Church Buildings Support Officer

The Church of England’s (CofE) Diocese of Birmingham was founded in 1905.It covers an area of nearly 300 square miles in the West Midlands, including all of the City of Birmingham and parts of Solihull, Sandwell, Dudley, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

Birmingham is the UK’s second largest city, with the youngest urban population, in one of the most lively and diverse regions of the country.

Right at the heart of what we do are 182 places of worship with an average weekly attendance of 17,000, from a population of 1.5 million. In these churches are clergy and worshipers representing a broad range of cultures and Christian traditions.

The fabric condition of the 167 church buildings in the diocese (17 of which are listed at Grade 1, 31 at Grade 2
* and 49 at Grade
2) was assessed in both 2012 and 2017 through a survey of their latest building inspection reports. In 2012, 74% of churches had an overall condition of ‘Good’ or ‘Fair’, while 17% were in a ‘Poor’ or ‘Very Bad’ state.

By 2017, the number of buildings in ‘Good’ or ‘Fair’ condition had reduced to 68%, while the buildings that were ‘Poor’ or ‘Very Bad’ had increased to 30%.At the time of the 2017 assessment, the total estimated cost of repairs needed to all 168 church buildings was over £28million.

At the start of 2017, the diocese was offered a substantial grant by the Church Commissioners to support a new phase of its major mission initiative, known as Transforming Church.

As our church buildings are such important, visual symbols of the presence of the Church of England, and much of its spiritual life and social engagement happens in and around them, there is now a great opportunity to develop them further as modern places of worship and community, while also addressing their significant repair needs and improving engagement with them as part of the wider, historic, built environment.

The Opportunity

As a result of external grant funding, the Diocese of Birmingham has an exciting opportunity to employ somebody to work with existing parishes and communities, and to value, use and care for church buildings.

The Church Buildings Support Officer supports parishes in maintaining, repairing and developing church buildings.

The role provides technical advice, provides support for maintenance and heritage projects, supports statutory compliance, assists with grant-funded initiatives and works with clergy, PCC and volunteers to ensure church buildings remain safe, sustainable and fit for mission.

On a daily basis you will either be out of the office inspecting buildings, or writing schedules of works, preparing tender documents, liaising and instructing contractors and overseeing construction and maintenance works.

We aim to strengthen the long-term sustainability of church buildings by increasing community involvement, improving volunteer skills in building care, and supporting parishes to meet engagement and participation expectations linked to heritage and mission-driven projects.

You will be based in the Diocesan Office in John Cadbury House, 190 Corporation Street, Birmingham.

KEY OBJECTIVES

The key objectives of the Church Buildings Support Officer role are to support Parochial Church Councils (PCCs) in:

• Discharging their maintenance and statutory compliance responsibilities relating to their church buildings, including their responsibilities as custodians of listed churches;
• Improving and developing their church buildings and facilities to be fit for purpose for the needs of their ministry and mission; and
• Implementing various programmes of planned, cyclical and legislative maintenance to their church buildings.

The role-holder must have a strong blend of professional and administrative qualities, particularly the ability to work constructively with a wide range of stakeholders, including clergy, consultants, contractors, churchwardens, other volunteers and statutory bodies.

Particular emphasis is placed upon the role-holder operating efficient and effective financial management and forecasting in supporting PCCs in producing and delivering planned preventative maintenance plans for their church and ancillary buildings.

DUTIES

The…