Job Description

Key information

-------------------

Closing date: 12pm, Thursday 22 May 2025


15,392 per annum


Part-time, 20 hours per week


Permanent Contract


Based in Hitchin, SG5


Interviews: w/c 26 May 2025





for this role below:




####

The Diocese of Westminster is looking to recruit an experienced

Parish Administrator and Bookkeeper

to support the parish of

Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew

in Hitchin. This is a key role at the heart of the parish, providing a comprehensive range of administrative and financial support, and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the parish office.

What you'll be doing

------------------------



As Parish Administrator and Bookkeeper, you'll be at the heart of parish life -- the go-to person helping everything run smoothly behind the scenes.



Your day-to-day work will be varied and rewarding: from preparing parish newsletters and managing diaries, to handling finances and greeting visitors. You'll look after bookkeeping tasks, maintain parish records, and ensure everything is up to date for audits and diocesan reporting.



You'll be a calm and welcoming presence at the parish office, liaising with funeral directors, parishioners, contractors, and volunteers alike. Whether you're preparing paperwork for a baptism, managing Gift Aid records, or keeping noticeboards and databases tidy, your role will be essential in supporting the parish's liturgical and community life.

This means there's lots to get involved in - and to be excited about.

What we're looking for

--------------------------



We're looking for someone who is highly organised, approachable, and reliable -- someone who brings both professionalism and warmth to their work.



You'll have experience in administration and bookkeeping, and you're confident with Microsoft Office and financial systems. You take pride in your attention to detail, and you're able to juggle tasks, meet deadlines, and work independently.



You'll be a team player with great people skills -- ready to support the parish priest, collaborate with volunteers, and help create a welcoming atmosphere in the parish.



Above all, you'll have a genuine desire to contribute to the mission of the Catholic Church and to serve the parish community with care, integrity, and a sense of purpose.



We welcome applications from those with a Catholic faith, those of other faiths, or none. What we require above all else is that you respect the values we share to help others and support decent and dignified work for all without prejudice.

What we offer you

---------------------



In return for your hard work and commitment to us, you will receive a competitive reward package which will include, but is not limited to:


23 days annual leave + bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees) Vouchers for free eye tests and 50 towards the cost of glasses Reward Gateway scheme offering discounts on a wide range of products and services Pension scheme for eligible employees - 5% paid by the employer Salary exchange (salary sacrifice) for pension Cycle to work scheme Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay Employee Assistance Programme Life assurance/ Death in Service benefit

Who are we?

---------------



We are the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster

, a faith-driven charity rooted in service, tradition, and community. Our offices are ideally located near Victoria Station, just a short walk from the inspiring surroundings of St James's Park and Westminster Cathedral--

the heart of Catholic life in the Diocese.

At the core of our mission is a commitment to

faith, education, and social justice

. Guided by

Cardinal Vincent Nichols

, we serve over

90,000 students

across

208

schools, support

212

vibrant parishes

, and drive

countless social initiatives

that bring hope and compassion to those in need. Our work extends beyond the Church walls, positively shaping communities and transforming lives.



We uphold the values of

Competence, Reliability, Honesty, Perseverance, and Love

--principles that define our mission and shape the way we serve. As we grow our team, we seek individuals who not only possess the skills for the role but also embody these values in their daily work.



If you are looking for a role where your

talents, faith, and commitment

to service can make a real difference, we would love to hear from you.

Application details

-----------------------



Our people are incredibly important to us, and we value and respect diversity in all its forms (seen and unseen). We particularly welcome applications from those from Black and Asian backgrounds, as well as candidates with disabilities and from the communities in which we work. We would like to increase representation of these groups among our staff as we know greater diversity will lead to an even greater impact for our work.



To be considered for the role, please complete an online application. CVs will NOT be considered, therefore, please do not send them. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. Please note that you will need to be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this position. You must provide proof of Right to Work in the UK. We reserve the right to remove the vacancy before closing date.





Equal Opportunities & Living Wage Statement:



The Diocese of Westminster is an Equal Opportunities and accredited Living Wage employer. To be successful, we aspire to be person centered at all times and place human dignity at our centre. We aim at all times to recruit the person who is best suited to the job, and we welcome applications from all communities and underrepresented groups, regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, faith, age and gender. We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria. We strive to take a holistic approach to the development of our people so that we may better serve and empower the mission of our Church as ministered by the parishes, deaneries, schools and communities that we support. Our ambition is to work together to promote a more inclusive environment, which attracts all candidates and signals our commitment to celebrating and promoting diversity.



We want people from all walks of life to feel valued for their individuality, thrive in our organisation, share a sense of belonging and demonstrate our values. With this in mind, we positively celebrate Diversity & Inclusion at the Diocese of Westminster and place it at the heart of our aim which is to reflect and connect with the diverse communities that we serve.



Actions we take to provide equality of opportunity for all candidates include:


We anonymise application forms during our shortlisting process to ensure that candidates are assessed without any consideration of their name, gender or background. As part of this anonymisation, we don't take into consideration where candidates studied, or the method of that study e.g. full-time, part-time or distance learning. We apply a consistent approach to our question setting across our applications and interviews to ensure that everyone is assessed against the identified values, competencies and job requirements. Our values are important to us and as such we use a scoring framework that marks candidates based on values, behaviours and competencies. We provide guidance and brief all our interviewers throughout the selection processes in recruitment best-practice to mitigate against any potential for conscious or unconscious bias or discrimination. Whenever possible we will have multiple interviewers when assessing each candidate to ensure marking is accurate and fair. We ensure all our assessment venues are accessible. We offer alternative formats of our application forms to encourage applicants with disabilities or who require reasonable adjustments to perform at their best. * We will work together with candidates with a disability or health condition to implement reasonable adjustments to enable them to feel comfortable and strive during the assessment process.