Personal Assistant to the Bishop of Basingstoke

Church of England; Basingstoke; On-site; GBP 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent religious organisation is seeking a highly organised Personal Assistant to support the Bishop of Basingstoke in her ministry. You will manage diaries, correspondence, and financial records while coordinating events and supporting the diocesan communications. Ideal candidates should possess excellent interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to the Church's mission. The position offers a competitive salary and generous benefits including annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Enhanced Maternity Leave initiative

Access to Occupational Health Services

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years’ administrative experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; willing to learn additional tools.
• Experience in financial record keeping and online banking or willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Bishop’s diary, travel, and accommodation.
• Draft and manage correspondence, including sensitive communications.
• Prepare briefings and meeting materials, including executive summaries.
• Oversee financial records and budget planning.
• Coordinate diocesan and external events.

Skills

Organisational Skills

Emotional Intelligence

Interpersonal Skills

Communication

Detail-oriented

Administrative Efficiency

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook)

Online Banking

Job description

We are seeking a highly organised, emotionally intelligent, and proactive Personal Assistant to support the Bishop of Basingstoke in her ministry and leadership across the Diocese. This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to work closely with a senior Church of England leader, providing executive support and helping to shape the effectiveness of her work. The Personal Assistant will play a pivotal role in enabling the Bishop to fulfil her responsibilities by managing her time, communications, and engagements. This includes diary management, correspondence, briefing preparation, travel arrangements, financial oversight, and acting as a trusted confidant and gatekeeper. The role also involves coordinating events, supporting diocesan communications, managing office administration, and liaising with volunteers and stakeholders. You will be expected to build a strong working relationship with the Bishop, understand her priorities, and anticipate her needs with discretion and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Bishop’s diary, travel, and accommodation.
• Draft and manage correspondence, including sensitive communications.
• Prepare briefings and meeting materials, including executive summaries.
• Oversee financial records and budget planning for the Bishop’s Local Account.
• Coordinate diocesan and external events.
• Maintain office systems and ensure GDPR compliance.
• Support the Bishop’s role as Warden of Readers and manage related records.
• Liaise with diocesan staff, clergy, and external organisations.
• Provide administrative support for special projects and initiatives.
• Administratively efficient, detail-oriented, and proactive.
• Emotionally intelligent, discreet, and confident in handling sensitive matters.
• A strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Experienced in managing varied workloads and working independently.
• Sympathetic to the mission and values of the Church of England.
• Willing to learn about Church structures, terminology, and parliamentary processes.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 2 years’ administrative experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook); willing to learn Excel and other tools.
• Strong literacy and numeracy skills.
• Experience in financial record keeping and online banking (or willingness to learn).
• Ability to work flexibly, including occasional off-site or out-of-hours meetings.
• Willingness to occasionally work evenings and weekends, with time off in lieu (TOIL) provided for any additional hours worked.

Salary

A salary of £24,245.60 (FTE £30,307) per annum and pro-rated if working part-time, plus age-related pension contributions between 8-15% of salary. We will also match any pension contributions you make up to an additional 3% of your salary.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus eight bank holidays.
• We offer many services and initiatives under our Family Friendly Programme, some of these include enhanced Maternity Leave initiative, Adoption Leave, Paternity Leave, & Shared Parental Leave.
• Access to Occupational Health, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Automatic enrolment and access to Medicash (one of the UK's leading health cash plan providers), providing you with many services including reimbursements of routine dental treatment, optical, specialist consultations, and therapy treatments. Unlimited access to virtual GP & Private prescription service and health & Stress related helplines.