Church Operations Manager

St Paul Old Ford is a vibrant, inclusive Church of England parish where all are welcomed, fully known, and encouraged to grow in faith and community. At the heart of our life and agency is Jesus Christ, who calls us to love, serve, and witness to Him in our parish and beyond.

We are looking for an Operations Manager to join our Senior Leadership Team, supporting the life and vision of the church by enabling staff, volunteers, and lay leaders to focus on pastoral care, worship, and outreach. 

Our building hosts two charities: IntoUniversity and Ability Bow. St Paul’s is also in a benefice with St Marks Victoria Park, where our tenants are a full-time nursery. The Church also owns a flat that is rented to private tenants.

St Paul Old Ford is a hive of activity 7 days a week, hosting a community café, used for venue hire, and supporting a range of local groups and community projects. This role offers the chance to engage with and support these vibrant activities alongside the day-to-day operational leadership of the church.

This is a 0.7 FTE role, ideal for a collaborative, relational, and mission-driven professional who can balance operational excellence with a heart for people and community. The Operations Manager will oversee the church’s resources: people, buildings, IT, and finances, developing systems and structures that are effective, flexible, and culturally responsive.

The post-holder must be a committed Christian, willing to be a regular participant in the worshipping life of St Paul’s, and fully committed to the vision, values, and life of the church, working alongside the Vicar, PCC (The Church Council) and leadership team to help the church live out its vision.

The Church Operations Manager has delegated authority from the Vicar to lead and manage day-to-day operational, administrative, staffing, and compliance matters of the parish, working within PCC policies and agreed budgets.

This role offers the chance to be part of a welcoming, diverse, and vibrant parish, where Christ is present in and through our people, and hospitality, community, and shared gifts enable the church to flourish at the heart of the parish.

PURPOSE:

• To work collaboratively with the Vicar, PCC, staff and congregation, supporting St Paul’s as we discern our shared vision and agency in a diverse and changing parish, and beyond.
• To help nurture a staff culture rooted in mutual respect, honest communication and shared responsibility, supporting healthy rhythms of work and life.
• To be responsible for the management of the church’s resources of people, buildings, IT, and finances, developing effective, efficient, and flexible administrative processes, and robust and appropriate structures for leadership, management, and governance (including statutory compliance).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.  Working collaboratively to support the vision and mission of St Paul’s

• Meet regularly with the Vicar to plan, reflect and prioritise operational needs.
• Work with the PCC, staff team and volunteers to translate the church’s vision into practical steps, sustainable systems and shared rhythms of work.
• Support the Vicar in the operational elements of worship, seasonal services and community events.
• Help strengthen communication practices - digital, printed and face-to-face - ensuring accessibility for people of different backgrounds, languages and abilities.
• Participate fully in the life of the staff team and the wider life of the church, offering your gifts alongside others.

2.  Nurturing a healthy staff culture

• Contribute to regular line-management, supporting staff and volunteers through check-ins, reflective conversations and an annual cycle of reviews and goal-setting that help each person flourish.
• Facilitate staff meetings in ways that encourage openness, clarity and collaboration - preparing accessible agendas, ensuring actions are understood, and helping the team follow through together.
• Support clear communication across the team, helping ensure decisions are shared transparently and that responsibilities are understood.
• Co-create - alongside the Vicar and staff team - a programme of team learning, development, wellbeing and reflective practice, including training and retreat opportunities that nourish an honest, diverse and thriving staff culture.
• Chair regular operational meetings to support coordination, shared problem-solving and the smooth functioning of the church’s day-to-day life.

3.  Responsible for the management of the church’s resources

• Collaborate with the leadership team to design and maintain operational processes and levels of service for church facilities, premises hire, hospitality, and security that are efficient, inclusive, and mission-focused.
• Ensure that the use of church premises actively supports the vision, values, and community engagement priorities of the church.
• Serve as one of the church’s safeguarding leads, working closely with the Vicar and Safeguarding Officer to support safe practices, compliance with safeguarding policies, and the wellbeing of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within the parish community.
• Support and oversee staff roles such as the Welcome and Hospitality Coordinator, enabling them to lead operational areas like premises hire, hospitality, or other functions effectively.
• Proactively manage ongoing building operations, supporting trustees in fulfilling responsibilities for fabric, safeguarding, and health & safety. This includes liaising with contractors, managing repairs, completing risk assessments, arranging routine maintenance, and overseeing insurance arrangements.
• Steward the church’s finances in partnership with the Treasurer, including fundraising, preparing and monitoring budgets, reporting on income and expenditure, and ensuring ethical and transparent use of resources.
• Support the year-end accounts process in consultation with the Treasurer, ensuring accurate, transparent, and timely reporting.
• Oversee the church management system and IT infrastructure, ensuring they are cohesive, user-friendly, GDPR-compliant, and supportive of staff, volunteers, and parish mission.
• Facilitate and support the PCC in their governance role, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met and promoting collaborative, transparent decision-making as part of the wider church.
• Promote processes and practices that are flexible, culturally responsive, and inclusive, enabling staff, volunteers, and leadership to contribute fully and share responsibility.
• Encourage continuous reflection and improvement of operational systems, structures, and policies, ensuring they remain effective, equitable, and aligned with the church’s vision.

4.  Attending Regular Meetings

• Participate actively in Staff (business and prayer), Senior Leadership Team, and Trustees meetings, contributing insights, supporting decision-making, and fostering a collaborative culture.
• Attend, support, and, when appropriate, facilitate Finance Team meetings to ensure transparency, shared understanding, and collaborative management of resources.
• Convene and guide weekly operational and administrative meetings, creating space for team input, shared problem-solving, and clear follow-up on actions.

5.  Line Management

The Operations Manager manages:

• Church Administration Staff - enabling them to work effectively and thrive in their roles.
• Welcome and Hospitality Coordinator - partnering to ensure smooth premises use, events, and visitor experiences.
• Café Manager - supporting operational, staffing, and resource needs for the café ministry.
• Ad-hoc bank staff supporting room hire - coordinating through the Welcome and Hospitality team to provide clear guidance and support.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education and Qualifications

• Good education; formal qualifications are helpful but not essential. Practical experience and ability to learn on the job are valued.
• Training in management, leadership, or finance is desirable but not required.
• Theological and Biblical training is desirable but not required.

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience in operational, administrative, or leadership roles, ideally within community-based, non-profit, or faith organisations.
• Experience supporting or coordinating teams, including staff and volunteers.

Competence in

• Project and programme management
• Budgeting, financial oversight, and resource stewardship
• Facilities, premises management, and health and safety requirements
• Strategic planning and implementation
• IT systems and digital tools, including management or administrative software.

Spiritual Requirements (Occupational Requirement)

This is a leadership role within a Church of England parish, working alongside the Vicar to help ensure the vision and mission of the church are pursued. There is an Occupational Requirement for the post-holder to be a committed Christian, actively participating in the church’s worshipping life, and enthusiastic about the vision and values of St Paul Old Ford.

• The post-holder should have a mature, vibrant faith in Jesus Christ, a love of the Christian scriptures and sacraments, and a willingness to grow spiritually through prayer, reflection, and engagement with the Holy Spirit.
• Openness to learning and developing in faith is expected, with personal spiritual disciplines supporting ongoing growth and effectiveness in leadership.
• Ability to reflect theologically on operational, administrative, and strategic tasks, considering how systems, processes, and decisions support the mission, values, and ministry of the church.
• An appreciation of Church of England structures, governance, and processes, with a willingness to learn and engage thoughtfully with them in order to support the mission and leadership of the parish.

Gifts and Abilities

• Strong relational, interpersonal, and communication skills; able to listen, collaborate, and adapt to diverse perspectives.
• Able to plan, organise, and coordinate operational processes, prioritising effectively and making thoughtful decisions.
• Comfortable taking initiative and working independently, while fostering shared responsibility and empowering teams.
• Able to support, encourage, and enable staff and volunteers to thrive in their roles, translating vision into practical action.
• Demonstrates care, respect, and integrity in interactions with all members of the community.

Other Qualities

• Flexible and adaptable to the evolving needs of the role, including occasional evenings or weekend commitments.
• Approaches challenges with resilience, creativity, and patience.
• Committed to clear, inclusive, and culturally sensitive communication in all forms.
• Approaches work with good humour and positivity, helping to build a welcoming, supportive, and resilient team culture.
• Able to maintain perspective, balance, and joy even in busy or challenging situations, contributing to a healthy and positive workplace atmosphere.
• Demonstrates cultural competence and awareness, valuing and respecting the diversity of the congregation, staff, volunteers, and local community, and able to work effectively and inclusively across different cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds.
• Shows openness to learning from different perspectives and adapting practices to ensure the church is welcoming, inclusive, and reflective of its diverse community.

MAIN TERMS & CONDITIONS

Hours: Part-time, 0.7 FTE (approximately 24.5 hours per week). Exact hours to be confirmed.

Role Level: Senior Leadership Team / Ministry Leader level within St Paul’s grading structure.

Salary: £24,500 – £29,400 per annum (based on 0.7 FTE).

Work Base: St Paul’s Church, Old Ford.

Holidays: 25 days per annum plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time).

Pension: You will be auto-enrolled into The Church of England Pension scheme.

Appointment is subject to obtaining an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service.

Occupational Requirement: This post has an occupational requirement for the post-holder to be a committed Christian and an active member of the worshipping community at St Paul’s, in line with the role’s leadership responsibilities within a Church of England parish.

How to Apply 

If you are interested in applying for this role please send your CV and covering letter to: vicar@stpauloldford.com by 5pm on Friday 6th February. Include examples of leadership experience and how you sense God is calling you to this role. If you would like an informal conversation about the role before applying, please email to arrange a chat with the Vicar.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Promoting a Safer Church: Postholders must read and have access to the Church of England’s safeguarding policy statement Promoting a Safer Church.

Training: You would undertake safeguarding training that is relevant to the role. Most safeguarding training can be completed online via the Church of England's Safeguarding Training Portal. However, face-to-face training will be provided to anyone who can't access the online portal. Safeguarding training needs to be refreshed every three years.

Policies and Procedures: Everyone must read and comply with any relevant policies and procedures that have been approved by the PCC.