The purpose of this role is to advocate for, develop and embed an anti-racist culture through practices, systems and processes across the West Midlands region and to support the broadening and deepening of the contribution from Global Majority Heritage/UK Minority Ethnic (GMH/UKME) clergy and lay members of churches.
The Postholder needs to:
- Have an awareness of the varying contexts across the region and the barriers to understanding and tackling racism in each of those contexts, including those which prevent members of the GMH/UKME communities from experiencing the fulness of and making a contribution to church life.
- Be able to contribute to the national conversation about, and to develop contextually appropriate strategies to removing the barriers to understanding and tackling racism, deepening and extending the contribution of GMH/UKME clergy and lay people to this conversation.
- Be able to work to create a culture in which there is a common understanding of racist behaviours and in which racist behaviours are unacceptable.
- Be able to work effectively within the Church of England’s structures to identify and challenge racist practices and inappropriate behaviours and to collaborate in developing appropriate anti-racism systems.
- Be able to understand the role of intersectionality (the effect of other marginalising issues, such as gender, class, disability etc) in exacerbating barriers to justice.
- Have a creative approach to enabling contributions.
- Be able to establish safe space in which people’s experiences of racism can be shared.
The Postholder will
- Work collaboratively with other members of the West Midlands Racial Justice team to understand the lived experiences of those from GMH/UKME backgrounds.
- Identify internal and external resistance to addressing issues of anti-racism, promoting understanding of equality, and positioning diverse stakeholders to take an equal role.
- Identify and keep abreast of national and regional developments in the understanding of the creation of barriers to contributions on anti-racism from GMH/UKME clergy and lay church members, and appropriately contribute to those conversations.
- Support GMH and UKME colleagues and church members to flourish within the church, expressing their cultural values.
- Work with the WMRJ team, support collaboration between team members in working against racism including by developing practices of good listening.
- Generate initiatives and facilitate channels for non GMH/UKME leaders and clergy to engage in productively challenging institutional and individual racism. These include through;
- developing a targeted consultancy,
- working with the training officer, theological development officer and GMH/UKME colleagues, to facilitate workshops for church leaders,
- collaboratively with other members of the WMRJ Team, facilitate the exploration, and if appropriate, development of a Racial Justice Truth Commission or similar entity,
- In collaboration with senior leadership teams in each diocese, establish a complaints procedure across regional dioceses and parishes,
- Develop groups for those wanting to address their own racism.
- Within the WMRJ Team, identify and consider intersectional concerns around race and racism, and develop strategies to address these concerns.
- Lead on changing the culture of recruitment, working with the appropriate officials/focal points in each diocesan structure, to tackle barriers and bring about more diversity in appointments, including through enhanced recruitment processes.
- Work with the WMRJ Team to Identify, encourage and promote best, anti-racism practice across the region.
- Work collaboratively to identify a strategy and implementation process for supporting survivors of racism within our church structures.
Person Specification
Due to the nature of this post, the post-holder will need to work within the underrepresented GMH/UKME communities of the six dioceses, understanding the contexts which individuals of a GMH/UKME background serve in their Christian discipleship, mission and ministry and any barriers which they may face, therefore there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) under the Equality Act 2010 that the post holder is of a GMH/UKME background and a practicing Christian.
We are looking for someone who:
- Actively engages in anti-racist initiatives and demonstrates sensitivity to changing culture within recruitment practices.
- Can demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively and engage with a variety of people.
- Provides a pro-active approach to continuously improving anti racism practices within existing structures.
- Possess strong listening skills, effective communicative abilities and be adaptable to different situations.
- Can demonstrate strong team working and leadership skills.
- Has the ability to travel the length and breadth of the six dioceses of the project.
- Undertake other tasks that may be requested by the line manager.
Terms and Conditions
This is a fixed-term contract until June 2027.
Hours: Full-time 35 hours (5 days) per week. Some weekend/evening work may be required, for which the equivalent time may be taken back from standard working hours. We are happy to consider requests for flexible working, and please do mention in your application if you would be interested in looking at alternative working hours.
Salary and Pension: Salary of £36,000 plus membership of the Church Worker’s Pension Scheme with 12% employer contribution.
Holidays: 5 weeks per year plus Bank Holidays and 3 Discretionary Days between Christmas and New Year.
Employer: Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance.
Location: This role will cover the six diocese of the initiative and so travel will be required – a usual office base will be made available in one of the diocese based on where the postholder lives and hybrid working will be available.
Responsible To: The Regional Racial Justice Director
CLOSING DATE: 1st SEPTEMBER 2024
INTERVIEWS TO BE HELD IN ANY OF THE SIX WEST MIDLANDS DIOCESE DURING THE WEEK COMMENCING 16th SEPTEMBER 2024.
To apply for the role, please click here.
This post is supported by funding from the Church of England Racial Justice Unit.