Personal Assistant to the Bishop of Basingstoke

Context

The Diocese of Winchester has over 400 church buildings, and over 300 parishes, with many more worshipping communities. There are chaplaincies operating in schools, universities, hospitals, prisons and other institutions and organisations across the area of Hampshire and East Dorset which is covered by the diocese. Also included are over a hundred Church of England primary schools. Every parish in the diocese is encouraged to develop a Mission Action Plan which sets out the way in which the church in that local area will engage with and support the community in which it is situated – with parishes offering everything from parent and toddler groups and “Messy Church”, to street pastors and support for night-shelters and refugees.

As diocesan bishop, the Bishop of Winchester has responsibility for the pastoral care and oversight of the Church in the region. He shares 2 his leadership of mission and ministry in the diocese with the Suffragan Bishops of Basingstoke and Southampton, the Diocesan Secretary and the Archdeacons of Winchester and Bournemouth. The Bishop of Basingstoke works collegially with colleagues, lay and ordained, to build up the life and mission of the Christian community entrusted to her care. She serves all the baptised; and seeks to ensure that the life of the Church is focused on mission priorities discerned by the Diocesan Bishop in consultation with ecclesial, civic and ecumenical partners. Her ministry is set within, and seeks to enable the delivery of Diocesan Strategic Priorities.

About the Role

The Personal Assistant will play a pivotal role in enabling the Bishop to fulfil her responsibilities by managing her time, communications, and engagements. This includes diary management, correspondence, briefing preparation, travel arrangements, financial oversight, and acting as a trusted confidant and gatekeeper.

The role also involves coordinating events, supporting diocesan communications, managing office administration, and liaising with volunteers and stakeholders. You will be expected to build a strong working relationship with the Bishop, understand her priorities, and anticipate her needs with discretion and professionalism.

Responsibilities

Executive Support

• Diary Management: Manage the Bishop’s diary, ensuring effective prioritisation and time management. Schedule meetings, appointments, and events in line with the Bishop’s personal and professional commitments. Ensure sufficient preparation time is diarised for events, meetings and appointments. 
• Correspondence: To draft and manage correspondence on behalf of the Bishop, including calls, emails, complaints, enquiries and official documents. This will require some technical and pastoral input; triaging as necessary and responding directly, delegating or referring to the appropriate person according to need and sensitivity. 
• Briefings and Preparation: Ensure the Bishop is well-prepared and informed for all events. Print out agendas and reports for all statutory meetings (e.g. BST, Bishop’s Council, Diocesan Synod etc.) and other meetings when requested. Create an executive summary of reports for meetings and highlighting specific agenda items to which the Bishop will be expected to contribute. 
• Travel and Accommodation: Arrange travel, accommodation and logistics for the Bishop’s trips, both within the Diocese and nationally, ensuring all arrangements are efficient and cost effective.
• Oversee and manage the finances and budget planning processes associated with the ‘Local Account’ as it relates to the Bishop of Basingstoke. Keep a record of the Bishop’s expenses and finances to ensure all invoices are paid promptly and the Local Account kept in good order with no-one out of pocket. This will also include keeping a record of the Bishop’s mileage. 
• Support & Advice: To provide appropriate support to the Bishop in the exercise of her duties and be a person to whom the Bishop can turn and speak with in confidence. To act as gatekeeper to the Bishop in dealing with a range of issues, ensuring any risks (reputational or otherwise) are discussed, mitigated or avoided. 
• To ensure good working relationships with the Bishop’s Staff team, senior diocesan staff, senior cathedral staff and all staff at Winchester diocesan offices. 

Event Coordination

• Church/Diocesan Events: Assist in the planning and organisation of diocesan events, services, 
  conferences and gatherings hosted by the Bishop. This includes coordination of logistics, 
  catering, invitations, and event materials. It may from time to time also include helping with 
  events and occasions outside the diocese.
• External Engagements: Help facilitate the Bishop’s engagement with external organisations, 
  charities, and community leaders by managing invitations, RSVPs, and event details.
   

Office Management

• Administration: Oversee the administrative tasks related to the Bishop’s office, including 
  filing, document management, and maintaining an organised, efficient working environment.
• Support the Bishop in her role as Warden of Readers, by providing administrative support 
  including producing licences and maintaining records, and providing support for the annual lay 
  licensing service. 
• Review the current records that are kept for LLM and, working with others, considering 
  whether improvements can be made.
• Confidentiality: Handle sensitive and confidential information with the utmost discretion and 
  integrity, ensuring privacy and security of all communications and documents. Ensure that the 
  Bishop’s office, computer etc. are compliant with GDPR and other diocesan and national 
  policies.
• Team co-ordination: Liaise with diocesan staff, clergy, and other stakeholders to ensure that requests or actions requiring the Bishop’s attention are addressed in a timely manner.
   

Volunteer Coordination

• Support the Bishop’s Team of Volunteers: By arranging expenses, diarising meetings and 
  ensuring that appropriate safeguarding and HR requirements are met for all volunteers.
   

Diocesan Communications

• Stakeholder Liaison: Serve as a professional and warm point of contact for diocesan clergy, 
  parishes and external organisations seeking communication or co-ordination with the Bishop’s 
  office.
   

Special Projects and Initiatives

• Project Support: Assist with specific diocesan or episcopal initiatives or projects as directed by the Bishop, helping to implement and follow through on tasks.

Key Requirements

• Willingness to occasionally work evenings and weekends, with time off in lieu (TOIL) provided for any additional hours worked
• On a few occasions, it may be necessary for the post holder to attend a meeting or event off-site, sometimes outside of normal working hours. Not all meeting locations are served by public transport; therefore, own transport will be necessary.

Your place of work will be based at Old Alresford Place, Old Alresford, SO24 9DH. Interviews will take place on 23 March 2026 at Old Alresford Place.
 

About You

A hospitable, capable person with an enquiring mind, a proactive approach, excellent inter-personal skills and proven administrative competence. 

Personal Effectiveness

• Administratively efficient 
• Able to prioritise effectively 
• Pays close attention to detail 
• Uses their own initiative 
• Has a flexible approach to work, able to adapt to changing practices and processes in an evolving organisation 
• Work collaboratively 
• Takes on responsibility and accountability for tasks and actions 
• Takes a practical approach to tasks 
• Creative and solution-orientated 
• Stays calm under pressure 
• Able to operate with a degree of ambiguity 
• Has confidence to challenge the Bishop if necessary 
• Works well in a small team 

Communication

• Establishes and maintains excellent working relationships with colleagues and other contacts 
• Has a polite, helpful manner 
• Communicates effectively with people at all levels, both inside and outside the organisation 
• Demonstrates excellent presentation, layout and accuracy in text production
• Able to draft or adapt letters as appropriate 
• Maintains strict confidentiality 
• Uses diplomacy and sensitivity 

Administration

• Has an excellent standard of literacy 
• Has a good standard of numeracy 
• Takes a proactive approach to the Bishop’s time management 
• Manages workflow flexibly to prioritise tasks in order to meet deadlines 
• Follows office procedures 

Work Management and Personal Development

•  Competent in managing own workload and effectively delegating to and supporting others with their workloads 
• Uses good judgment in knowing when to delegate 
• Committed to the development of colleagues
• Committed to own personal development and encouraging others in their development 

Knowledge

• At least 2 years of administrative work experience 
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, and Outlook, and willing to learn Excel and other Office 365 applications 
• Has experience in or is willing to learn financial record keeping and online banking 
• Experienced in managing a varied workload efficiently
• Capable of undertaking internet-based research and presenting a summary of findings 
• Has some familiarity with, or willingness to learn, parliamentary processes as they relate to the diary and correspondence of a Lord Spiritual 
• Has sympathy for the faith, worship and mission of the Church of England 
• Has an understanding of, or willingness to learn, the systems, structures and terminology of the Church of England.

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