Specialist Chaplain

The Methodist Church in Britain; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

On-site leisure facilities

Free Park and Ride between Babraham Rd

Subsidised staff parking

Reduced-cost hot food 24/7

Job summary

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust seeks a Specialist Chaplain to lead the Bereavement Care Follow-Up service within the Chaplaincy Department. You will provide professional and operational leadership, drive standards, and collaborate with clinical teams to support bereaved families with compassionate, consistent care.

You will develop service protocols, train fellow chaplains, and contribute to governance and audits while participating in the on-call rota and wider chaplaincy

Qualifications

• Experience supporting families in grief within a structured pastoral care framework.
• Significant experience of pastoral, spiritual and religious care in a diverse population.
• Leading pastoral, spiritual and religious care in an NHS setting.
• Writing and leading funeral services for various ages.
• Leading NHS service through governance, policies and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership for the Bereavement Care Follow-Up service.
• Provide operational leadership for compassionate family support.
• Oversee delivery through guidance, training and standards.
• Develop and implement service standards, protocols and audits.
• Support and equip chaplains in bereavement care.
• Promote integration of the service within CUH and with colleagues.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams for coordinated care.
• Advocate for voices of bereaved families within the organisation.
• Participate in reflective practice and on-call rota.

Skills

Pastoral leadership

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Advanced communication

Policy and governance

Liturgy leadership

Reflective practice

Education

Ordained or accredited lay minister

Degree-level theology

Post-graduate qualification

CPCPC registration

Job description

This Specialist Chaplain post leads the Bereavement Care Follow-Up service in the Chaplaincy Department at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The work centres on professional and operational leadership, service standards and protocols, audit and evaluation, and training fellow chaplains alongside clinical colleagues. What sets it apart is the on-call rota and a wider role across chaplaincy, drawing on NHS pastoral experience. Visa sponsorship is not available.

What the job involves

• Provide professional leadership for the Bereavement Care Follow-Up service, promoting good practice and its ongoing development
• Provide operational leadership so that bereaved families receive compassionate, appropriate and consistent support
• Oversee delivery of the service through professional guidance, advice, training and education, and the promotion of standards
• Develop and implement service standards, protocols and working practices, and carry out service evaluation and audit
• Support and equip fellow chaplains to contribute to bereavement care follow-up
• Promote integration of the service within Cambridge University Hospitals, building clear roles and working relationships with colleagues across departments
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to provide coordinated, compassionate care for bereaved families
• Advocate for the voices and experiences of bereaved families within the organisation
• Take part in regular reflective practice to support professional development and service quality
• Work in line with the policies, protocols and practices of the Chaplaincy Department
• Contribute flexibly and responsively to the wider delivery of the Chaplaincy service
• Take part in the Chaplaincy on-call rota

Qualifications

• Ordained or accredited lay minister with a CTBI-recognised church, or equivalent for their faith or belief group
• Degree-level theology and a relevant post-graduate qualification

Registration & licences

• Registered Chaplain with CPCPC, or willing to work towards it

Experience

• Supporting families in grief within a structured pastoral care framework
• Significant experience of pastoral, spiritual and religious care, including sacramental ministry, to a diverse population, responding creatively to the needs of patients, relatives, staff and volunteers
• Leading pastoral, spiritual and religious care in an NHS setting
• Writing and leading funeral services for adults, children and babies
• Leading NHS service through governance, policies, process improvement and stakeholder engagement

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of audit, service evaluation and/or research, and developing and delivering specialist NHS education to enhance the service
• Informed knowledge of bereavement theory, complex grief and guiding the appropriate care of the bereaved
• In-depth knowledge of pastoral, spiritual, religious, cultural and ethical aspects of NHS care, able to advise confidently within CUH and Royal Papworth Hospital
• Ability to work autonomously and within multidisciplinary teams, with advanced communication and prioritisation of own and others' workload
• Ability to lead formal liturgies, write and deliver bespoke liturgies for complex pastoral contexts, and lead service assessment and change
• Ability to enthuse and motivate others, develop others' competency, act decisively in critical situations and cope with changing demands

Checks & eligibility

• Right to work for at least 6 months from the proposed start date

Other

• Self-awareness and behaviour in line with the Trust values of Together, Safe, Kind and Excellent, and participation in the on-call rota

Nice to have

• Teaching qualification
• Management qualification
• Reflective pastoral supervision or counselling qualification
• Writing and reviewing policies and procedures
• NHS experience

What’s offered

• Development opportunities
• Flexible working arrangements, including part-time, job-share, term-time and flexible start and finish times
• On-site leisure facilities and day nurseries
• Reduced-cost Stagecoach bus travel to the hospital site
• Free Park and Ride between Babraham Road and Trumpington, and free route to Cambridge train station
• Subsidised on-site parking for eligible staff
• Reduced-cost hot food available 24/7, and a staff pod break space with free tea and coffee
• Shopping concourse on campus