Personal Assistant to Bishop

Context

The Diocese of Winchester has over 400 church buildings, and over 300 parishes, with many more worshipping communities. There are chaplaincies operating in schools, universities, hospitals, prisons and other institutions and organisations across the area of Hampshire and East Dorset which is covered by the diocese. Also included are over a hundred Church of England primary schools. Every parish in the diocese is encouraged to develop a Mission Action Plan which sets out the way in which the church in that local area will engage with and support the community in which it is situated – with parishes offering everything from parent and toddler groups and “Messy Church”, to street pastors and support for night‑shelters and refugees.

This includes the role of the Personal Assistant to the Bishop of Basingstoke who shares responsibility for the pastoral care and oversight of the Church in the region with the Diocese of Winchester leadership team. The personal assistant will play a pivotal role in enabling the Bishop to fulfil her responsibilities by managing her time, communications, and engagements. This includes diary management, correspondence, briefing preparation, travel arrangements, financial oversight, and acting as a trusted confidant and gatekeeper.

The Person al Assistant will also coordinate events, support diocesan communications, manage office administration, and liaise with volunteers and stakeholders. You will be expected to build a strong working relationship with the Bishop, understand her priorities, and anticipate her needs with discretion and professionalism.

• Diary Management:
  Manage the Bishop’s diary, ensuring effective prioritisation and time management. Schedule meetings, appointments, and events in line with the Bishop’s personal and professional commitments, ensuring sufficient preparation time is diarised.
• Correspondence:
  Draft and manage correspondence on behalf of the Bishop, including calls, emails, complaints, enquiries and official documents, triaging as necessary and responding or delegating according to sensitivity.
• Briefings and Preparation:
  Ensure the Bishop is well‑prepared and informed for all events. Print agendas and reports for statutory meetings and create executive summaries of reports highlighting key items.
• Travel and Accommodation:
  Arrange travel, accommodation and logistics for the Bishop’s trips, both within the Diocese and nationally, ensuring arrangements are efficient and cost‑effective.
• Finance:
  Oversee and manage the finances and budget planning for the 'Local Account' related to the Bishop of Basingstoke, keeping records of expenses, invoices and mileage.
• Support & Advice:
  Provide appropriate support to the Bishop in the exercise of her duties as a confidant and gatekeeper, ensuring risks are discussed, mitigated or avoided.
• Relationship Management:
  Ensure good working relationships with the Bishop’s staff, senior diocesan staff, senior cathedral staff and all staff at Winchester diocesan offices.

• Church/Diocesan Events:
  Assist in planning and organising diocesan events, services, conferences and gatherings hosted by the Bishop, including coordination of logistics, catering, invitations and event materials.
• External Engagements:
  Facilitate the Bishop’s engagement with external organisations, charities and community leaders by managing invitations, RSVPs and event details.

• Administration:
  Oversee the administrative tasks related to the Bishop’s office, including filing, document management and maintaining an organised, efficient working environment.
• Warden of Readers Support:
  Provide administrative support for the Bishop in her role as Warden of Readers, producing licences, maintaining records and supporting the annual lay licensing service.
• Record Review:
  Review current records for LLM and consider improvements with others.
• Confidentiality & GDPR:
  Handle sensitive and confidential information with utmost discretion and integrity, ensuring privacy and security of communications and documents.
• Team Coordination:
  Liaise with diocesan staff, clergy and…