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Job description

The Cathedral Church of Saint Phil ip

Recruitment pack

Part-time Verger

Closing date for applications:
Monday 22 May 2023

Interviews to be held on Friday 9 June 2023

About us

Birmingham Cathedral is the oldest building in the city centre still used for its original purpose. We are home to some remarkable treasures, as well as the largest green space in central Birmingham.

Our cathedral is free to visit, and and attracts over 100,00 people a year. Our visitors come to us for many different reasons - including to attend services, pray, reflect, light candles, learn about our heritage, take part in key civic events, and to enjoy a range of concerts and events held in our building or Cathedral Square throughout the year.

We are a Christian Church of the Anglican Communion and seat of the Bishop of
Birmingham. We offer corporate worship of The Church of England, enriched by the Anglican choral tradition. Christian worship is at the heart of the cathedral’s life as we offer to God our praises and prayers. Everyone is welcome to attend any of our public services, as we rejoice in the diversity of the communities we serve and promote inclusion as widely as possible.

Birmingham Cathedral Chapter place the safeguarding of all who worship at and visit us as their highest priority. This particularly includes children and at risk adults.
As a Church of England Parish Church Cathedral we work closely with our Diocesan
Safeguarding colleagues to ensure our practices and policies are providing a safe environment for all. The Cathedral has a Safeguarding Team, made up of both staff and volunteers, who meet quarterly to review best practice, policy and to ensure that safeguarding remains at the forefront of all our work and mission.

The Part-time Verger role offers an exciting role combining both aspects of a
Verger; the liturgical and supporting the day-to-day operation of the cathedral.

Vergers have a distinctive role in the liturgy and ceremony of Cathedral life of carrying the ‘verge’ and leading processions. Vergers also work as part of a wider team to help deliver a warm welcome to all who use the cathedral. In addition to supporting the clergy in delivering liturgical excellence, vergers are responsible for the care and maintenance of the building.

Divine Beauty Project
We are honoured to have four dazzling examples of some of the finest stained-glass work of Pre-Raphaelite artists Edward
Burne-Jones and William Morris in our cathedral. The windows are some of the most exceptional stained-glass in the world and among the best examples of Birmingham artistry in the city.

Birmingham is the birthplace of Burne-Jones and he was baptised in St Philip’s in January 1834. The windows were designed at the height of his influence as an artist, inspired by Medieval artworks, but sing simplified forms and shapes, which were enhanced by the use of bold colours.

The windows were installed over a twelve year period between
1885 and 1897, when St Philips was still a parish church.
The Ascension (1885), was the first window to be installed, depicting Jesus parting with his followers and ascending into heaven forty days after Easter. Burne-Jones was so struck with its beauty that he was inspired to design two more. The
Nativity and The Crucifixion were the next two windows to be installed in 1887. The Last Judgement (1897), is widely recognised as the finest example of Burne-Jones’ work, depicting the return of Christ and his judgement on humanity.

Initial funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund enabled a detailed investigation of the condition of the windows to take place. Unfortunately, this work found that the windows were significantly damaged in a number of places and portions of glazing were missing or cracked. We have secured a further
£641,200 in National Lottery Heritage funding to go towards this vital conservation. Work will take place to remove a substantial build up of debris and to repair areas of cracking, failed leading and paint loss.

Visitors will be able to see this work as it happens from an accessible platform, as well as engage in a range of activities throughout 2023 to learn more about these unique treasures.

Follow our project updates via @DivineBeautyBhm on Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram, or via our website.

Job role Part-time Verger

Responsible to: Head of Facilities

Working hours: 15 hours per week. Flexibility in hours and days is required and hours will include some weekends and evenings.

Salary: £20,729.10 FTE (full-time equivalent)

Pension: After 3 months continuous service you will be eligible for a contributory pension of 8%.

Holidays: 21.5 days (including statutory and public holidays) based on working 3 x 5 hour days per week.

The role of our Vergers is to assist the Head of Facilities and the Clergy team in delivering an excellent standard of liturgy, welcome and visitor experience. Vergers work as part of a wider team to help deliver a warm and welcoming greeting to all who visit the cathedral and those engaging in our programme of services and events.

In addition to supporting the clergy in delivering liturgical excellence, vergers are responsible for the care and maintenance of the building. The work includes cleaning, reporting maintenance requirements, opening, and closing the building securely, setting and resetting the cathedral for services and events and understanding the
Health and Safety requirements including emergency evacuation. The Verger role includes some lone working and requires appropriate attire to be worn at all times.

Principal Areas of Accountability:

• To assist in the delivery of the cathedral’s worship.
• Present and maintain the cathedral to the highest standard.
• To be responsible in the case of an emergency.
• To engage with cathedral users (congregation, musicians, visitors, event organisers)
• To work within the team of Vergers on a rota basis, under the direction of the Head of

Facilities. This includes covering weekends, Bank Holidays, Feast Days (includingChristmas and Easter) and other important occasions, as required.

• To communicate all messages and report all defects to the Head of Facilities, so that the appropriate advice or action can be taken, and good lines of communication are maintained.Main responsibilities

A Verger will have a wide range of duties. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Liturgical duties:

• To undertake liturgical and sacristy duties. This includes facilitating the smooth running of services and verging as required. To be dressed in cassock and verger robes as appropriate.
• To prepare the cathedral for worship, daily activity and events and return to good order afterwards.
• Preparing the vessels for Holy Communion and setting up for services
• Assist clergy in the leading of worship, reading lessons, serve and help administer

Holy Communion.

• Frequently lead Evening Prayer.
• Caring for the altars, altar linen and sanctuary areas.
• Changing altar frontal according to season or festival
• Live Streaming of agreed services daily.
• To care for votive candle stands, orders of service and Gift Aid envelopes.
• To carry out specialist duties, including the operation of the sound, streaming and lighting systems.
• To complete service records and registers when the Verger on duty.Hospitality and Welcome:
• To be mindful at all times of promoting and living out the cathedral’s values and to treat all those coming into the cathedral as welcome visitors.
• To treat visitors and volunteers in a friendly, tactful and helpful manner. When it is necessary to be firm, it should be handled with sensitivity.
• To be always an excellent ambassador for the cathedral.

Logistics for Events and Services:

• To undertake security duties within the cathedral and cathedral square.
• To work with the team to ensure that set up for services, concerts and events is completed in a timely manner. This includes the setup of audio-visual equipment, seating and staging and ensuring any health and safety issues are addressed.
• To attend planning meetings if required.

Health and Safety:

• To comply with and enforce all Health and Safety policies and procedures.
• To know the positions and operation of all firefighting apparatus and what to do in an emergency.
• To be familiar with, and when necessary, lead the evacuation procedures laid down by the Chapter.
• To provide First Aid support for people on the cathedral’s premises where appropriate. First aid and other training will be provided. To be the designated first aider for choir rehearsals.
• Prepare appropriate risk assessments for the Cathedral Ensure that the building is safe for visitors, staff and contractors including testing alarm systems.
• To take responsibility for contractors on site.

Security:

• To act as a key-holder.
• Under the direction of the Head of Facilities, working to a rota system, to be responsible for the opening and closing of the cathedral each day. Opening and closing may include early mornings and late evenings.
• To understand and operate the security and alarm systems.
• To empty the collection boxes in accordance with the cathedral’s cash handling procedures.

Maintenance and Cleaning:

• To undertake cleaning and maintenance duties within the cathedral ensuring the cathedral is always secure, clean and in good order, this will include carrying out periodic inspections, as agreed.
• To promote the highest standards of care of the vestries, plate, ornaments, vestments and chairs.
• To ensure the good care and operation of cleaning equipment.

Safeguarding:

• Safeguarding is the Cathedral Chapter’s highest priority.
• To support Chapter on the delivery of the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and the relevant policies regarding photography and filming, etc...
• To be proactive in promoting the cathedral’s responsibility for the safeguarding of all, especially towards children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• To offer informal and appropriate Pastoral Care to visitors when clergy/chaplains are not available.
• The cathedral has an active Safeguarding Policy. A verger will hold a position of trust within the cathedral and his/her duties will include that of being a ‘Pastoral

Assistant’.

Other:

• To undertake any other reasonable tasks as requested.
• To undergo any training deemed necessary to fulfil the role of Verger.

Person specification

Essential

• There is a genuine occupational requirement that the post holder be a Christian as this role involves the administration of Communion, leading Evening Prayer etc...
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work to weekly deadlines and plan work accordingly.
• Ability to engage with the public in a positive manner.
• Ability to multi-task and work under pressure.
• Evidence of ability to work alone and as part of a team.
• Ability to work unsociable hours, including weekends and evenings.
• Well presented, polite and friendly.

Desirable

• A practical knowledge of the practice of liturgy and the Church’s year.

The successful candidate will be required to complete a declaration form regarding convictions in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service Rules in relations to filtering (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-filtering-guidance) and agree to an Enhanced Disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service. This information will be dealt with in strict confidence, and not used to discriminate against applicants unfairly. All forms will be kept securely in compliance with the General Data
Protection Regulation within the Data Protection Act 2018.

The application process

To apply, please complete an application form online at
birminghamcathedral.com/vacancies

Forms can also be downloaded from this section of our website and returned to
[email protected].

Forms can also be returned by post to:

Recruitment,
Birmingham Cathedral St Philips,
Colmore Row,
Birmingham,
B3 2QB

Closing date for applications: Monday 22 May 2023.

Interviews will be held on Friday 9 June 2023

Previous applicants need not apply.

The Cathedral Church of Saint Phil ip

@BhamCathedral @DivineBeautyBhm

birminghamcathedral.com

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Part-time hours: 15 per week

Salary: £8,400.60 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 22/05/2023