Deputy Head of Chaplaincy

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust; Harlow; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Harlow is seeking a Deputy Head of Chaplaincy to lead the pastoral and spiritual care services. You will manage a multi-faith team, develop strategic initiatives, and ensure high-quality care for patients and staff. Ideal candidates will have a Masters in healthcare chaplaincy and significant experience in the field, along with strong leadership and communication skills. This position offers a salary range of £47,810 to £54,710 plus a high-cost area supplement.

Qualifications

• Significant proven experience in a full-time healthcare chaplaincy post.
• Knowledge of national policies and NHS structures.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management to the chaplaincy team.
• Develop strategic vision for chaplaincy services.
• Ensure high-quality pastoral and spiritual care.

Skills

Leadership and management

Organizational skills

Excellent communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Masters level in healthcare chaplaincy

Job description

Overview

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust invites applications for the role of Deputy Head of Chaplaincy. The closing date is 10 October 2025.

The Deputy Head of Chaplaincy will be committed to the pastoral, spiritual and religious care of all patients, relatives, carers, visitors, volunteers and staff at PAHT regardless of faith, belief, or culture. You will respond with sensitivity and compassion to the diverse emotional, cultural, pastoral, spiritual and religious needs of people across the Trust.

You will provide professional leadership and line management to the chaplaincy team at PAHT. This is a multi-faith, multi-belief, and ecumenical team of ordained chaplains, honorary chaplains, and chaplaincy volunteers. You will work with them to provide a safe, effective, caring, and responsive service, including maintaining the 24-hour 365-day on-call rota, in which you will be expected to participate fully.

You will work closely with the Head of Chaplaincy to identify and implement strategic development and service change to ensure the needs of patients, relatives, carers, visitors, volunteers and staff are met. This work must be up to date, evidence-based, and consistent with Trust policies and procedures, UKBHC Standards and Codes of Practice, and current NHS Chaplaincy Guidelines. You will deputise for the Head of Chaplaincy from time to time, as required.

Main duties of the job

• To provide visible leadership for the provision of high-quality pastoral, spiritual and religious care to patients, carers, relatives, visitors, volunteers and staff. You will ensure all care is sensitive to their needs, culture, background, faith and belief, including where people do not think of themselves as being religious.
• To provide leadership, line management, and development of the Chaplaincy at PAHT. You will arrange quarterly team meetings and reflective sessions in conjunction with the Head of Chaplaincy.
• To develop the vision for chaplaincy services in conjunction with the Head of Chaplaincy. This vision will be in line with the Trust's strategic direction, and ensure this is underpinned by appropriate up-to-date policies and procedures.
• To ensure the chaplaincy team establishes and maintains strong links with local community groups, particularly with representatives of local faith and belief groups.
• To participate as agreed in internal service-focussed groups and committees, to promote cultural, spiritual, and ethical care and to raise the profile of the chaplaincy service. These groups currently include Patient Experience Group (PEG), End of Life Steering Group (EoL), Race equality and Cultural Heritage (REACH) network, Ward MDT, etc.

About us

Our Organisation

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop\'s Stortford, and St Margaret\'s Hospital in Epping.

We employ 3,500 staff and serve a local population of around 350,000 people living in west Essex and east Hertfordshire, centred on the M11 corridor and the towns of Harlow, Bishop\'s Stortford and Epping. Our extended catchment area incorporates a population of up to 500,000 and includes the areas of Hoddesdon, Cheshunt and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.

Our Values

The Princess Alexandra Promise to our patients as identified by our 3 values which will contribute to improving our patient experiences:

Patient at heart - Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts

Everyday excellence - Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both

Creative collaboration - Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care

The Trust believes in investing in all our staff and rewarding high standards of care whilst building for excellence and in return we expect our staff to uphold the Trust values to the highest level.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job description and person specification. This is available to download at anytime.

Person Specification

Application

• Educated to Masters level in healthcare chaplaincy, or equivalent learning experience in theology or other area relevant to healthcare chaplaincy.
• Significant proven experience in a full-time healthcare chaplaincy post.
• Knowledge and understanding of national policies and procedures relevant to the provision of an acute healthcare chaplaincy service, including knowledge of the NHS, its structures and services.
• Further studies relating to chaplaincy, bereavement support, counselling, pastoral care, pastoral supervision, mentoring or spiritual direction.
• Experience in leading, managing, and motivating people.
• Excellent organisational skills and oral and written communication skills, including an ability to teach and share ideas.
• Ability to think analytically, and to manage the development of an active chaplaincy service in partnership with the Head of Chaplaincy.
• Recent experience of leading reflective practice using recognised tools e.g. Values Based Reflective Practice.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 a year pro rata, per annum plus 5% high cost area supplement