Chaplain to Archbishop

Overview

This post offers a unique opportunity to support the Archbishop of Canterbury at a personal and official level. The Archbishop’s staff at Lambeth Palace work as a small, close-knit team, providing flexible support with good humour to meet the intense and wide-ranging demands of the role.

The Chaplain’s primary responsibility is to provide support by praying for and with the Archbishop. The Chaplain will assist and support the Archbishop in her ministry, taking responsibility for its pastoral, theological, and liturgical aspects, and contributing to the Archbishop’s speaking, preaching, and writing commitments. The Chaplain will oversee the worshipping life at Lambeth Palace.

You will play a key role in advising the Archbishop on wider issues from a theological perspective and help shape the themes and priorities of her ministry. Your role will include daily contact with the Archbishop of Canterbury and senior colleagues within Lambeth Palace, and you will work closely with Bishopthorpe Palace, other Departments in the National Church Institutions (including Faith & Public Life), and the Diocese of Canterbury.

You will also engage with a wide range of external and senior contacts relevant to the Archbishop’s ministry including those from the wider Church of England (especially cathedrals and bishops), Anglican Communion partners, government, parliament, charitable organisations, and the Royal Households, as well as contacts overseas.

Pastoral

• Pray regularly for and with the Archbishop.
• In collaboration with Lambeth Palace senior staff and the Private Office, seek to ensure a proper balance in the life of the Archbishop between opus dei, study, work and rest.
• Maintain relationships and effective communication with Episcopal households (especially Bishops’ chaplains and PAs), cathedrals, Royal Peculiars, the chaplain to the Archbishop of York and CofE/wider interest groups & organisations.
• Support and, where appropriate, extend the Archbishop’s pastoral ministry to those under her pastoral care (outside her Diocese), including staff and residents at Lambeth Palace and the provision of one-to-one pastoral care to bishops of the Church of England and extra-Provincial dioceses of the Anglican Communion.
• Ensure good coordination and communication with the Archbishop’s family.
• Where needed, accompany the Archbishop when she travels, both in this country and around the Communion.

Liturgical

• Sustain, with other senior staff, arrangements for Synodical and Provincial liturgical events in which the Archbishop is involved in England (e.g. consecrations, Confirmations of Election, convocations and General Synod).
• Serve, enable, develop and ensure the flourishing of the worshipping life of Lambeth Palace. Oversee the use of the Lambeth Palace Chapels (and, when necessary, develop the liturgy and act as precentor for services taking place in them).
• Oversee the liturgical arrangements for all services in which the Archbishop is involved and be present with her as required.

Theological & Administrative

• Provide theological perspectives to the Archbishop and the wider team, including communications and correspondence.
• Administer publishing requests and maintain the Archbishop’s writing schedule, including the Archbishop’s annual Lent Book.
• Support the Archbishop in preaching, speaking and writing.
• Reply to correspondence addressed to the Archbishop of a general, theological, group or personal nature.
• Provide messages on behalf of the Archbishop and deal with requests for forewords, quotes, endorsements etc.
• In collaboration with other senior colleagues, support the Archbishop’s theological learning and reflection through a variety of means such as round tables, conversations and retreats with theologians.

Other

• Sit as a member of the Archbishop’s senior leadership team. Provide advice to the Archbishop and senior colleagues and contribute to strategic decision-making.
• Receive guests and visitors on behalf of the Archbishop and represent her, either in the UK or overseas, as required.
• Organise pastoral visits for the Archbishop, e.g. to dioceses.
• Represent the Archbishop on…