You couldn't make it up...

If it were possible to sum up the problems of the Church of England in one job advert. This might just be it.

---

An ambiguous organisational setting requires a policy advisor who may or may not understand, or be committed to, the purpose of the organisation but must be committed to reflecting diversity within the organisation and be able to build strong relationships in numerous settings, in order to manage complex policy initiatives, from planning to implementation within six months.

---

The full job description can be read here:

Job Description Policy Advisor.pdf

Download PDF • 92KB

1) An "ambiguous organisational setting"

The job description requires that the Policy Advisor to have, "Resilience and adaptability to thrive in ambiguous organisational settings."

It is a well known fact that the Church of England is not a single 'entity'. Yet even if one puts aside for one minute the 42 dioceses and 12,000 parishes that are all treated as individual charities - at the centre of it all are still seven national administrative organisations, which together form the National Church Institutions (NCIs).

• Lambeth Palace

• Bishopthorpe Palace

• The Archbishops' Council

• The Church Commissioners

• The Church of England Pensions Board

• National Society for Promoting Religious Education

• The Church of England Central Services

The NCIs form a common employer and for the sake of clarity a structure chart of the NCIs has recently been produced:

But to make things just a little more complicated, alongside the NCIs is another body, which is key to the policy and governance of the Church pof England, namely the General Synod. This is made up of the House of Bishops, House of Clergy and House of Laity, and has a number of committees and commissions. All of which require administrative support from the 'Central Secretariat' - a body which does not appear on the structure chart above because it bridges both the NCIs and the General Synod. This is the team in which it appears the policy advisor will work supporting the General Synod - as Secretary to the Dioceses Commission and by assisting with the inauguration of the new General Synod. While at the same time, offering, "ad hoc support," to the House of Bishops and Archbishops' Council.

The policy advisor also has to work with all 42 dioceses to enhance collaboration between them, "particularly in back-office functions."

Put in this context the requirement for, "Experience working within complex, fragmented structures with multiple power centers", seems something of an understatement.

2) An ambiguous mission

The job description announces that the NCIs purpose is to:

"...support the mission and ministries of the Church of England in its vision to be a church, centred on Jesus Christ, for the whole nation - a church that is simpler, humbler, bolder."

Yet, there is no need for the policy advisor to have any sympathy at all for this particular goal. Which is strange. A similar role at the Labour Party requires, "commitment to the Labour Party’s goals, values, policies and codes of conduct." The Green Alliance require, "Motivation to work in a purpose driven organisation, working towards a world where people and the environment thrive together."

In contrast, the NCIs celebrate that they are "a safe, inclusive workplace for people of all backgrounds and walks of life. We welcome applications from people of all faiths and of no faith".

So, the name of Jesus Christ does not feature in the 'values', which any prospective candidate must share. Instead, they merely reflect the pick and mix corporate-speak beloved of team-builders and business consultants:

• Strive for Excellence

• Show Compassion

• Respect others

• Collaborate

• Act with Integrity

It is not even necessary for potential candidates to understand anything about the Christian faith or what might motivate those for whom any policies are being made. In an extraordinarily reductive way, the job advert reduces the knowledge required about the Church of England to its "systems and structures".

3) Ambiguous language

A quarter of the job advert is dedicated to the NCIs "Belonging and Inclusion Strategy". Tagline - "We Include. You Belong."

Given this, it is perhaps unsurprising that there the one "essential" attribute required of the Policy Advisor is, "A commitment to reflecting the diversity of the Church's community".

How such a community can be identified by someone with no understanding of the day-to-day life of the Church of England is anyone's guess. The term 'diversity' itself is slippery. At best it is used as short-hand for plural truth - the requirement to include the 'diversity' of theological convictions about sex and sexuality, at worst it is used to exclude those who hold to an orthodox position.

This is therefore another sign, that the controlling 'dogma' of the Church is no longer to be found in the canons or creeds but in proving oneself willing to accept 'diversity'.

4) Short-term thinking

The most surprising aspect of this job advert is that it is a six-month fixed contract. Given the complexity of both the organisation and the initiatives that the successful candidate is expected to lead, it seems an incredibly short-sighted appointment.

The Dioceses Commission will only meet twice in that time. The NCIs might be looking for someone who can, "Conduct rigorous policy analysis, present evidence-based options, and make quick decisions," but the wheels of the NCIs turn slowly and it is hard to imagine that any new policy could be researched, planned and implemented in six months.

There are 42 dioceses - how anyone is expected to "build and maintain strong relationships" with the senior leaders and diocesan staff of all 42, in just six months is a mystery, particularly when the aim is to collaborate on back office functions which raises the spectre of redundancies.

By the time this blog is published it is likely that interviews will have taken place and a new policy advisor may have been identified. The NCIs have said they are looking for someone with a "willingness to learn and adapt to the unique context of the Church of England."

This job advert gives the context - it is a Church in crisis, unwilling to grapple with the limits of acceptable 'diversity' - and sadly no short-term policy advisor will be able to change that. It also hints at other challenges causing those in the pews to be discontent - but that will have to wait for another blog.