Stewardship Resourcing Officer

Introduction

Are you passionate about helping Christians to grow as generous disciples of Christ?  

Working alongside the existing Stewardship Resourcing Officer, you will be part of a team working to help embed a culture of generosity across the diocese in response to the generosity and grace of God. You will be focusing on the encouragement of planned giving, the continued introduction of contactless giving and the Parish Giving Scheme, supporting treasurers and contributing to materials to assist parishes in becoming Joyful Generous Stewards.  Training will be tailored to your individual needs. 

The Stewardship Resourcing Officer role is supported by funding from the National Church Institutions through the Giving Advisor Fund and Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment.  

The duties and responsibilities below will be shared between the existing Stewardship Resourcing Officer and the successful applicant, bearing in mind geography, workload and experience. The two Stewardship Resourcing Officers sit within the Making Disciples project team as part of Vision 2026 and the Team Lead is the Archdeacon of Blackburn who is responsible for setting the overall priorities.

The Director of Vision Delivery, as line manager for both Stewardship Resourcing Officers, is responsible for approving the overall division of work, to ensure that no areas are neglected, and the work is fairly shared. 

 Visiting parishes to speak, teach and (where invited) to preach about Joyful Generous Stewardship as part of Christian discipleship, mainly to PCC but at times to other parish groups, deaneries and occasionally at Sunday services.  Keeping records of parishes that have been visited and, in conjunction with other colleagues, identifying additional parishes where input would be beneficial and endeavouring to meet with them.  Monitoring changes in giving levels following visits to parishes. 

• Be part of a team leading workshops for groups of parishes (using the National Cornerstone Resource) to help church leaders identify key actions for individual church stewardship journeys and following up to check progress and encourage or challenge as required.

• Encouraging parishes to embrace the opportunities offered by the Parish Giving Scheme.  After suitable training the postholder will be involved in explaining the scheme and its benefits to PCCs, assisting them with the sign-up process and suggesting ways to promote this locally.
• Assisting parishes in providing contactless and online giving to their churches, including helping parishes identify suitable products from those available on Parish Buying.  This may also include training parishes where necessary.      

1. Resourcing parishes 
   • Signposting to our suite of Joyful Generous Stewards stewardship resources together with other national resources and, where necessary, creating and updating resources for parishes to use to link generosity and stewardship to discipleship and to embed a culture of generosity across the diocese. 
   • Together with colleagues from the Finance Team, provide ad hoc support to treasurers and Gift Aid Secretaries in respect of day-to-day queries and helping them identify effective methods of record keeping.  Identifying training needs of treasurers and signposting to external training or, where appropriate, holding training events or organising one-to-one training. 
   • Sharing in the creation and mailing of the ‘Money Matters’ diocesan mailing to treasurers and incumbents and other diocesan e-bulletins and publications.

• Developing productive working relationships with clergy and PCC officials and with colleagues within Diocesan offices so that parishes can be supported effectively.  Offering support and guidance to the Bishop’s staff on issues of Christian Stewardship and generosity and promoting stewardship and generosity principles at all levels of the diocese. 
• Through attendance and involvement in the meetings of the Archdeacon of Blackburn’s Making Disciples Team, developing an understanding of the other areas of discipleship identified within Vision 2026 and awareness of the resources and support available to parishes so that stewardship and generosity are seen as part of ongoing discipleship rather than as a solution to financial challenges 
• Playing a full part in the life of the Northern and National Stewardship Network, fostering links with other members of the National Stewardship Network, and sharing knowledge and resources. 
• Attending all relevant training and diocesan meetings or other meetings as appropriate. 
• Undertaking other tasks and specific projects as may reasonably be required. 

The Diocese of Blackburn 

 The Diocese of Blackburn represents the Church of England in most of Lancashire and part of Wigan Metropolitan Borough, covering an area of 878 square miles with a population of 1.3 million.  

The Diocese has a clear Vision - “Vision 2026” - to see healthy churches that transform their communities. It lays out four ways in which this over-arching goal can be achieved: Making Disciples, Being Witnesses, Growing Leaders and Inspiring Children and Young People. All that we do as a diocese is focussed on the delivery of Vision 2026. To make disciples we are raising levels of prayer, helping regular patterns of bible reading to be established and encouraging generous giving of time, talents and treasure. To be witnesses, many parishes are setting up new local congregations at different times and in different places to reach out to new groups of people as well as showing God’s love in action through projects that meet a local human need. New leaders are emerging as we seek to enable and equip those God is raising up in our midst for lay and ordained ministry and our focus on children and young people is enabling creative thinking to raise up a new generation for Jesus Christ. 

As 2026 is next year, we are in the process of refreshing our diocesan vision looking ahead to 2033 as a focal year. Embedding a culture of generosity will continue to be a priority under the new vision. 

How to apply

For more information, including a full job description, person specification, terms and conditions and how to apply, please visit General vacancies | The Diocese of Blackburn.

Do not apply via the pathways system. 

Interview date 18 September

All interviews will be held at Clayton House, Blackburn  

Diversity - The Diocese of Blackburn believes that diversity enables us to thrive and develop and is committed to race equality, welcoming applications from UK Minority Ethnic/ Global Majority Heritage backgrounds 

The Diocese of Blackburn is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.