Personal Assistant to the Dean of Lincoln & to The
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PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE DEAN OF LINCOLN & TO THE PRECENTOR OF LINCOLN APPLICATION PACK Inspiring People in Different Ways The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln (to give it its proper title) is first and foremost a church, the seat of the Bishop of Lincoln and a centre of worship and mission. A minimum of three services take place each day of the year, at least one of which is usually sung by the Cathedral’s renowned choir. It is the principal church of Lincolnshire and holds many of the county-wide services of celebration, commemoration and memorial. Lincoln Cathedral is a place of pilgrimage, where people come to seek God, to learn more about faith, or to take time out of a busy day for quiet reflection. It is a place of welcome and hospitality where all of any faith or no faith are encouraged to feel at home. There is a real richness and variety in the way the Cathedral building is used. Significant musical, dramatic events take place, whether it is a visit from the Halle Orchestra; a performance of the 70’s musical Jesus Christ Superstar; Mystery Plays; or international pop musician Ian Anderson, of Jethro Tull fame, coming to perform. Also there is an active lecture series each year with key speakers offering their insight into current and historical affairs. We welcome thousands of visitors from across the world to the Cathedral every year. Many hundreds of children visit during our annual schools’ festivals: Church Schools Festival, Infant Schools Festival, Secondary Schools Festival and Special Schools Festival and we offer schools’ tours and trails throughout the academic year. A Brief History of the Cathedral After the Battle of Hastings in 1066 William the Conqueror established a castle in the south-west corner of the old Roman city of Lincoln (Lindum Colonia). One of his supporters, Remigius Bishop of Dorchester, was instructed to transfer his cathedral to Lincoln in order to consolidate Norman power in the north. Construction commenced in 1072 and the building was consecrated as a Cathedral in May 1092, two days after Bishop Remigius’ death. Before long the country was plunged into civil war again as King Stephen and Empress Mathilda fought for seventeen years for control and in this period, probably around 1141 the Cathedral was damaged by fire and a partial rebuilding was ordered by Alexander the Magnificent (Bishop of Lincoln 1123-1148). Disaster struck again and in 1185 an earthquake destroyed all but the West Front and its twin towers. Hugh of Avalon arrived in 1186 and he set about fundraising for a rebuilding which began in in 1192. Hugh died in 1200 before the great transept and Nave were finished, and was buried in his Cathedral. Miracles were experienced by those who came to pray at his tomb, and in the space of 20 years he was proclaimed a saint by the Pope. By 1255 the numbers coming on pilgrimage to his tomb were so great that it was decided that an extension at the east end should be built. Hugh’s body was transferred to the new “Angel Choir” in 1280 and pilgrims continued to come, paying for further beautification of the building so that between 1307 and 1311 the central tower was raised to its present height, and later that same century the two western towers were heightened. Wooden spires covered with lead were added so that for 200 years Lincoln was the tallest building in the world. Wooden spires covered with lead were added so that for two hundred years Lincoln Cathedral was the tallest building in the world. Alas, in 1548 the spires on the central tower collapsed. The Reformation brought great changes to Lincoln and between 1540 and 1548 the chantry chapels were dissolved, St. Hugh’s body was removed, the shrine was stripped of its jewels and the treasury of its contents and the content of the daily services was vastly simplified. However the greatest threat was posed by the English Civil war one hundred years later when the Cathedral Close was besieged in May 1643 and the Cathedral pillaged. The round of daily services was abandoned and the building fell increasingly into disrepair. The restoration of the monarchy in 1660 saw the appointment of Dean Michael Honywood. He was a deeply cultured and scholarly priest whose concern for the dignified worship of God led to a revival in both liturgy and fabric. He paid for repairs to the building, built the Wren Library, made new appointments to the choir and ensured that the revised Book of Common Prayer was in use from 1662. By 1726 the weight of the western towers and spires were causing them to lean and in 1729 the architect James Gibbs added cross walls for strengthening. The western spires were finally removed in 1807 for safety reasons resulting in the Cathedral building we see today. The Very Reverend Christine Wilson, 84th Dean of Lincoln, leads the life and work of this Cathedral Church in all of its richness and all of its various facets. She also shares with the Diocesan Bishop and his other senior colleagues in the oversight of the Diocese of Lincoln. The Dean is also the “second citizen” of Lincoln, after the City’s Mayor. Locally, nationally and internationally the Dean is the primary ambassador for the Cathedral and represents the City and the County also. The post of Precentor is awaiting its new incumbent, The Revd Sal McDougall, who will join the Cathedral team in September 2017. The Precentor is responsible for the worship and music offering in the Cathedral and is also a member of the Chapter, the Cathedral’s governing body. Locally, nationally and internationally the Precentor represents the Cathedral and Diocese in matters of music, worship and liturgy. ROLE DESCRIPTION Job title: Personal Assistant to the Dean of Lincoln and to the Precentor of Lincoln Line Managers: Dean of Lincoln and Precentor of Lincoln Location: The Deanery, 11 Minster Yard and The Precentory, 12 Eastgate (although there is a plan to move the office by the end of 2017 to 2 Minster Yard and enable co-location of Dean and Precentor’s office) Overall Purpose The Dean and Precentor’s PA is responsible for the administration of the Dean and Precentor’s work, and for the efficient running of both offices. As the normal first point of contact with the Dean and Precentor the PA will need to take responsibility for redirecting enquiries, summarising issues, and managing diaries and workload in a timely and helpful fashion so that reputation of the Dean and Precentor’s office is enhanced and protected. Main Duties and Responsibilities Advanced planning and management of the Dean and Precentor's respective diaries. Preparing weekly then daily sheets of the Dean and Precentor’s engagements and maintaining an efficient system for tracking papers and filing. Planning and organising the Dean and Precentor’s travel arrangements. Organising all appointments, providing practical briefings and papers for all visits and meetings for both the Dean and Precentor. Dealing with all correspondence and email; drafting replies for approval as required. Handling a wide range of telephone enquiries with confidence, diplomacy and tact - answering queries directly or passing them on to the Dean / Precentor or other appropriate source of information. Preparation and formatting of service booklets and collation of papers to enable the production of the clergy rotas, all to the Precentor’s specific instruction and guidance Ensuring Safeguarding and Data Protection are being handled to the highest possible standards. Developing an effective network of contacts with relevant people in equivalent position to this post, regionally, nationally and internationally. Ensuring a warm and generous welcome to all visitors and arranging catering as necessary at the Cathedral, the Deanery and Precentory. Keeping the relevant family informed of events and offering support to the Dean and Precentor families in all ways that are proper and appropriate. Administering the Dean and Precentor's Expenses. Planning and organising catering for a range of social events each year. Maintaining good relationships and communication with Cathedral staff and Diocesan officers. Undertake research as required by the Dean and Precentor. Carry out any other duties of an associated or similar nature. PERSON SPECIFICATION Education, Qualifications and Experience Educated to A level standard and/or with the relevant secretarial qualifications and work experience, which must include working for a senior executive or equivalent in a complex organisation. Knowledge, Skills, Attributes: ESSENTIAL The ability to understand and apply the priorities of both the Dean and the Precentor (separately) when allocating diary appointments. Well-presented work with a meticulous eye for detail. Ability to show initiative and work with minimal or no supervision. Excellent communication skills both oral and written, including a competent and friendly telephone manner. Excellent interpersonal skills in particular warmth, tact, discretion, diplomacy, empathy and imagination. Enjoys dealing with people from all walks of life and will do so with courtesy and on occasion appropriate firmness. Willingness to deal with a wide range of people of different faiths or no faith and to treat them equally. Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality and handle sensitive issues with discretion. Proactive, well organised, methodical and the ability to manage competing priorities. Ability to work with a high degree of ambiguity. Ability to work calmly under pressure and meet deadlines. Ability to work independently and as a member of a team and the wider households. Competent in use of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and Power Point with evidence of previous experience of maintaining data bases. Willingness to be involved in continuing personal and professional development.