PA to the Bishop of Kingston

Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to support the Bishop of Kingston in a fast-paced and varied role in the Diocese of Southwark.

This role is one in which the post holder can make a significant difference in the effectiveness of the work led by the Bishop. You will be at the heart of the Kingston Episcopal Area Office and will often provide the initial interface for those contacting the Bishop.

Introduction

Reporting directly to the Bishop, your duties will range from complex diary management, and management of projects to taking responsibility for his administrative and secretarial needs.

The Bishop is lead Bishop for the environment, further and higher education, and interfaith with responsibility for overseas links with the Dioceses of Jerusalem and Matabeleland, making the contacts and areas of work wide-ranging and interesting.

There is a mixture of the routine, but very important, work in managing diaries, making sure that the right information is available to the right person at the right time, combined with the unique and unusual requests that come our way. You will find a real variety in the role, and no two days are the same.

Main Responsibilities

Cordination

• Maintaining the diary, making appointments, preparing papers for meetings, and itineraries, arranging visits including overseas travel
• Planning and organising training and conferences

Secretarial and Administration

• Dealing with correspondence and drafting replies
• Prepare and circulate agendas for meetings , attending and minuting when required.
• Dealing sensitively with telephone calls
• Develop and maintain efficient filing systems
• Assist with the preparation and dispatch of electronic and other mailings to clergy and church officers

Hospitality:

• Welcome visitors to the office
• Arrange catering for office lunches and support events at the Bishop’s House and elsewhere, if appropriate.

Co-ordination of Services

• Support the process of ordinations of Priests including producing and printing of the Orders of Service.
• Working closely with the Diocesan Bishop’s Office, co-ordinate the arrangements for the institution/induction/licensing of a new incumbents
• Coordinate all confirmation services in the Area, arranging details of the service with the relevant clergy
• Compile an annual programme in conjunction with the Diocesan Bishop’s Office and maintain and report confirmation statistics to the Diocese.

Finance

• Manage the Bishop’s expenses and discretionary accounts. 
• Liaise with the Diocesan Office over accounts and various financial matters

The Ideal Candidate

• You will be a highly motivated and organised, flexible, adaptive, experienced Personal Assistant, used to working on your own initiative, whilst being able to work collaboratively with colleagues to meet the objectives of the Bishop and his ministry.
• You should have excellent Microsoft Office skills, especially Word, Excel and Outlook, along with good verbal and written communication skills
• Good interpersonal and teamwork skills are essential as is the ability to exercise tact, diplomacy, sensitivity and confidentiality.
• You should be well organized, including experience in the organisation of events, and used to managing conflicting demands, with the ability to prioritise time and resources effectively, often within tight deadlines
• You should have experience of, and be effective in, working in a team environment, but be capable of acting on your own initiative as the need arises
• We want you to be enthusiastically committed to working with the Bishop and Archdeacons to serve the parishes of the Kingston Episcopal Area
• An understanding of the services, worship and liturgy of the Church of England will be helpful and you should be a practicing Christian, or be in sympathy with the aims and objectives of the Christian Church and have due regard for the traditions of the Church of England

About us

• The Diocese of Southwark is is of one of the largest, and most diverse dioceses in the Church of England serving the people of South London and East Surrey. Our Southwark Vision is founded on mutual commitment, speaking well of one another , walking together in the pilgrimage of faith, and seeking to be Christ-centred and outward-focused in all we do

• One of its three Episcopal Areas, Kingston is the richly varied part of London between Waterloo and Kingston upon Thames. We serve our population of about 1.1 million through ministries in more than 100 parishes, nearly 50 church schools, four universities, seven hospitals and hospices, and two prisons. All our churches are important centres in the community, offering worship, teaching, pastoral care and social action.