Operations Manager

We believe God has big plans for Dorking. To build a town fully alive for Jesus; every home, shop, business and school known by Him and living for Him. To do that we need to be fully invested in Loving Him, Loving Dorking and Loving His world, wherever he calls us. St Paul’s is a charismatic evangelical church in the market town of Dorking, surrounded by the beautiful Surrey Hills. We are looking for someone who loves Him to join the Team and help us prayerfully and collaboratively take that vision into action.

St Paul’s Church Dorking 

Job Description

Operations Manager 

Reporting to: The Vicar

Direct Reports: Operations Administrator, Communications Coordinator, Facilities Technician Volunteer Ministry Leads, Health and Safety Officer. 

Role purpose:

To enable St Paul’s Church to fulfil its vision for mission, ministry and worship through oversight and management of all aspects of the Church’s operations. Specifically:

·        To work with the Vicar and Leadership Team to implement St Paul’s Church vision and strategy.

·        To provide leadership and line-management to the Church Office, including the Operations Administrator and Communications Coordinator roles.

·        To develop and oversee effective and efficient systems and processes for operational management and administration.

Summary of Tasks and Responsibilities:

1.   Vision

To enable the implementation of the Church’s vision by supporting the Vicar and Leadership Team with the development of implementation plans for operational activities within the Church.

2.   Effective office function, diary and activity management

To provide leadership and line-management to the Church Office, including the Operations Administrator and Communications Coordinator roles. To develop and oversee effective and efficient systems and processes for operational management and administration. To include weddings, funerals and baptisms, and support for St. Paul’s nursery as required. To chair business-related parts of St Paul’s Staff Team meetings and related activities/actions and ensure the management of diaries and emails as needed for the Vicar and Associate Vicar. To hold accountability for office-related operational budgets. 

3.   HR

To oversee the Church’s HR function, ensuring that the PCC acts as a good employer and fulfils its legal obligations in relation to employed staff. Manage all aspects of HR administration including the recruitment, staff records, DBS administration, contracts of employment, terms and conditions, training and annual staff appraisals and salary reviews, and ensure systems are efficient and GDPR compliant (working with the Volunteer GDPR adviser). Produce and maintain Church policies, particularly to ensure that legal requirements are fully met including: (Health and Safety, Use of Data/Privacy Policy) and ensure all staff are aware of the policies and their responsibilities. 

4.   Information and Technical Systems

Oversee the management of Services Grid, ChurchSuite and St Paul’s website. Hold overall responsibility for the Church’s information and technology systems strategy. Review the Church’s ICT network and systems, and in collaboration with ICT volunteers/ specialist contractors, develop and implement an ICT plan and maintenance programme, ensure all equipment and systems meet the needs of the Church and comply with all relevant regulations, including GDPR (working with the Volunteer GDPR adviser). 

5.   Internal and external communications

To hold overall responsibility for the communications and design functions, delegating day to day responsibility to the Communications Coordinator. Ensure the development of a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy for St Paul’s church in collaboration with the Communications Coordinator and associated ministries, including oversight of the website, weekly communications with the congregation, effective use of social media, working with volunteer and freelance designers. External organisations would include Dorking churches, St. Paul’s Nursery and school, and hirers of Church facilities. 

6.   Special events and festivals

Hold accountability for the operational delivery of events, large services (e.g. Christmas and Easter) and other special projects in partnership with Ministry Leads, the Vicar and Associate Vicar. 

7.   Buildings and facilities

To coordinate St. Paul’s strategy and vision for the Church’s buildings and facilities, including the Church, Nursery and other church properties, delegating where relevant day-to-day management responsibility to the Facilities Technician, Operations Administrator, Health and Safety Manager and PCC representative for buildings management.

8.   Voluntary ministries

To coordinate and support volunteers across the Church’s ministry areas, ensuring that appropriate leaders of each volunteer group are in place and trained to manage their ministry areas. To set up and run support functions e.g. annual volunteers’ thankyou meal, co-opting other Leadership Team members as required. Ensure a welcoming environment for visitors to the Church, including through the St. Paul’s Reception Team.  

9.   Other responsibilities

To attend St. Paul’s PCC meetings and Standing Committee as required. 

Person Specification:

The successful post-holder will:

·        Possess an understanding of how to provide effective operational and project management support to deliver the mission of an organisation, and a passion to deliver beyond expectations.

·        Be a ‘servant leader’, able to lead and manage a team of professional and voluntary staff in a range of operational disciplines.

·        Be adaptable, with the ability to contribute ideas and work collaboratively on new initiatives.

·        Have strong interpersonal skills, taking a leadership role as necessary in meetings and in managing external relationships. Be able to communicate

effectively, orally and in writing, with clergy, staff, church members and volunteers, visitors, suppliers and the Diocese.

·        Be able to maintain strong boundaries and confidentiality within Church of England safeguarding frameworks. 

Skills, knowledge and experience required:

·        Strong people/ team management experience, ideally in a Church or charity environment

·        Strong operational and administrative background

·        Knowledge of HR processes within a small organisation,

·        Experience of project management

·        Experience of setting up and working collaboratively on brand new initiatives or projects

·        Excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, decision-making and resource management skills

·        Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment

·        Ability to think creatively, and input innovative ideas

·        A strong personal affiliation with the vision and values of St Paul’s Church, Dorking. 

Work expectations:

·        3-5 days, Mondays to Fridays, per week (both part and full-time applications are welcomed)

·        This post attracts a full-time salary of up to £35k, dependent on qualifications and experience

·        An Occupational Requirement exists for the post-holder to be a practicing Christian in accordance with the Equality Act 2010

·        The postholder will hold a satisfactory DBS check and have the right to work in the UK

 Application Process

Please send a Curriculum Vitae and Covering Letter by Monday 28th April 2025.

Your covering letter needs to include observations on, why are you interested in this role and how you think your faith and experience would shape your ministry here if you were to get the position.

References. Please include the names, telephone and email contact details of three references. These need to include your most recent employer and a character reference from someone who has know you for over 3 years.

You will be required to complete a Confidential Declaration Form as part of the recruitment process Interviews will be in week commencing Monday 5th May

Please send applications to Jon Ruddock at jon@stpaulsdorking.org.uk