CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

DIOCESE OF

THE BISHOP’S OFFICE, HEREFORD

PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO THE

JOB TITLE: Personal Assistant to the Bishop of Hereford

LOCATION: The Bishop’s Office, The Palace, Hereford HR4 9BN

ACCOUNTABLE TO: The Bishop of Hereford

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Bishop’s Secretary

KEY RELATIONSHIPS: The Bishop, Bishop’s Secretary, Bishop’s Chaplain. The of Hereford, the Archdeacon of , the , the Diocesan Secretary, the Diocesan Director of Communications and Bishop’s Communications Advisor, the Diocesan Office HR and Office Manager.

BACKGROUND: The Bishop’s Office is a shared space with desks for the Bishop’s PA, the Bishop’s Secretary, the Bishop’s Chaplain and a hot desk for members of the Diocesan staff as required. A finance and accounts officer is employed part time - working from home, with occasional visits to the office.

JOB SUMMARY: To support the Bishop in his ministry. To work with the Bishop’s Secretary and the Bishop’s Chaplain to provide a wide range of administrative and coordinating tasks.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

General office routines

• Liaising with the Bishop’s Chaplain and the Bishop’s Secretary and the Finance Officer to ensure good communications and an appropriate level of awareness of each other’s areas of work. • Supervising the work of the Bishop’ Secretary in consultation with the Bishop. • Maintaining an overview of office systems and protocols. • Maintaining the Office IT and telephone systems – in consultation with the Diocesan Office manager. • Reviewing office procedures and aim to maintain and improve efficiency. • Supporting each other in the office by a willingness to share tasks when under time pressure and when implementing new office procedures. • Responding to emails and telephone calls. • Answering the front door and dealing with visitors to the office. • Maintaining appropriate confidentiality at all times.

Bishop’s Diary and Preparation for engagements

• Responding to diary requests and negotiating appointment dates and times with the Bishop. • Working with the Bishop’s Secretary to print and collate papers for the Bishop’s engagements and maintaining an efficient tracking system. • Checking draft orders of service prepared by others, in consultation with the Bishop’s Chaplain • Liaising with the staff in the Cathedral Office and the Diocesan Office regarding Cathedral and Diocesan events. • Arranging Confirmation services – booking dates, maintaining records.

Clergy recruitment and training

• Liaising with the during a parish vacancy. • Requesting Clergy Current Status Letters (CCSL) for clergy moving into the diocese. • Liaising with the Diocesan Director of Vocations and Ordinands (DDVO) regarding ordinands and curates in training.

Clergy and Lay Ministers Licences and Permissions to Officiate in the Diocese

• Maintaining an overview of parish clergy appointments, in consultation with the Bishop’s Chaplain and the relevant archdeacon. • Overseeing the process of clergy seeking Permission to Officiate (PTO), renewal of PTO and requests for Annual Ministerial Reviews. • Dealing with applications for occasional PTO for specific services or events.

Networking and information sharing

• Establishing and maintaining good working relationships with the Cathedral and Diocesan office staff. • Taking part in the regular “All Staff” meetings. • Taking part in the weekly Bishop’s Office. • Provide appropriate information and data to key people in the organisation. • Creating and maintaining email distribution lists for information sharing.

Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline

• Engaging in appropriate safeguarding training. • Facilitating access to files and records for the Diocesan Safeguarding Office and her staff. • Maintain Clergy Discipline files in consultation with the Bishop’s Chaplain.

Maintenance of records • Maintaining and monitoring the list of current clergy. • Understanding the requirements for the maintenance of clergy personal files (known as Clergy Blue Files) with reference to the House of Bishop’s guidance. • Maintaining the blue files and ensuring the tracking of files in and out of the Diocese. • Maintaining a comprehensive office electronic filing system, supported by paper files when necessary. • Updating the Diocesan Portal/CMS as required. Note new National People Database. • Liaising with the Registry Clerk at the Hereford Diocesan Registry regarding shared records. • Ensuring that all records are GDPR compliant. • Arranging for the archive of records with the Diocesan Records Office – based at Archive and Records Centre (HARC).

Development and training

• Reviewing the Bishop’s Office and the Great Hall risk assessments. • Joining the PA and Secretaries network. • Arranging Smartlog training.

Bishop’s Office and See House

• Liaising with the Church Commissioners regarding the maintenance of the See House, in consultation with the Bishop’s Secretary. • Overseeing leave and time off in lieu for the Bishop’s Office and household employees with Church Commissioners HR Operations.

Carrying out any other duties as required.

This list is not exhaustive and is intended to reflect your main tasks and areas of work. Changes may occur over time and you will be expected to agree any reasonable changes to your job description that are commensurate with your banding and in line with the general nature of your post. You will be consulted about any changes to your job description before these are implemented.