Hours: Full-time: 35 hrs/week
Salary: £32,288 per annum
Location: Hillside House, 1500 Parkway North, Newbrick Road, Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS34 8YU
Travel to the Bishops’ Offices in Winterbourne and Swindon and to parishes across the Diocese will also be necessary as part of this role.
Are you passionate about communications and public relations, and eager to support the transformative mission of the Church of England across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Wiltshire, and Swindon?
The Diocese of Bristol is working towards an exciting and ambitious strategy, ‘Transforming Church. Together.’, which looks to reimagine the way we work with communities, forming supportive ecosystems that bring about sustainable social change.
The Role: This role provides an important link between the diocesan office and bishops’ offices. As Parish and Public Affairs Officer, you will report to the Deputy Director of External Relations and the Bishops of Bristol and Swindon (via the Bishops’ Chaplain). You will be responsible for writing statements, press releases, and media materials for the bishops, supporting communications related to clergy appointments and media engagements involving clergy and parishes, as well as providing crisis communications support to the bishops.
In brief, it can be summarised as follows:
- Draft official statements, quotes, and press releases for the Bishops of Bristol and Swindon.
- Keep up to date with news concerning the Church of England, Diocese of Bristol, and its communities, keeping the bishops informed on local and national news of relevance.
- Prepare media materials and website articles related to clergy appointments and parish media engagements.
- Ensure all public communications reflect the mission and values of the Diocese.
- Provide timely and reassuring support to the bishops and other clergy during crisis situations.
- Collaborate with the Director and Deputy Director of External Relations to develop and implement effective media response strategies.
- Offer guidance and support to clergy and parishes for media interactions.
- Develop materials that enhance public understanding of church-related matters.
- Maintain strong relationships with the External Relations team to ensure consistent messaging.
- Feed into the wider communications team planning and processes, to ensure the avoidance of siloed working and ensure the most appropriate support is provided to the Bishops Office and parishes.
We also offer:
- Flexible working
- 28 days annual leave (plus eight days statutory Bank holidays) (pro rata for part-time staff)
- Free onsite parking
- A contributory pension scheme and life assurance
- Company sick pay
If what we’ve described above excites you and you could see yourself thriving in this role, please apply using our application form in the link below and send your application to jobs@bristoldiocese.org
If you would like further details about the role, please contact hannah.sweetnam@bristoldiocese.org.
Closing Date: 11 May 2025
(Interviews w/c 19 May)
Job Pack Application Form Guidance Notes Privacy Notice
Transforming Church. Together Strategy Diocese of Bristol Employee Terms and Conditions
The Diocese of Bristol is committed to being a fair, respectful, and inclusive organisation. We believe that diversity enriches us and are dedicated to the promotion of equality where all are able flourish. Disabled people, and those from global majority heritage are currently under-represented in our organisation and we welcome applications from within these groups.