St Edmundsbury Cathedral
A beacon of faith, hope and love in Suffolk
JOB TITLE: Dean’s PA
LINE MANAGER: Administrator and Head of HR
JOB SUMMARY: To act as PA to the Dean in managing the day to day running of the Dean’s office including a variety of tasks and responsibilities. To provide personal assistance to the Dean in the exercising of their ministry. To support the Dean in the organisation and administration of occasional and special services.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Salary: £16,000
Hours of Work: 28 hours a week (4 days)
Annual Leave: 25 days per annum plus BH (pro rata)
Contract: 12 month contract which may become permanent
The Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund, Bury St Edmunds, was created in 1914 when the existing St James’s Church was selected as the seat of the new Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The Cathedral remains also a parish church. The building was enlarged by Stephen Dykes Bower in the 1960s and its central tower was opened by HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in 2005. New cloisters, chapels and other building works were completed and consecrated in 2009. Further major projects were completed in 2010, namely the installation of the vaulted ceiling and the refurbishment of the Cathedral organ.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral maintains a daily round of worship with the Anglican choral tradition of music at its heart. The Book of Common Prayer and Common Worship are used on a daily basis for routine services and there is a vast range of special services of celebration, thanksgiving and commemoration when local and national bodies and individuals attend. In addition, there are a significant number of secular events such as concerts and art exhibitions on an almost weekly basis. The Cathedral is also a principal destination in East Anglia for tourists and other visitors and also provides a significant educational programme for schools visits.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral Enterprises Limited oversees the Cathedral Gift Shop, our Tourist Information Point, Pilgrim’s Kitchen (café/restaurant) and our external events facilities.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral is a lively and exciting place in which to work. The completion of major building works has seen the Cathedral grow in size and activity and the place has become busier. The extraordinary variety of people who are associated with the Cathedral and the remarkable diversity of the events which take place here mean that there is much to capture the imagination of the Cathedral’s employees; much to be done, and much to enjoy. ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
Provide proactive assistance to the Dean including diary management, all matters relating to the Dean’s commitments, scheduling individual and group meetings, assist in forward- planning and advise of impending deadlines. Prepare and distribute paperwork to Chapter, Council, College of Canons, Finance Committee and Enterprises meetings in advance of each meeting. Prepare refreshments. Minute the meetings and type up the minutes and action points in a timely manner. Handle the Dean’s correspondence and responding directly where appropriate. Record, file and/or forward as appropriate all incoming internal and external paperwork, emails and telephone calls in a prompt and professional manner, ensuring the highest quality of presentation at all times. Deal with sensitive and confidential information in the absence of the Dean. Exercise judgment and initiative in prioritising responses and issues. Professional and effective liaison with contacts, acting as the Dean’s representative in person, by email and phone: receive visitors to the Dean and support the Dean’s external relations activities, including adequate briefings for meetings, necessary preparatory papers, travel and accommodation arrangements. To manage or nurture wide contacts across the county and nationally on behalf of the Dean. Assist the Dean in the preparation of presentational material and other documentation for wider internal and/or external circulation. Responsible for some aspects of maintaining and updating the Cathedral database. To compile and manage invitation lists for special events and services, collate responses, issue tickets. Maintain good working relationships with the diocesan office and liaise and organise on diocesan events held at the Cathedral. Liaison with Bishop’s Office where necessary. Arrange schedule of MDRs undertaken by the Dean in liaison with the MET team administrator. Manage and maintain records and procedures for the Order of St Edmund. Assist the Dean with preparation and timely submission of expenses. Regular liaison with Chapter members, Cathedral staff and volunteers. Attend the weekly diary planning meeting. Attend monthly full staff meeting. To undertake professionally and appropriately any other duties reasonably requested.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Qualities
Sympathy with the vision of St Edmundsbury Cathedral and the Christian faith. Considerable experience in a busy office with a high throughput, strict deadlines and high standards for output. Excellent communication with a good command of English, both written and spoken. Excellent time management, attention to detail and administrative skills, and the ability to work effectively without supervision. Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines. Attention to detail. High standards of presentation, both personally and in the preparation of documents. Ability to work on own initiative and prioritize. Confidence in dealing with people of all ages and walks of life. Excellent interpersonal and team-working skills, and the ability to relate easily to people at all levels. Sensitive telephone manner, diplomatic at all times, but assertive when necessary. Experience of servicing committees, and proof-reading ability. Open to change and demonstrable experience of initiating and implementing process improvements. Total discretion, with a clear understanding of the highly confidential nature of the work within the Dean remit. IT skills, including Microsoft, Word, Publisher, Excel, Power Point and Outlook.
Desired Qualities
A good understanding of the Church of England. Patience and common sense. Self-confidence that inspires confidence and trust in others. To work flexibly, in line with the job description, undertaking new tasks at quiet periods, and helping out with work from other areas of the Cathedral and Cathedral Enterprises. To be motivated by the idea of a rapidly changing environment and be adaptable enough to cope with the job. The ability to think outside the box. Energy, enthusiasm and a good sense of humour.
This job description is an operational document and does not form part of your contract of employment. It may be that from time to time you are expected to perform tasks that may not be expressly part of the job description but are nonetheless necessary in the day to day performance of your duties. St Edmundsbury Cathedral reserves the right to amend the job description as may from time to time be necessary to meet the changing needs of the organisation.
The appointment process will include an interview, a desk exercise and a tour of the Cathedral. Closing date: Tuesday 15th August 9.00am Interview date: Friday 25th August or Tuesday 29th August Please apply, using the Cathedral’s Application Form, to: Sarah-Jane Allison Administrator and Head of HR St Edmundsbury Cathedral Abbey House Angel Hill Bury St Edmunds IP33 1LS Email: [email protected] Tel: 01284 748720