The Representative Body for the Church in Wales: St. Padarn s Institute

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1 The Representative Body for the Church in Wales: St. Padarn s Institute DIRECTOR OF FORMATION FOR LICENSED MINISTRY Background OVERVIEW The St Padarn s institute was created on 1 July 2016 by the Church in Wales to deliver a vision of outstanding mission-orientated formation and training for the whole people of God for the Church in Wales. St Padarn s has broad responsibilities given to it by the Bench of Bishops: - Stimulating and resourcing lay discipleship, formation and training, including for the new commissioned lay ministries. - Overseeing and delivering formation for licensed ministry, ordained and lay, in their various distinctive forms (stipendiary, non-stipendiary, local, pioneer, evangelist, youth and children, pastor, reader). - Overseeing, and with the dioceses delivering, continuing ministerial development for all licensed ministers in the Church in Wales, including particular programmes for the newly ordained/licensed, training for Ministry/Mission Area Leaders, support for specialist ministries such as Pioneer and Youth and Children, and senior leaders training. - Research and postgraduate studies. - Training for the whole church in core areas such as supervision skills and keeping people safe. - Ministry policy development. It is overseen by the St Padarn s Council, which brings together representatives from the Bench of Bishops and the Representative Body and the Directors of Ministry from each Diocese, chaired by the Ministry Bishop. Financially and legally it is part of the Representative Body of the Church in Wales. Its staff are employees of the Representative Body. Its 2018 budget is 2M. There are thirteen employed teaching members of staff, but St Padarn s also draws heavily on the expertise of the broader Church of Wales it is the Church in Wales doing theology together. St Padarn s is a complex organisation, with much of its activity, staff and volunteers dispersed across Wales. As it approaches its second birthday, it is still in the process of being formed itself, as the calling given to it is steadily fleshed out. Furthermore, while it is fully owned by and exists to serve the mission of the Church in Wales, that Church itself is a complex body of six distinct dioceses each with their own context, sense of identity, challenges and opportunities, coming together in interlocking provincial structures of the Bench of Bishops, the Representative Body (the Charity owning the majority of the Church s assets) and the Governing Body. Nevertheless, St Padarn s has now established itself as a key constituent part of the Church s mission, and the Church has demonstrated its commitment by its sacrificial funding of St Padarn s, and continued strong episcopal backing. St Padarn s challenge is now to make good on that calling and the commitment to it from the Church and deliver its vision of outstanding missionorientated formation and training for the whole people of God for the Church in Wales.

2 The Director of Formation for Licensed Ministry (DFLM) Brief The largest component of St Padarn s is currently the formation for licensed ministry work. At any time there are about 80 candidates for licensed ministry about 25 for stipendiary ordained ministry, and 55 for self-supporting ministries whether ordained (NSM and NSM(L)) or lay (Youth and Children, Reader, Pioneer, Evangelist, Pastor). This candidate group brings a very broad range of different training needs and personal circumstances. Thus, the formation for licensed ministry work is structured through a very careful and somewhat complex intentional balance of commonality and distinctiveness. The overall approach, summarised in our slogan formation in community for mission, is consistent; together with the centrality of four components formational cells, residentials, placements (contextual training) and appropriate theological learning (BTh, MTh etc.). Within this, there are a diversity of training pathways to provide for those training full-time or part-time, for those from across the whole geography of Wales, to ensure that candidates are best prepared for their distinctive ministries, and to build on prior experience. Exceptional cases aside, all candidates for licensed ministry within the Church in Wales are part of St Padarn s. The brief of the DFLM also includes oversight of the Theology for Life discipleship programme which has 205 students, in 41 learning groups across Wales, many of whom are studying on the BTh programme alongside those preparing for licensed ministry. Thus, the Formation for Licensed Ministry work within St Padarn s is crucial to the future ministry, mission and growth of the Church in Wales. The DFLM is responsible for this work; thus they will make significant contribution to the future of the Church in Wales. The post is roughly equivalent to that of a Principal of a mid-sized theological college/course. Its particular challenges lie in the breadth of the ministries for which candidates are being prepared (e.g. youth and children s ministry and evangelist as well as stipendiary ordination), the geographical spread, and the need to genuinely serve the needs of six distinct dioceses St Padarn s does not have the luxury of setting out our stall and just serving those who find a particular approach attractive. However, there is significantly greater support than in a lone theological college principal role. Primarily that comes from being part of the larger St Padarn s institute for example drawing on the expertise of the Director of Operations, and the Principal, and St Padarn s itself is located within the Representative Body, drawing on expertise such as HR, Finance, IT and Buildings. Thus the DFLM can focus on formation, education and training. The fact that St Padarn s is an integrated part of the Church of Wales, not a separate institution, also gives a far greater support and closer relationship with that church and its bishops than a separate institution would have. The job description details the broad responsibilities of the role. However, it is worth highlighting here that overall this is a role of spiritual leadership. The wide range of different competencies and functions within the job educational, managerial, strategic and political come together under that calling. Formation and training within the Church is fundamentally a spiritual, and whole-life, enterprise, cutting across personal/professional distinctions. Many of the learners are volunteers seeking to make a transformative impact in the communities in which they live. It is essential that St Padarn s lives out what it teaches, and operates as a learning, Christian, community which sees Christian spirituality as the foundation and heart-beat of what it does. The DFLM has a key role in that spiritual leadership of the entireity of St Padarn s (and indeed will be a important figure in the Church in Wales as a whole), as well as being the most significant culture setter within the Formation for Licensed Ministry work.

3 A key location for St Padarn s is the St Michael s Site in Cardiff. The Representative Body of the Church in Wales recently decided that St Padarn s could use this site at least until 2029 a significant commitment. This site is the location of many of the support services within St Padarn s, and the main base for the full-time formation in licensed ministry community. However, St Padarn s is an all-wales institution, not a Cardiff one the majority of candidates for formation for licensed ministry will almost never visit the St Michael s site. Thus the DFLM role also needs to be viewed as a role with responsibilities across Wales, but with the St Michael s Site being a key location. Thus, the role could be fulfilled in two different ways. Either with the main place of work being the St Michael s Site, with regular travel elsewhere in Wales. Or, with the main place of work being elsewhere in Wales (North or West) with approximately three days a week spent at the St Michael s site. Both have strengths and weaknesses for St Padarn s. St Padarn s is focused on its distinctively Welsh missional context. The ability to speak Welsh, or even better, to think theologically in Welsh, would be a clear advantage in this post. However, it is not required. Nevertheless, the post-holder will need to engage whole-heartedly with the welsh missional context, and be part of St Padarn s drive to develop theological thinking for that context. St Padarn s is currently transitioning to a flatter, more collaborative, organisational structure. We are moving away from a departmental structure in which different staff were allocated to different areas, such as CMD, Research or Formation for Licensed Ministry. Such a structure clashed with the fundamental values of St Padarn s which has been created to champion collaboration and the breaking down of barriers between dioceses, ministries and geographies; it was also simple inefficient. Instead we will have a single support team containing specialist skills such as registry, library and information services, buildings, housekeeping and catering, administration, high level programme coordination, publicity and tutor and candidate support. Alongside this will be a single faculty of tutorial staff, currently thirteen people with expertise and experience across a wide range of disciplines. The DFLM will be a key leader within the faculty. Every member of that faculty (the Principal included) will be part of the DFLM s team delivering high quality for the candidates. However, every member of that team will also be contributing to other areas of St Padarn s work. Within this nine of the tutorial staff (DFLM, seven tutors in dioceses, residentiary tutor) will devote most of their time to the work with candidates for formation for licensed ministry. This new structure is in the process of being implemented. The new DFLM will be able to have a major role in shaping how St Padarn s uses all of its talent well across the breadth of its responsibilities. The Formation for Licensed Ministry work is at a key transitional moment. The current post holder, the Venerable Professor Mike West, was heavily involved in theological education in Wales before St Padarn s and was a key figure in the development of the idea of St Padarn s and its initial formation and the building of the tutorial team and current processes. That work has now been done. There is a strong foundation laid, and it is good. However, what is required for the Church s mission in the next generation is not good, but outstanding, ministers and hence outstanding formation for licensed ministry. The challenge, and opportunity, for the next DFLM is to work with colleagues to drive the training and formation of licensed ministers (in all their variety) for the Church in Wales from good to outstanding.

4 JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title : Director of Formation for Licensed Ministry Grade : G ( 42,692-48,302) Department : Location: Responsible to: Working with: Job Purpose St Padarn s Institute (SPI) Either the St Michael s Centre, Cardiff Or, homeworking in West or North Wales, with 2-3 days a week at the St Michael s Centre Cardiff The Principal SPI staff; SPI Council; Staff at University of Cardiff and University of Wales, Trinity St David; Bishops, Senior Staff, Directors of Ministry and Directors of Vocation in the Church in Wales; Provincial Office Staff To oversee the training and formation of licensed ministers (in all their variety) for the Church in Wales, driving this from good to outstanding. Main Tasks and Responsibilities 1. To manage the work of the tutorial team in the delivery of Formation for Licensed Ministry (currently 11 staff). 2. To evolve with the Principal the strategy for Formation for Licenced Ministry in the Church in Wales. 3. To oversee the design, delivery, and periodic review of St Padarn s programme for Formation for Licensed Ministry ensuring that it meets the learning outcomes for the different licensed ministries, is responsible to the needs of the Church in Wales, and drives towards outstanding quality. 4. To give spiritual leadership to the Formation for Licensed Ministry programme, ensuring this is a distinctively Christian operation and community, including through leading worship and preaching. 5. To be a member of the St Padarn s Institute Senior Staff Team. 6. To work closely with the Programme Coordinator for Formation for Licensed Ministry to ensure that the organisation and administration of Formation for Licensed Ministry is appropriate for high-quality educational outcomes.

5 7. To work closely with the Director of Operations to ensure that: the St Padarn s Support Team provides appropriate service to the Formation for Licensed ministry work. the money spent on Formation for Licensed Ministry within the St Padarn s Budget is spend effectively, and financial planning for opportunities and challenges is done creatively and accurately. grant levels and other support for candidates are appropriate to fulfil the Church s aims for raising up new ministers. the residential, learning, worship and community accommodation used candidates and staff supports the delivery of high-quality formation for ministry. 8. To work closely with the Registrar to ensure that: Registration and record keeping for candidates and students is appropriate to the educational task. The processes for assessment, module development and validation, course handbooks and student support are appropriate for high-quality educational outcomes, and acceptable to university partners. All QA and validation requirements are fulfilled - University and Quality in Formation Panel (Ministry Division). 9. To work closely with the Director of Research to ensure that appropriate postgraduate programmes are available for Formation for Licensed Ministry which meet the learning outcomes for the different licensed ministries, is responsive to the needs of the Church in Wales, and drives towards outstanding quality. 10. To work closely with the Library and Information Officer to ensure that the learning resources, including the VLE, available for Formation for Licensed Ministry, strongly support the learning process. 11. To generate and maintain a culture of continuous improvement and creativity relating to Formation for Licensed Ministry, particularly through effective use of learner feedback, and learning from other institutions. 12. To drive continued innovation within Formation for Licensed Ministry, particularly in modes of assessment and use of modern technology to support dispersed learning. 13. To oversee the use of Theology for Life by disciples. 14. To oversee and support the work of the Residentiary Tutor to ensure the success of the full-time community based at the St Michael s centre 15. To oversee jointly with the Director of Operations the processes for recruitment and admission of candidates for licensed ministry, including personally overseeing the agreement of non-standard learning pathways direct communication with the Chair and Secretary of the Discernment Panels to ensure a productive fit between discernment and training ensuring that learning agreements exist for all candidates.

6 16. To oversee and personally lead the reporting on candidates to Bishops including: Overall systems for reporting and goal-setting for candidates Leading in the six-monthly candidate review meetings in each diocese Responding to requests from Bishops/ Diocesan Directors of Vocation for information, and raising concerns with Bishops/Diocesan Directors of Vocation. 17. To deal personally with the difficult cases of candidates for licensed ministry, including decisions to not recommend for ordination/licensing. 18. To contribute to the stimulation of vocations and the promotion of St Padarn s across the province. 19. To oversee the development of pathways for distinct ministries, including pioneer, evangelist, youth and children s worker, lay pastor and NSM(L). 20. To give leadership to the drive for St Padarn s to be part of a bilingual church for a bilingual nation, in particular through supporting the development of welsh medium theology, teaching and research. 21. To attend proactively to issues of equality and accessibility, such that St Padarn s makes continuing progress towards ensuring the equality of learners across Wales, in areas such as particular learning differences, gender, family circumstances, geographical challenges, and prior educational achievement. 22. To keep up to date with developments in teaching, learning, formation, assessment, ICT, and the Church in Wales. 23. To contribute to the wider life of the Church by research, writing or speaking.

7 PERSON SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL Demonstrable ability and experience in contributing to the formation of clergy and lay ministers. Experience of Anglican ministry as priest; the ability to bring this into the life of St Padarn s as a Christian learning community through personal example, leading of worship and preaching, and the integration of spirituality with professional standards A passion for the Welsh missional context, and an understanding of the nature of ministry in the Church in Wales, and that challenges and opportunities this gives to ministers in that Church. Excellent interpersonal skills; able to build relationship and carry out effective consultation with senior figures such as Bishops, Departmental Heads within Universities, ministry leads within church institutions in the UK. A doctorate in theology. Experience in teaching and assessment within Church and University contexts in an area relevant to the work of St Padarn s. Experience of managing and developing a team of staff and volunteers. Ability to work collaboratively with due accountability and delegation. Commitment to the personal and professional development of self and others, including the ability to give and receive effective feedback. Ability to think strategically; turning ideas and possibilities into clear implementable plans. Emotionally intelligent and resilient especially in the face of difficulty and challenges. Ability to manage a complex workload of competing demands. Ability to work independently and flexibly, including outside of normal working hours and significant travel within Wales. Excellent communication skills, both oral and in writing. ICT literate and willing to embrace new technologies. DESIREABLE Experience in supervision of dissertations / higher degrees. Experience in working within a dispersed, multi-site, organisation The ability to speak, or to learn, Welsh A track-record for bringing the fruits of academic research into the life of the Church. Experience of working with external validators Experience in the development and implementation of policy across an organisation