Employment opportunities

Westminster Abbey Institute Vacancies

Deputy Directors (3 posts) and Programme Officer
Permanent - Full time (40 hours per week)
Salary and reference numbers are detailed for each post

Closing date Sunday, 8th September 2024 at 12.00 PM

About us:

Westminster Abbey is a living church, a treasured part of Britain’s heritage and an architectural masterpiece at the heart of a World Heritage Site.  The Abbey is a Royal Peculiar and has been the coronation church for nearly a thousand years.  It occupies a central place in the life of the nation and Commonwealth, and its engagement with the Public Square via the Westminster Abbey Institute is a key element of its mission. 

The Institute aims to nurture and revitalise moral and spiritual values in public life and service. It seeks to replenish and sustain public servants of all faiths and none, and to celebrate and animate public service as a force for good. It draws on the full range of the Abbey’s resources and seeks to build partnerships with other institutions in the UK and internationally. 

We’re now focusing our work in three key areas: supporting the Institute’s talented and diverse Fellowship community, strengthening our parliamentary and institutional engagement, and expanding our public programmes. The newly created roles below are vital to this endeavour, and will play a key role in delivering the Institute’s emerging strategy for Renewing faith in public life.

Deputy Directors (3 posts) – Salary £55,065 per annum

This is an exciting time to join the team at Westminster Abbey Institute as we look to grow our reach and impact for the future. We are seeking to appoint three visionary Deputy Directors, each with responsibility for one of the below areas.

You will be degree-qualified with an enquiring and intellectually nimble mind, experienced in public engagement, and have a good understanding of the public service landscape.

You will work collaboratively with the Institute’s Director and Steering Group, and with a supportive team of colleagues across the wider Abbey community.

Deputy Director, Fellowship – Reference: WA343

You will lead on supporting the growth and development of a thriving Fellowship community, supporting the Institute’s annual Fellowship Programme, and its growing network of alumni.  Your external contacts will include the Institute’s network of Fellows and Council of Reference members; the Fellows’ Council, and other senior public servants and officials. You will have line management responsibility for the two (job-share) Westminster Abbey Institute Assistant(s) and deputise for the Director of Westminster Abbey Institute as required. Further details are reflected in the application pack.

Deputy Director, Parliamentary and Institutional Engagement – Reference: WA344

You will lead on parliamentary and institutional engagement on behalf of Westminster Abbey Institute with responsibility for defining, implementing and leading the Institute’s engagement with Parliament and public service institutions. You will have line management responsibility for the Institute Programme Officer and deputise for the Director of Westminster Abbey Institute as required. Further details are reflected in the application pack.

Deputy Director, Public Programmes – Reference: WA345

You will lead on developing the Institute’s public profile, voice and offer, with responsibility for curating the Institute’s outreach and public-facing programmes. You will have a dotted line responsibility for the Programme Officer and the Institute Assistant(s), providing guidance and support in the absence of their line managers. Further details are reflected in the application pack.

Programme Officer – Reference: WA346, Salary £31,600 per annum

This newly created role supports the Institute’s activity across its three priority areas of Fellowship, parliamentary and institutional engagement, and public programmes. This is a wide-ranging role with responsibility for supporting each of the Institute’s three new Deputy Directors with various aspects of programme design, development, administration and evaluation.

We are looking for a Programme Officer with the experience, aptitude and ability to help the Institute realise its full potential across its three areas of work. This is a vital role with scope for substantial personal development and public impact. You will work with a collaborative team of Institute and other Abbey colleagues, as well as external partners.

Educated to graduate degree level or equivalent in a relevant field, you will be proactive and collaborative, solutions and delivery-focused, and have the ability to respond creatively to challenge and opportunity. Further details are reflected in the application pack.

Closing date: Candidates must send in their completed application form(s) to: [email protected]  no later than 5pm, 8^th September 2024, quoting  the job title for the post(s) applied for, and the reference number(s) on the front of your completed application form. If you wish to be considered for more than one of the roles, please specify each post of interest, on the front of your application form and ensure you specify the individual person specification requirements for each job role. Separate application forms will be required if you wish to be considered for both a Deputy Director role(s) and the Programme Officer role, due to the significantly different requirements.

Safeguarding: Westminster Abbey is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk. To prevent them from harm, we undertake appropriate checks on staff and volunteers and require them to complete relevant safeguarding training and a basic DBS check.  Westminster Abbey is an Equal Opportunities Employer.