Generous Giving Adviser (0.6 fte)Diocese of Newcastle

Diocese of Newcastlewww.newcastle.anglican.orgNewcastle Diocesan Board of Finance. A Company Limited by Guarantee and a Registered Charity.Registered in England number 650977. Registered office: Church House, St John’s Terrace, North Shields NE296HS.

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Overview

Generous Giving Adviser

Job Summary

To support the work of Bishop’s Staff Team in leading the promotion of ‘generous giving’ within the Diocese of Newcastle as an advocate, adviser and enabler.

Introduction

The Diocese of Newcastle understands generous giving to be our individual and corporate response to God who in Jesus Christ is unstinting and unfailing in his generosity towards us. We echo the prayer of scripture: ‘All things come from you and of your own do we give you.’ (1 Chronicles 29.14)

We seek to nurture and promote generous financial giving as a key part of our shared discipleship, as we follow Jesus in the whole of our lives, and as a core means of delivering the mission and ministry of the Diocese: growing church bringing hope.

This newly-created post, together with that of the Generous Giving Officer, is a result of the work and recommendations of the Developing Stewardship Group (DSG). This new team is designed to provide much needed capacity to our Bishop’s Staff Team, our Finance Team and Finance Group, and to our parish clergy and treasurers as we enable generous giving across the Diocese.

Background to the Posts

The Developing Stewardship Group (DSG) was set up in 2015 and their recommendations were agreed and adopted by Bishops Council. A key recommendation of the DSG was a shift in language and understanding from ‘stewardship’ to ‘generous giving’, which is part of our discipleship and Christian life.

The decision was also taken to locate generous giving within the work of the Ministry Council, linking and aligning it with discipleship to help underpin growing church bringing hope.

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Overview

Diocesan Background

The simple yet profound values of the Diocese of Newcastle – generous, engaged, and open - have become not only a way of expressing the aspirations of the Diocese but a prism through which we view our mission. They inform and inspire the way we work and help us model our behaviour.

Framed by the Rivers Tyne and Tweed the Diocese of Newcastle is the Church of England’s most northerly diocese. This Diocese in the ‘land of the Northern Saints’ was formed in 1882 and comprises 172 parishes across 2,110 square miles. The Diocese covers the local authorities of Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside and also small parts of County Durham and Cumbria. The 12 deaneries within 2 archdeaconries serve a population of 800,000 people across a variety of communities ranging from sparse rural to large inner city areas of deprivation.

A cohort of 115 stipendiary and 35 self-supporting clergy under the episcopal leadership of a diocesan bishop, the Rt Revd Christine Hardman, and the suffragan Bishop of Berwick, the Rt Revd Mark Tanner, are resourced by a team of lay and ordained supporting ministers, 25 active local ministry development groups and 120 readers. A small administration team is based at Church House, North Shields which also houses the Joint Education Team, the Lindisfarne Regional Training Partnership (two joint working initiatives with the Diocese of Durham) and a Religious Resources Centre.

The Diocese of Newcastle is committed to flourishing churches and communities and has developed a vision for growing church bringing hope as part of a response to the challenges faced by the church in our rural, urban and suburban settings.

Employment

The successful candidate will be employed by the Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance.

Location

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Overview

This post will be located at Church House, St John’s Terrace, Percy Main, North Shields, NE29 6HS.

Accountability and key relationships

Line Manager: The Director of Discipleship and Ministry for Mission

Accountable for: Generous Giving Officer (0.6 FTE)

Key relationships include: the Generous Giving Officer and other members of the Discipleship and Ministry for Mission team; the Bishops and Archdeacons of the Diocese; the Finance Manager and Diocesan Secretary; the Finance Group (a sub-group of the Bishop’s Council and Standing Committee of the DBF).

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Key responsibilities

Strategy Provide a generous giving input to the ongoing development of core strategic work within the diocese;

develop an integrated approach between generous giving and diocesan strategic work streams and existing initiatives;

Generous Giving Encourage and nurture Christian giving in the context of discipleship by enthusing people and parishes in the theology and practice of giving. Having an understanding of the theology and biblical principles of Christian giving and generosity;

Seek out opportunities to promote generous giving as part of discipleship to lay leaders and clergy, congregations, and in diocesan publications;

Work with colleagues to develop and deliver a range of highly visible projects which translate strategic generous giving objectives into tangible action and outcomes, linked with discipleship, mission, and ministry;

identify and address obstacles to generous giving (i.e. what prevents individuals and parishes from exercising Christian generosity as part of discipleship, including areas such as knowledge / understanding; culture / mind-set; capacity / capability);

In consultation with the Director of Discipleship and Ministry for Mission, identify and work closely with a portfolio of parishes to help overcome barriers to generous giving, support local lay and church leaders and identify new and innovative solutions to encourage and promote generous giving;

Work with the Finance Team, Finance Group, Ministry Council, Archdeacons and Diocesan Secretary to prioritise support for particular PCCs;

Nurturing and developing the gifts of others

Promote a range of resources and programmes which can be used by lay leaders and clergy in parishes and deaneries to equip people with an understanding of generous Christian giving;

Develop pathways to support clergy and lay leaders in shaping parish engagement with generous giving;

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Key responsibilities

Manage, lead and encourage the Generous Giving Officer, ensuring they have the support, knowledge and experience needed to deliver their role;

Building relationships, influencing and encouraging others

Work with the officers of Lindisfarne College of Theology, the Continuing Ministerial Development Officer, and other Discipleship colleagues to ensure that teaching on encouraging generous giving is embedded into theological formation and ongoing training;

Build and maintain excellent working relationships with clergy and lay leaders; Support existing training for parish treasurers and Deanery Finance Officers and establish

new opportunities for joint training and development of lay leaders and clergy; Encourage joint working within deaneries and / or between parishes to increase

collaboration and limit isolation, strengthen leadership, build confidence, share experience, and provide mutual support;

Work collaboratively with other stewardship and giving officers in the North East region and with the Church of England Stewardship Network;

Communications Seek out and share good practice of giving as part of discipleship from within the diocese and elsewhere and share it - collect and disseminate ‘good news’ stories;

Working with the Generous Giving Officer, ensure that the generous giving section of the diocesan website is regularly maintained, publishing resources, signposting, and maintaining links with other giving initiatives and resources;

Contribute to the Diocese’s social media presence, encouraging feedback and dialogue; Working with the Communications Team, develop and embed an easily understood

language for giving and embed it into all diocesan activity and communications; Represent the Diocese at regional and national conferences on generous giving,

stewardship and related subjects.

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Person Specification: key criteria

Key Criteria Essential

Qualifications & Training A Genuine Occupational Requirement exists for the post holder to be a practising Christian;

Experience Proven project management experience, evidence of initiating, developing, implementing and evaluating plans and projects;

Experience of leading/facilitating culture change; Experience of delivering through team members and others outside of direct line management

responsibility; Evidence of having delivered against project outcomes and objectives; Able to influence key decision makers; persuading and empowering people or organisations; Able to develop and deliver training interventions; Able to facilitate meetings;

Knowledge & Skills In-depth knowledge and experience of discipleship in the context of the Christian Church; Awareness of current developments in the sphere of stewardship and generous giving, both

within and outside the Church of England; Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills in one-to-one, group and presentation

contexts; Good listening skills with the ability to read situations and to respond and challenge

appropriately and effectively; Ability to relate to and value all kinds of people and traditions within the Church of England; Ability to write clearly, simply and persuasively for a wide range of audiences and to make a

compelling case or argument; Ability both to interpret and assimilate large amounts of information and to analyse and draw

conclusions from financial data and other management information;

Personal A high level of interpersonal skills, able to demonstrate self-awareness and emotional

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Person Specification: key criteria

intelligence; Able to exercise sound judgment and make decisions within levels of delegated authority; Commitment to personal and professional development Ability to demonstrate enthusiasm and resilience; Ability to work with a wide range of people; Committed to the mission of the Church and the need to resource it effectively; Confident in engaging with all kinds of people and in talking with them about finances and

sensitive issues; Self-motivated, able to work with minimum supervision.

General Ability to work flexible hours, including evening and weekend commitments.

Desirable

Qualifications & Training Qualification in training and development.

Experience Previous experience of engaging with ministry, mission, and financial issues at a parish level; Proven experience of working with different theological approaches within the Church of

England;

Knowledge & Skills Understanding of Church of England/diocesan structures, processes and purposes.

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Person Specification: Conditions

General Conditions

DiversityWe understand the benefits of employing individuals from a range of backgrounds, with diverse cultures and talents. We aim to create a workforce that:

• values difference in others and respects the dignity and worth of each individual;• reflects the diversity of the nation that the Church of England exists to serve;• fosters a climate of creativity, tolerance and diversity that will help all staff to develop to their full potential.

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and ensuring that all employees, job applicants, customers and other persons with whom we deal are treated fairly and are not subjected to discrimination. We want to ensure that we not only observe the relevant legislation but also do whatever is necessary to provide genuine equality of opportunity. We expect all of our employees to be treated and to treat others with respect. Our aim is to provide a working environment free from harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form which may affect the dignity of the individual.

Standards of Behaviour and ConductEmployees are expected to act at all times with due consideration for others and in a manner befitting their position as employees of the Church and as professionals, whatever their job.

Health and Safety ResponsibilitiesThe Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance takes Health and Safety at work very seriously and require their employees to familiarise themselves with, and follow, their policy.

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Salary Grade 4 - Salary: probationary period £18,669 pa (£31,115 FTE); on completion of probationary period £19,562 pa (£32,753 FTE).

Pension Contributions Employees will be automatically enrolled into the Church Workers Pension Fund (CWPF) Pension Builder Classic Scheme. The Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance contributes 10% of pensionable salary as an employer contribution to the Scheme. This is a non-contributory Scheme and staff may voluntarily contribute to the Scheme if they wish to do so.Employees have a right to opt out of the Scheme after enrolment.

Hours of Duty The post is offered as a 0.6 full-time equivalent post. The post will require availability and attendance at evening and weekend meetings and events. Overtime is not paid but time off in lieu is provided. Lunch and any other breaks are unpaid.

Annual Leave The leave year runs from 1st January to 31st December. Full-time staff receive 25 days paid leave per leave year exclusive of 8 public holidays and 4 additional holidays approved by the Board.

Contract The employer is the Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance. This post is a permanent position.The post is subject to a six month probationary period.

Application and Selection Process

Closing date for receipt of applications: 4.30 pm, Monday 24th June 2019.

You may e-mail your completed application form to recruitment@newcastle.anglican.org or return your completed application to Marilyn Wright, Human Resources Advisor, Newcastle Diocesan Board of Finance, Church House, St John’s Terrace, North Shields NE29 6HS

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