Pagan Faith/Belief Advisor

Ministry of Justice; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Justice is seeking a senior faith advisor to provide prison and probation related advice across faith traditions. The role focuses on rehabilitation, resettlement, and support for chaplains, prisoners, staff, and stakeholders within prison chaplaincy.

You will collaborate with CFS, PGDs, governors, and external faith organisations to recruit chaplains and develop resources for theological engagement and pastoral care across sites.

Responsibilities

• Provide prison related advice on the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders on release into the community and those under Probation.
• Supervise Chaplains and support staff, working with CFS on the delivery of Prison Service Instructions and related policy guidance while mindful of resources.
• Support Chaplains, CFS, PGDs, Governors/Directors and other stakeholders, ensuring advice is timely and appropriate.
• Be proactive in recruiting Chaplains from the post holder's faith or belief system through maintaining links with their respective organisations.
• Advise establishments on recruitment matters for Chaplains and assist HMPPS with recruitment efforts.
• Endorse or facilitate endorsement of Chaplains within the faith tradition.
• Line manage Chaplains who work across multiple sites and provide pastoral care and professional support.
• With the Chaplain General, work with Chaplains from other sectors (e.g., health, armed forces, higher education) on matters of common interest.
• Liaise with the Chaplain General and other Faith and Belief Advisers to develop tools for theological engagement and reflection by Chaplains from across faith traditions.
• Be a member of the Chaplaincy Faith and Belief Advisory Committee and share information and experience with colleagues and senior management.

Job description

The job holder will be a senior representative of their faith or belief system who will report to the Chaplain General and Head of Faith Services. They will provide prison and probation related advice for their respective faith or belief system as well as advice and guidance on the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders on release into the community and those serving community sentences., To provide considered and informed faith and belief system related advice within a prison context for their respective tradition whether this is for staff or the men, women and children in custody. With Probation Service colleagues provide advice on the successful reintegration of offenders into the community following their release from custody, of those under Probation Service supervision to lead law-abiding lives and thereby reduce future victims of crime. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring the faith and belief systems' needs for their respective tradition are met, for providing support to the chaplains of their tradition and for relations with their respective faith or belief system organisations. Developing and implementing a strategy for the recruitment and retention of the respective chaplains in conjunction with HMPPS Chaplaincy and Faith Services (CFS) and MoJ People Group. To collaborate with and support CFS in the delivery of chaplaincy services. Responsibilities, Activities and Duties The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Provide prison related advice and on the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders on release into the community and potentially longer term support, those under Probation
• Supervision for their respective faith or belief system, working with CFS on the delivery of Prison Service Instruction 05/2016 Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners (and successor documents), related policy guidance while mindful of financial and human resources and to contribute to related Departmental and Ministerial priorities.
• Supporting Chaplains, CFS, Prison Group Directors (PGDs), Governors/Directors and other stakeholders, ensuring advice is provided in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Be proactive in the recruitment of Chaplains from the post holder's faith or belief system through maintaining links with their respective organisation/ structures and following up interest from prospective applicants.
• Advise establishments on matters relating to recruitment, advising HMPPS on their respective faith and belief systems and the recruitment of their respective Chaplains.
• Endorse or facilitate the endorsement of their respective Chaplains.
• Line management responsibility for their respective Chaplains who work across multiple sites in conjunction with the establishments the Chaplains serve.
• As far as possible, and in conjunction with local support systems, enable pastoral care and professional support for Chaplains.
• With the prior agreement of the Chaplain General, work with Chaplains of their faith and belief system from other sectors, e.g. health, armed forces, higher education, on matters of common interest.
• Liaising with the Chaplain General and other Faith and Belief Advisers in their development of tools to enable theological engagement and reflection by Chaplains from across the faith traditions represented within prison chaplaincy and to explore how these may enable dialogue between prisoners of different faith and belief systems.
• Be a member of the Chaplaincy Faith and Belief Advisory Committee and work collaboratively with other members, sharing information, experience and with colleagues and where appropriate senior management.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

An ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English or (where specified in Wales) Welsh.