PA to the Bishop of Berwick and Administrative Secretary in the Bishop’s Office

Overview

The Bishop of Berwick is looking for a highly professional and experienced Personal Assistant to undertake a wide range of administrative work in support of his episcopal responsibilities across the Diocese of Newcastle and beyond.

Introduction

As the Bishop of Berwick’s Personal Assistant, you will work from the Diocesan Bishop’s office in Newcastle upon Tyne where you will hold a key role in the support of the Bishop’s ministry, providing professional administrative and clerical support. You may also be required to work from the Bishop of Berwick’s personal office at his home in Newcastle upon Tyne.

You will also act as the Supporting Secretary within the Diocesan Bishop’s Office.

This is a full-time appointment, of which approximately 60% of your time will be given to the work associated with PA to the Bishop of Berwick, and 40% of your time will be as Supporting Secretary within the Diocesan Bishop’s Office.

This role involves much responsibility, great variety and is pivotal in enabling the Bishop to succeed in his ministry. It requires the ability to engage with people locally and nationally, and a high level of administrative and organisational skills. 

Interviews will be held on the 4th February 2021.

Main Responsibilities

The Role

PA Support

• To manage the Bishop of Berwick’s calendar and appointments in an accurate and efficient manner, ensuring that he is in the right place at the right time with all the relevant documentation.
• To manage the Bishop of Berwick’s official expenses.
• To respond proactively to enquiries and queries addressed to the Bishop of Berwick, following these up with the appropriate action or handing them over to another appropriate person for action.
• To highlight and address potential conflicting priorities in a busy environment, where appointments are subject to constant change.
• To provide high quality support to the Bishop of Berwick in preparation for key meetings and forums, including the collation of relevant paperwork in good time ahead of meetings, creating agendas, writing up and distributing minutes, highlighting actions and ensuring    that actions are closed out.
• To oversee the appointments process when the Bishop of Berwick is acting as the lead Bishop, working closely with the Diocesan Bishop’s PA and the Diocesan Bishop’s Chaplain to ensure the appointments process runs smoothly in respect of those appointments, and that all necessary safer recruitment procedures have been completed prior to     announcement and licensing.
• To support the Bishop of Berwick in his role as Sponsoring Bishop and oversee the procedures and processes associated with it.
• To provide a warm welcome and hospitality to visitors to the Bishop’s office.
• To provide administrative support relating to the Bishop’s involvement in Church of England committees. On occasion this might include research on the web, or elsewhere, on topics relating to the Bishop’s ministry.
• To maintain appropriate discretion and confidentiality at all times in relation to the Bishop’s work and life.

Office Administration

• To manage all calls, correspondence and emails for the Bishop of Berwick, using initiative to respond and, where appropriate, to draft responses or re-direct queries to the appropriate individuals.
• To be responsible for the logistics for key events and meetings for the Bishop of Berwick, including room bookings, travel arrangements, confirmation of meeting dates to all those involved.
• To develop and maintain efficient, accurate and up-to-date electronic and paper-based filing systems for the Bishop of Berwick, and integrate this as appropriate into the filing systems within the Diocesan Bishop’s House.

Communications

To be a primary point of contact for the Bishop of Berwick’s office, creating a positive impression for both internal and external contacts. To liaise with a wide range of individuals and teams to ensure the efficient running of the Bishop of Berwick’s office, including:

• Diocese of Newcastle: Bishop of Newcastle’s office, Archdeacons, clergy, parishes, lay staff.
• Senior clergy and PAs in other dioceses and other denominations.
• Senior clergy and Lay Officers in Newcastle and other dioceses; Church House, Westminster; Church Commissioners, Committee Chairs.
• A wide range of external audiences, including senior leaders in schools and local education bodies, local authority officials, local media, other faith groups, members of the general public.
• To work collaboratively with all teams to address and resolve issues.

Main responsibilities as Supporting Secretary to the Bishop of Newcastle's Office

Provide cover for the Bishop’s PA in her absence.

To provide secretarial and administrative support to the Diocesan Bishop, The Bishop’s Chaplain and the Bishop’s PA to ensure the smooth running of the Bishop’s Office, including:

• Maintenance of the confidential clergy files.
• Preparation and circulation of Clergy Movement/Appointment Forms.
• Maintenance of the Office mailing databases, and integration of these with the Diocesan digital database as appropriate.
• Sending out invitations to functions and keep accurate lists of replies.
• Preparation of Orders of Service, etc. as directed by the Bishop, Bishop’s Chaplain or Bishop’s PA.
• Opening the post, franking the post and maintaining the post book record.
• Photocopying and general filing as required by the Bishop and her staff.
• Providing secretarial support to the Bishop’s husband as and when required.
• Any other duties required by the Bishop, the Bishop’s Chaplain or the Bishop’s PA.

The Ideal Candidate

The Requirements

Essential

Skills/Aptitudes:

• Good administrative and secretarial skills.
• IT proficiency, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and Publisher.
• Ability to organise own workload, to set priorities and to work to deadlines. 
• Ability to handle confidential information and to act with discretion.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work as part of a team often without direct supervision.
• Ability to show initiative and creativity.
• Be able to learn quickly and work with the legal/technical terms and protocols used by Bishops in their daily work.

Knowledge/Experience:

• Previous PA and administrative experience.

Personal Attributes:

• A calm and pleasant approach to dealing with enquiries and requests.
• Friendly with a diplomatic manner. 
• A flexible approach to work.
• Ability to apply understanding, judgement, and discretion.
• Proactive and confident. 
• Be in sympathy with the aims and objectives of the Christian Church and have due regard for the traditions of the Church of England.

Education:

• GCSE and/or A level qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
• Good communication skills both written and oral.

About us

The Diocese of Newcastle is the Church of England from the River Tyne to the Scottish Border, and encompasses the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, the County of Northumberland, North Tyneside and small areas of Cumbria and County Durham. It includes 238 parish churches and 45 Church of England Schools.  

The Suffragan Bishop of Berwick supports the Bishop of Newcastle’s ministry across the entire Diocese of Newcastle. The Bishop of Newcastle leads the Diocese and is both the source of teaching authority and the focus for unity within it. A Suffragan Bishop exercises their ministry in support of and by permission of the Diocesan Bishop, and takes their title from a place within the diocese.

Mark Wroe’s appointment follows the departure earlier this year of Bishop Mark Tanner, who became Bishop of Berwick in 2016, to become Bishop of Chester.

For more information about the Diocese of Newcastle please visit here