Melksham Church

Role Description: Parish Administrator

Overview

Employer: The PCC of Melksham Church

Location: Church House, Melksham

Reports to: Operations Manager

Contract: Part-time (0.5 FTE), subject to a 6-month probation period 

Salary: £14,000 – £16,000 per annum, depending on experience

Expected start: Autumn 2026

Hours: Approximately 18-20 hours per week (0.5 FTE) incl. occasional evenings/weekends

Occupational Requirement: A practising Christian under Equality Act 2010

Context

Melksham is growing, and so is the church! With thousands of new homes and an increasingly diverse population, the opportunity for the local church to make Jesus known has never been greater.

Melksham Church has seen significant recent growth:

• Sunday attendance has more than tripled since before the pandemic.

• Children’s and youth numbers have increased tenfold.

• We’ve launched new services and grown into new spaces we have acquired and renovated.

We are therefore seeking to appoint a part-time Parish Administrator to deliver key administrative tasks that enable the smooth running of various ministries . This role will be pivotal in ensuring this new growth is sustainable, strategic, and Gospel-focused, and that clergy are released to focus on strategy and preaching.

Purpose of the Role

To support the Operations Manager and ministry team by executing the vital administrative tasks and projects that enable our church life to flourish.

This varied role manages both daily operations (including diary bookings, wedding and funeral administration, and dedicated assistant support to the Team Rector) and seasonal projects. You will be the administrative coordinator behind major church milestones, helping manage regular volunteer rotas and event organization for key moments such as Harvest, Easter, and Christmas.

Key Responsibilities

Enquires management and Front of House 

• Managing the central telephone line and the general inbox as the first point of contact, triaging and fielding enquiries appropriately.   
• Handle enquiries about weddings, funerals, baptism etc.
• Communicate with and support the verger team with cover for Church bookings.

Office, Buildings & Facilities Administration

• Oversee day-to-day office logistics and facilities readiness, including room bookings, utilities and essential operational supplies.
• Support the day-to-day administration of the church buildings and grounds, maintaining basic building safety records and compliance, carrying out regular practical checks (such as weekly fire alarm tests), and escalating maintenance issues to the Operations Manager or churchwardens where necessary.

Financial Support

• Process day-to-day parish expenses, invoices, and financial tracking.
• Input and maintain routine financial data using the church’s accounting software, supporting the Operations Manager and Treasurer with day-to-day bookkeeping.

Lettings Administration

• Point of contact for our lettings agent for the two church-owned flats in Melksham.

Safeguarding

• Provide administrative support to the Parish Safeguarding Officer, including maintaining and monitoring DBS and safeguarding training records.
• Support practical safeguarding administration, including DBS document verification and other routine safeguarding tasks, in line with church safeguarding policies and procedures.

Assistant support to the Rector

• Support the Team Rector’s ministry through practical diary and administrative coordination by handling routine booking requests, administrative sorting, and scheduling - helping steward his time effectively so he can focus on pastoral care and church leadership.

Person Specification

Essential

• Committed Christian with a vibrant, active faith and a heart for mission.
• Proactive thinker with can-do attitude and pastoral sensitivity.
• Strong project and logistical support experience.
• High capacity & organised— a natural and creative problem solver.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experienced in working with volunteers, staff or contractors.
• Extremely confident in using digital tools (e.g. Google Workspace, ChurchSuite, social media, accounting software).
• Willing to work with others including occasionally taking on less visible or glamorous tasks.
• Willing to be largely office-based in central Melksham.
• Takes seriously the responsibility for safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults including attending safeguarding training.
• Committed to being an active member of Melksham Church 

Desirable

• Experience in church or charity settings.
• Skills in social media, design or video editing.
• Knowledge of Church of England governance or structures.
• Experience of safeguarding administration, including DBS processes and maintaining confidential records. 

Support & Development

We’re committed to supporting the successful candidate in this role with:

• Regular prayer and spiritual support from the team and clergy
• A dynamic and supportive staff team
• Possibility of funding for relevant training or CPD
• Provision of a church-owned laptop

Other Information

This role has a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) for a practising Christian.

The appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and right-to-work checks.

This post is offered at 0.5 FTE (18.75 hours per week).

NB: We are currently advertising one other 0.5 FTE admin-based role within the Children & Families ministry; the two could be combined to make a full-time role for the right candidate.

How to Apply

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact the Team Rector, Rev Charlie Thomson, at charlie@melksham.church or 07739 825099.

To apply, please submit a completed application form, a covering letter to Rev Charlie Thomson, and your CV by email to charlie@melksham.church.

The deadline for applications is Friday 18th September 2026, with shortlisting expected to take place the following week and interviews during the week beginning 28th September.

However, early applications are encouraged, as we may interview suitable candidates before the closing date and reserve the right to close applications early if an appointment is made.

This is a 0.5 FTE position. There may be an opportunity to combine this role with another 0.5 FTE Parish Administrator position within the team to create a full-time position, subject to the successful applicant meeting the requirements of both roles.