Overview
The Anglican Heritage Salisbury Project is a strategic initiative to secure the future of fragile and vulnerable Anglican church buildings across the Diocese of Salisbury.
The Project Officer will play a pivotal role in building an accurate and comprehensive picture of the scale and nature of vulnerability within our heritage church estate, identifying causes, mapping existing interventions, and helping shape targeted solutions. This work will directly inform governance recommendations for the new Anglican Heritage Salisbury Trust and underpin a major National Lottery Heritage Fund application, ensuring that our sacred buildings remain sustainable resources for mission, worship, and community life.
Therefore, key to the success of the role, is the ability to research, analyse, and document the condition, sustainability, and governance needs of fragile Anglican church buildings in the Diocese of Salisbury, supporting the Project Manager Anglican Heritage Salisbury in developing an evidence-based strategy for heritage building sustainability and funding.
Responsibilities
Research & Analysis:
- Compile and maintain a comprehensive database of quinquennial inspection data for all Anglican church buildings in the Diocese.
- Analyse inspection reports to identify buildings at risk and produce a preliminary list of fragile churches.
- Design and deliver surveys to incumbents and churchwardens to identify additional fragility factors (e.g., limited volunteers, demographic change, governance challenges).
- Work with Archdeacons, Bishops, and the Church Buildings Team to refine and confirm a definitive list of fragile churches, highlighting priority themes and required interventions.
Evaluation & Learning:
- Work with the Project Manager to review and evaluate previous interventions in fragile church situations, assessing their impact and lessons learned.
- Prepare thematic reports and case studies to inform future decision-making and funding bids.
Funding & Resource Development:
- Collaborate with the Project Manager and Parish Giving Advisor to identify suitable grant-making bodies and funding opportunities for heritage church projects.
- Provide research inputs for the development of a National Lottery Heritage Fund application.
Stakeholder Engagement & Support:
- Support stakeholder consultations with clergy, parish officers, and diocesan leaders to inform the project’s recommendations.
- Provide administrative, data management, and reporting support to the Project Manager.
- Assist in the preparation of governance, finance, and legal reports for the Salisbury Anglican Heritage Trust
Key Diocesan Partners:
- Church Buildings Team
- Church Buildings Working Group
- Archdeacons and Bishops
Requirements:
Qualifications & Training
Essential:
- Good standard of numeracy and literacy with GCSE/A Level passes in Maths and English
Desirable:
- Any Degree level qualification – ideally related to heritage or historic buildings OR Experience of dealing with historic buildings
Experience
Essential:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) including MS Teams and SharePoint
- A passion for heritage conservation and supporting the long-term viability of historic sites and churches
Desirable:
- Project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Trello, Asana).
- Experience of Charity Governance and National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF)
- Working with stakeholder groups, including consultations (e.g. focus groups, surveys etc.)
Skills & Competencies
Essential:
- Good communication skills (written and verbal) capable of relating well to a wide range of people.
- Willingness to travel regularly, widely, and flexibly in both the rural and the urban parts of the diocese.
- Ability to build partnerships with key stakeholders
- Ability to compile and analyse complex data sets
- Strong attention to detail and a commitment to high-quality work.
- Ability to organise self, prioritise, manage tasks and remain calm under pressure
- Collaborative, team-oriented approach with strong interpersonal skills.
- Empathy with the aims and ethos of the Church of England.
Desirable:
- You would ideally have a full driving licence to enable you to visit potentially rural locations.
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary
Pay: £30,282.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Paid volunteer time
- Sick pay
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Salisbury SP2 0FG
