Communications Officer

CofE Birmingham; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Church of England Birmingham is recruiting a Communications Officer to lead communications for our four strategic themes: parish growth, leadership, sustainability and church planting. The role focuses on developing compelling stories, managing digital content and media relations, and supporting church leaders with communications that grow church engagement across Birmingham and the diocese.

The post reports to the Director of Communications and works with the Communications Team.

Qualifications

• Essential experience across one or more communications disciplines such as strategic communications, digital communications, media relations or marketing.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills and the ability to adapt messages to different audiences and formats.
• Experience developing creative, compelling stories and features using visual and written content.

Responsibilities

• Strategic communications: contribute to development, implementation and evaluation of communications for four strategic themes.
• Writing and editorial: research, write and edit materials for website, social content, video scripts, newsletters and press materials.
• Story development: oversee delivery of stories across formats and platforms, working with freelance videographers/photographers as needed.
• Stakeholder engagement: build relationships with churches, clergy, boards, partners and media.
• Communications projects: support website redesign and brand refresh.
• Advice, training and support: develop resources for church leaders and volunteers.
• Monitoring and evaluation: analyze cross‑channel activity and report to the board.

Skills

Strategic comms

Digital comms

Media relations

Public relations

Marketing

Job description

The Communications Officer will develop and lead communications around Church of England Birmingham’s strategy. This strategy aims to support our vision of growing churches at the heart of each community in our city and region, through four themes: parish growth, leadership, sustainability, and church planting and revitalisation.

The role involves increasing the visibility, understanding and impact of our strategic activities with a range of audiences, including church leaders, congregations and the wider public. Working under the guidance of the Director of Communications and with the support of colleagues in the Communications Team, this is a hands‑on role covering story and content development, digital communications, media and PR, stakeholder engagement and capacity‑strengthening.

Context

The Church of England Birmingham brings together 177 churches and 52 church schools, serving over 1.6 million people across Birmingham and the wider region. Our vision is to see growing churches at the heart of each community. In 2025 we entered an ambitious new phase of our strategy, backed by a grant of £19.8m from the Church of England’s national Diocesan Investment Programme. Over the next nine years, this funding will accelerate our strategy across four themes:

• Parish growth- We are supporting parishes to grow and thrive with resources that reflect the needs of different communities. We are providing specialist, practical help, training and tools to make sure every church is equipped to serve its local area.
• Leadership- We are identifying, developing and supporting a diverse generation of leaders – lay and ordained – to help our churches grow, both now and for the future.
• Sustainability- Strong and sustainable churches are better able to serve their communities for the long term. We are building a financially sustainable diocese so we can continue to support growing churches for years to come.
• Church planting and revitalisation- We want more people to have the opportunity to join a vibrant Christian community close to where they live. Through revitalisation projects, we are bringing new life to existing churches across Birmingham and the wider region, in areas where they are most needed.

This new role will lead on communications strategy and delivery to support these themes. This includes engaging stakeholders, telling compelling stories of activity and impact, supporting churches to communicate well, and demonstrating the success of the funding in achieving our vision.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic communications: Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of communication that supports Church of England Birmingham’s strategic programme. This includes identifying appropriate audiences, messages and communications channels for planned activity across our four strategic themes.
• Writing and editorial: Research, write and edit communications materials for a range of platforms including website and social content, video scripts, publications, presentations, press materials and newsletters. This includes writing around theological and faith‑based themes.
• Story development: Oversee delivery of a range of stories to creatively showcase the impact of strategic activity across a range of formats (such as written, video, photo) and for a range of platforms (such as social media, website, media engagement). This includes telling stories of God’s transforming work in people and churches. This may include managing freelance videographers and photographers to produce compelling and engaging content.
• Stakeholder engagement: Develop effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders – including churches, clergy, senior colleagues, relevant boards and committees, partners, journalists and national church colleagues – to support delivery of the programme.
• Communications projects: Working with colleagues, support delivery of strategic projects that will help deliver our vision, such as website redesign and brand refresh.
• Advice, training and support: Working with the Director of Communications, develop and roll‑out resources and support for church leaders, staff and volunteers on effective communications that will support their church’s growth and mission.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Monitor, analyse and evaluate cross‑channel communications activity against agreed objectives, supporting board‑level reporting and fostering a culture of improvement and learning.

Person specification

Essential experience and skills

• Professional experience across one or more communications discipline, such as strategic communications, digital communications, media relations and PR, or marketing.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills and the ability to adapt messages to different audiences and formats.
• Experience developing creative, compelling stories and features that inspire others – using visual and written content – identifying key messages, story angles and headlines.
• Ability to understand complex and sensitive information – including around faith‑based, theological and church issues – and turn it into material that is clear and accessible to people without specialist knowledge.
• Experience working in a busy communications environment, managing several pieces of work simultaneously, delivering projects to deadline and prioritising competing demands.
• A problem‑solver who can take initiative.
• Ability to build relationships with stakeholders across a range of seniorities, able to build trust and inspire confidence of others.
• Experience working collaboratively in a team.
• Good judgement, able to anticipate issues and risks.
• Commitment to training and learning in communications best practice.
• Abilityandwillingnesstotravel across the length and breadth of the diocese.
• A personal Christian faith with the ability to demonstrate a clear understanding of Christian beliefs, values and practice so as they are able to communicate the vision, mission and ministry of the diocese in a way that is authentic and credible to church audiences.

Desirable experience and skills

• Communications, marketing, digital or related professional qualification.
• Member of communications or marketing professional body.
• Experience of working in a church, Christian environment or not‑for‑profit organisation.
• Experience measuring and evaluating communications activity.
• Experience working across cultures, traditions and communities.

Due to the nature of this role, which involves communicating and promoting the Christian faith, supporting the mission of the diocese and engaging extensively with clergy, churches and faith communities, there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010 for the postholder to be a practising Christian.

Key relationships

As well as the Communications Team, the role will work closely with Bishops and senior leaders, colleagues across Church of England Birmingham including the Project Management Office, churches across Birmingham and the region, and external stakeholders such as media and influencers.

Terms and conditions

• Salary and Pension: £35,000 per annum, plus membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with 12% employer contribution.
• Contract: 5 year fixed‑term appointment funded through the Diocesan Investment Programme.
• Hours: Full‑time 35 hours per week. We are happy to consider requests for flexible working and candidates seeking part‑time hours or at least 0.8 FTE. Please mention this within your application if you would be interested in looking at alternative working hours. Occasional weekend and evening work will be required, for which the equivalent time may be taken back from standard working hours.
• Place of work: This role is based at John Cadbury House (Corporation Street, Birmingham, B4 6QD) Hybrid working is available where this aligns with the needs of the role. Following an initial settling‑in period, employees may work on a hybrid basis, combining office, home working and visits to churches, with a minimum average of two days per week worked in the office.
• Holidays: Five weeks annual leave, plus Bank Holidays, plus three discretionary diocesan days.
• Responsible to: Director of Communications

Closing Date for Applications: 15th November 2026

Interviews to be held in person on: 30th November 2026

The Church of England Birmingham is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community: a place where all can be themselves and bring their unique identity to their ministry and/or work.

We welcome applications from any individuals who feel they meet the person specification for this post, particularly those who are currently under‑representated within our staff teams, including people from Global Majority Heritage and UK Minority Ethnic backgrounds, those with visible or invisible disabilities, and those who identify as LGBTQI+.

We offer a range of inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and wellbeing support for our staff teams.

The Church of England Birmingham is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment.