Personal Assistant to the Bishop of Exeter

Church of England; Devon and Torbay; Hybrid; GBP 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent religious organization in Exeter is seeking a proactive Personal Assistant to support the Bishop of Exeter. This unique role involves managing the Bishop's diary, correspondence, and office operations while fostering positive relationships across diocesan life. The ideal candidate will have senior-level PA experience, strong IT skills, and exceptional multitasking abilities. The position offers a salary of £30,307 per annum, with benefits including 25 days of annual leave and various family-friendly initiatives.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Enhanced Maternity Leave initiative

Pension contributions

Access to Occupational Health

Medicash health services

Qualifications

• Experience of senior-level PA support, including complex diary management.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Experience in managing and prioritising a varied workload effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional and proactive diary support to the Bishop.
• Manage the Bishop’s filing and correspondence.
• Support the smooth running of the Bishop’s office.
• Ensure effective hospitality for meetings at the Palace.

Skills

Senior-level PA support

Complex diary management

IT proficiency with MS Office

Ability to multitask

Experience in managing varied workloads

Tools

MS Office

Outlook

Word

Excel

SharePoint

Job description

Summary

We are seeking a highly organised, emotionally intelligent, and proactive Personal Assistant to support the Bishop of Exeter in his 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 his work.

About the Role

The Personal Assistant will provide professional and proactive diary support to the Bishop of Exeter, manage the Bishop’s paper-based and electronic filing and correspondence, support the smooth running of the Bishop’s office, and serve as an effective and welcoming first point of contact for the Bishop.

Key Responsibilities

• Diary Management
• Correspondence and record-keeping
• Finance Management
• Take lead responsibility for the maintenance of the Palace and Gatehouse: manage any issues arising and consult with the Managing Agent (Savills) and the Church Commissioners
• Modelling and prioritising welcome and hospitality, including providing refreshments and appropriate hosting as necessary to those meeting the Bishop or attending an event at the Palace, being prepared to take a share in the routine tasks of office life
• Promoting positive working relationships will all areas of diocesan life, including linking and developing excellent working relationships with colleagues in the diocesan office at the Old Deanery and in the Cathedral
• Working and co-ordinating closely with other Palace staff, ensuring a professional and efficient approach to work

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience of senior-level PA support, including complex diary management, or demonstrable experience of administrative leadership shown in another profession
• Ability to work on multiple tasks simultaneously, sometimes to tight schedules
• Experience in managing and prioritising a varied workload effectively
• Confident and competent in the use of IT, with good working knowledge of MS Office applications including Outlook, Word, Excel and SharePoint

Key Requirements

• This is an office-based position at The Palace Gatehouse, Palace Gate, Exeter EX1 1HX. On site, city centre car-parking is provided.
• Hybrid working for a day a week will be considered

Your Salary

• A salary of £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.

Your 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.
• Apply for eligibility for an Eyecare voucher.

Closing date for application will be 7th January 2026

Interviews will take place on 3rd February 2026 at The Palace Gatehouse, Palace Gate, Exeter EX1 1HX.

About National Church Institutions

The National Church Institutions comprises a wide variety of teams, professions and functions that support the mission and ministries of the Church of England in its vision to be a church, centred on Jesus Christ, for the whole nation - a church that is simpler, humbler, bolder. We Include. You Belong. Our Belonging and Inclusion Strategy aims for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.

Our Values

• Strive for Excellence
• Show Compassion
• Respect others
• Collaborate
• Act with Integrity

We believe our commitment to belonging and inclusion fuels our progress and drives us forward. The NCIs are a safe, inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome applications from people of all faiths and of no faith. We want to encourage applications from a diverse group of people who share our values. Even if you have never thought about working for us before, if you have the skills and experience we’re looking for then we would like to hear from you. Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered for the role.