Site Team Lead Chaplain

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 22 January 2026

Applications are invited for an experienced Healthcare Chaplain with an interest in the spirituality and spiritual support of children. They must be willing to provide spiritual, religious and pastoral care to patients, relatives, visitors and staff whatever their beliefs, culture or lifestyle as part of the Chaplaincy Team based at East Kent Hospitals. This is an opportunity to join as a part-time Site Team Lead Chaplain, with additional on-call responsibilities in the evening and at weekends, on a rota basis.

To provide spiritual, religious and pastoral care to patients, relatives, visitors and staff in what can be sensitive, distressing and traumatic situations.

We are one of the largest Hospital Trusts in England, with three acute hospitals and community sites serving a local population of around 700,000. We also provide specialist services for Kent and Medway.

We care about our patients and our people. We are focused on providing outstanding, safe patient care, and a positive working culture that benefits staff and patients alike. With our emphasis on staff training and development, a staff support scheme that’s second to none, and a healthy package of benefits, it’s easy to put down roots in East Kent Hospitals.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in Documents to download.

• Recognised theological/ philosophical or psychological qualification
• Authorisation/licence to minister from a member church of Churches Together in England or equivalent accountable agency/ organisation.
• Ordination in member church of Churches Together in England or recognition from an accountable agency/organisation.

• An ability to communicate and work with staff, patients and visitors in sensitive, distressing and traumatic situations.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary environment.
• To have a minimum of three years’ experience of pastoral ministry.
• To be aware of/ discern various stress levels in Hospital Staff Colleagues.
• To have an experience of counselling, pastoral and/ or bereavement care.

• Must uphold and adhere to the NHS England Chaplaincy Guidelines 2015 & Code of Conduct for Healthcare Chaplains

• To have a knowledge of the varying denominational, faith and spiritual traditions
• Empathic, self‑aware, team player, compassionate, friendly & approachable

• Upholds and models the Trust values.
• To have a developing theology/philosophy/psychological process of death, dying and bereavement.
• To have a developing theology/philosophy/psychological process of death, dying and bereavement.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

£38,682 to £46,580 a yearpro rata per annum