which is made up of representatives from across the Diocese.

The central office is the Old Deanery, Exeter, where there is a team of around 50 Diocesan staff whose work is arranged to focus on a number of the goals of the Diocesan vision and strategy, ‘Grow in Prayer, Make new Disciples and Serve the People of Devon with Joy’. These staff work in the following teams: Education, Mission & Ministry, Church & Society, Communications, Property & Church Buildings, Finance, Safeguarding, Vocations, Synod Office, Archdeacons Secretaries, Counselling & Pastoral Care Service and our exciting new Growing the Rural Church Project.

To arrange an informal discussion about this role please contact us by email recruitment@exeter.anglican.org by phone: 01392 294959 or by post:
The Old Deanery
The Cloisters
Exeter
EX1 1HS

Please Note:

Closing date for applications: 15 November 2019

Shortlisted candidates notified: 20 November 2019

Interviews to be held: 27 November 2019

If you would like to find out more about the Diocese of Exeter please visit our website: http://exeter.anglican.org/

For more information on the DBS Code of Practice please visit the Gov.co.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-code-of-practice