Diocesan Registry Administrator

Winckworth Sherwood are acknowledged leaders in the field of ecclesiastical law. Our practice is the largest in the UK. We advise the Church of England at every level and on almost every kind of issue that churches may face. Our specialist lawyers also advise a wide range of clients of other denominations and faith-based charities.

We are currently looking for a new colleague who will work closely with the Head of the Ecclesiastical Department and play a key part in supporting him in his role as the Registrar of two large and complex dioceses.  

The work of the Registry is diverse and fascinating. It includes:

• the operation of the Faculty jurisdiction and the Consistory Court
• assisting with the legal processes by which clergy are ordained and admitted or licensed to offices, including preparation of the necessary documentation
• dealing with applications for marriage licences and queries about marriage law
• responding to a wide range of legal and procedural queries

You will be someone who thrives on having a busy and varied working day, managing different tasks concurrently. The opportunity to work alongside a broad range of people will be something that excites you. You will pride yourself on the high quality of documentation that you produce and relish the opportunity to join a team who have a strong vocational interest in ecclesiastical law.

You will share our commitment to developing and maintaining close working relationships with all those whom the Registry serves, including senior clergy and diocesan administrators, parish clergy and lay officers, volunteers and members of the public.

You will have some understanding of the structures and workings of the Church of England and be enthusiastic to develop your knowledge and skills. Full training will be provided but prior experience in a legal or church setting would be a distinct advantage.

In return, you will be joining one of the best ecclesiastical practices in the country and be surrounded by supportive, knowledgeable colleagues.

Winckworth Sherwood is an exciting, diverse, and growing business. We are a full-service law firm with a diverse client base, that prides itself on providing advice across a broad range of sectors and markets. Delivering a first-class service is key to everything we do.

Our clients range from some of the UK’s largest businesses and institutions, housebuilders and developers through to investors, professional partnerships, family offices, not for profit organisations and private individuals – all of which benefit from the flexible, practical approach of our lawyers.

We recognise that our people play a key part in our success and as a result we are committed to their development and well-being. We promote a healthy work-life balance and flexibility, keeping our people motivated and stimulated to deliver great things.

Application review

Your profile will be screened by a member of the WS recruitment team. If you CV is shortlisted, you will be invited to have a short call with our Recruitment Manager, Ash Evans, to discuss your interest in the vacancy. No AI is used in our application screening process! Every candidate who applies to this role will be told if they have been successful or not in moving to the next stage.

1st interview (via Teams)

This will be with the head of the department, who will discuss your interest in the role, what you are looking for professionally, and ask some competency/behavioural questions that relate to the key skills/behaviours needed for this position.

Every candidate who reaches this stage will be offered the chance to have a feedback call with our Recruitment Manager to understand why they weren't progressed to the next interview stage, so that you can use this feedback to help with other job applications.

2nd interview (in person at our London office)

At this stage, you will meet the head of the department in person, as well as another partner from the ecclesiastical team. You will also meet the other two diocesan registry administrators to gain their insight into the role.

This is also a good opportunity to ask any final role/firm specific questions.

Every candidate who reaches this stage will be offered the chance to have a feedback call with our Recruitment Manager to understand why they weren't offered the position, so that you can use this feedback to help with other job applications.

Offer of employment

If you are successful and accept our offer of employment, we will submit your details to our background screening company (Giant), who will conduct a series of background checks. Once these have been completed and we have separately validated your proof of right to work in the UK, a start date can be agreed, and your onboarding schedule can be planned.