22166 - Roman Catholic Chaplain

The Methodist Church in Britain; Rochester; Hybrid; GBP 15,000 - 25,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave and holidays

Civil Service pension schemes

Hybrid working

Season ticket advance

Training and development

Unsociable hours allowance

Flexible working

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking a part-time Roman Catholic chaplain at HM Prison Rochester within a multifaith chaplaincy team run by HMPPS. The post leads worship and provides pastoral care to Catholic prisoners and staff, and supports others while contributing to national faith and pastoral care policy.

With no line management and flexible hybrid working where possible, the role requires endorsement from the diocesan bishop and the HMPPS Faith and Belief Adviser before appointment.

Qualifications

• Completed formally recognised theological formation: seminary training for priests and deacons, or at least CCRS-equivalent theological qualification for religious or lay persons
• Specific training to hold the qualifications for the area of specialism

Responsibilities

• Give faith guidance, advice and pastoral care to prisoners, staff and their families, liaising with the Faith and Belief Adviser
• Plan and lead worship, meditation, prayer and faith-specific meetings, keeping chaplaincy care available at all times
• Deliver worship, study and religious programmes, and maintain worship facilities with other chaplains, volunteers and external groups
• Provide pastoral care to prisoners, respond to crisis situations, and mentor and nurture chaplains and volunteers, including after incidents
• Help deliver PSI 05/2016 Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners and faith and non-faith courses, contributing to assurance for the Governor and Chaplain General
• Work with the Official Prison Visitor Liaison Officer to promote the scheme and support OPV volunteers
• Publicise faith events, coordinate establishment support for them, and acquire and distribute faith literature and artefacts
• Contribute to training for staff and volunteers, including Faith Awareness Training
• Represent the chaplaincy team at establishment meetings and boards, as chair or team member
• Actively support the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process
• Build links with local faith communities and agencies to support prisoners on release, including in Probation Approved Premises
• Contribute to local policy, targets, administration, data collection and analysis, and take on agreed additional roles

Skills

Multifaith understanding

English fluency

Civil Service behaviours

Education

Theological formation (seminary or CCRS-equivalent)

Specialist area training

Job description

This Roman Catholic chaplain post sits at HM Prison Rochester, within a multifaith chaplaincy team run by HMPPS. The postholder leads worship and gives pastoral care to Catholic prisoners and staff, and also supports people of other faiths and none, while helping to deliver national policy on faith and pastoral care. The role is part-time, permanent, non-rotational and non-operational, with no line management, and includes regular unsocial hours. Candidates must meet the Roman Catholic faith eligibility rules, including endorsement from a diocesan bishop and the HMPPS Faith and Belief Adviser, before appointment.

What the job involves

• Give faith guidance, advice and pastoral care to prisoners, staff and their families, liaising with the Faith and Belief Adviser
• Plan and lead worship, meditation, prayer and faith-specific meetings, keeping chaplaincy care available at all times
• Deliver worship, study and religious programmes, and maintain worship facilities with other chaplains, volunteers and external groups
• Provide pastoral care to prisoners, respond to crisis situations, and mentor and nurture chaplains and volunteers, including after incidents
• Help deliver PSI 05/2016 Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners and faith and non-faith courses, contributing to assurance for the Governor and Chaplain General
• Work with the Official Prison Visitor Liaison Officer to promote the scheme and support OPV volunteers
• Publicise faith events, coordinate establishment support for them, and acquire and distribute faith literature and artefacts
• Contribute to training for staff and volunteers, including Faith Awareness Training
• Represent the chaplaincy team at establishment meetings and boards, as chair or team member
• Actively support the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process
• Build links with local faith communities and agencies to support prisoners on release, including in Probation Approved Premises
• Contribute to local policy, targets, administration, data collection and analysis, and take on agreed additional roles

What’s required

Qualifications

• Completed formally recognised theological formation: seminary training for priests and deacons, or at least CCRS-equivalent theological qualification for religious or lay persons
• Specific training to hold the qualifications for the area of specialism

Skills & knowledge

• Understanding of other faiths and beliefs, for work in a multifaith chaplaincy team
• Ability to carry out all spoken and written aspects of the role in English
• Civil Service behaviours: communicating and influencing, managing a quality service, making effective decisions, changing and improving, working together, delivering at pace

Checks & eligibility

• Security and identity checks before taking up post
• Eligible under Civil Service nationality rules

Other

• Roman Catholic faith eligibility: ordained priest, ordained permanent deacon, religious brother or sister, or suitably qualified lay person
• Formal recognition from the Diocesan Bishop or Religious Superior, and agreement from the local diocesan bishop to minister in the prisons in his diocese, with evidence before appointment
• Formal endorsement from the HMPPS Roman Catholic Faith and Belief Adviser confirming eligibility and suitability

What’s offered

• Annual leave, plus 9 days (66 hours 36 minutes) for bank, public and privilege holidays; holiday year runs from 1 March
• Choice of two Civil Service pension schemes
• Hybrid working where business need allows, informal and subject to review
• Season ticket advance after two months' service
• Training and development, including promotion programmes, security and diversity training and an induction programme
• Unsociable hours allowance of 20% on top of basic pay
• Flexible working, including part-time and job-sharing, subject to HMPPS policy