Grant Operations Manager​

Introduction

The Vision and Strategy Team has been established to support the whole Church in its embrace of and engagement with the national Vision and Strategy for the Church for the 2020s, and to support the implementation of the Emerging Church programme. The Vision and Strategy has three strategic priorities: to be a church of missionary disciples, to be younger and more diverse, and to develop a mixed ecology – doing church in varied forms and settings.

The Vision and Strategy team manages one of the largest grant-making programmes in the country, with £100m + of Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment (SMMI) disbursed annually to support the Church’s mission and ministry across England, prioritising investment in the most deprived communities. This role sits in the Grants team, part of the Vision and Strategy team with roles focused on grant management, monitoring and evaluation.

The SMMI funding includes the Diocesan Investment Programme (DIP) which provides funding for dioceses to enable the Vision & Strategy to become a reality in parishes and communities. The SMMI funding also includes People and Partnerships Funding, for innovation and scaling partners and networks to help overcome challenges faced by churches across the nation. Finally, Lowest Income Communities Funding sustains and strengthens the Church’s mission with low income and deprived communities.

The Grants team is also responsible for managing a £300m+ portfolio of existing grants from previous funding streams with similar purposes.

Key relationships are with the other sub-teams in the Vision & Strategy team, i.e. the Diocesan Support Team, Churches and Networks Team, and the Insights and Engagement Team, and with Finance; Ministry Development; Diocesan, network and para-church leaders, and their teams. The team supports the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board which is responsible, on behalf of the Archbishops’ Council, for distributing and monitoring grant funding.  

The purpose of this role is to put in place and deliver excellent systems and support for grant management. This role has a particular focus on the People and Partnerships funding stream. The postholder will support the assessment and, where needed, development of funding proposals and will develop high quality reporting for key governance bodies. The postholder will support the Grants team’s involvement in reviews of funded programmes, reporting on progress and will participate in learning visits to programmes. The postholder will support effective communications about the portfolio of funded work to key stakeholders within the national Church institutions and externally.  

Whilst this role is not primarily a front-facing role (the Diocesan Support Team and the Churches and Networks Team are responsible for working directly with dioceses and non-diocesan partners), the post-holder will have the opportunity to manage between 2-4 Innovation Funding awards.  

• You will be expected to work 1 day a week in Church House, Westminster
• There is a requirement to undertake visits to other sites across England and a need for flexibility to work outside office hours as required.
• You will need substantial hands-on experience in supporting the management of a large and high-profile grant-making programme or funding process, including implementing and maintaining effective grant management policies and processes within a grant management system. 

First interviews will be held online on Tuesday 20 January 2026. 

Second interviews will be held in person at Church House, Westminster on Thursday 29 January 2026.

Please note that internal applicants will be interviewed alongside external candidates. 

• A salary of £48,557 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.

• 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.

• Strive for Excellence
• Show Compassion
• Respect others
• Collaborate
• Act with Integrity