Ebbsfleet Pioneer and Chaplain to Alkerden CE Academy

The Diocese of Rochester, in consultation with the Board of Trustees of the Aletheia Academies Trust, is seeking to appoint an ordained Interim Chaplain Pioneer. This is an exciting new SMIBB-funded role for a period of 3 years (with the possibility of renewal for a further year) and will best suit someone who is pro-active, enthusiastic and engaging.

Our new Chaplain Pioneer will be licensed to the benefice of Northfleet and Rosherville, and will be responsible for the development of a new worshipping community based in the School alongside responsibilities as the School's Chaplain.

About the area

The Ebbsfleet Development Corp was announced in 2015 to facilitate the delivery of up to 15,000 homes, making it one of the largest regeneration areas in Europe. Over 3,500 homes are already complete and occupied, with a population of almost 9,000 at the end of 2024. Further detail of the area and population can be found in the accompanying Profile .

Alkerden Church of England Academy is part of the Aletheia Academies Trust, which provides inclusive education for children aged from 3 to 18 years - Alkerden CE Academy

To prepare for the significant population growth in the area, a new Deanery of Swanscombe has been created to bring together the surrounding parishes, and funding has been secured for a new Chaplain Pioneer to work across the Ebbsfleet Garden City to discern missional opportunities and engagement with this new community.Some of this growth will emerge from the relationships developed through the new Pioneer's chaplaincy work within the school.

The ideal candidate

• Be an ordained priest with a heart for demonstrating and sharing the Christian faith through words and actions, comfortable preaching and teaching in a variety of styles.
• Be able to sensitively engage with School Staff and children of all ages within a school setting.
• Have a love for meeting and engaging with new people, and be able to build and lead a Team to help with Christian work in the area within an Anglican framework.
• Have a track record of missional creativity started from scratch, and can demonstrate building these initiatives to sustainability.
• Sustain a meaningful pattern for their own spiritual life and lead others in developing faith and discipleship.

Housing

Housing will be provided in nearby Rosherville in a family-sized property next door to St Mark's Church.

Full details

Full details can be found in the accompanying Area Profile and role description.

The wider a group's diversity, the smarter, wiser, and more compassionate and creative its decision making becomes. We are committed to achieving diversity throughout our Diocese by seeking UKME/GMH colleagues and those from a wide-range of backgrounds, to help us create a culture of inclusion and belonging.