Regional Port Chaplain for Southern Ports

MAIN PURPOSES OF THE JOB

The Stella Maris (SM) Regional Port Chaplain will promote the vision, mission and values of SM in caring for all seafarers and fishers by helping to meet their pastoral and spiritual needs. They will recruit, train and support SM staff and volunteers for the port and will maintain good relations with local parishes and the local diocese. They will work ecumenically with members of other Christian maritime societies with whom SM works.

1.     To meet the welfare and pastoral needs of all seafarers and fishers equally according to their needs and wishes. To be an advocate on their behalf, upholding the dignity of each. Through regular and frequent ship visiting, to understand the working and living conditions of the seafarer and fishers and be able to work for justice and for the well-being of all crew members without distinction.

2.     To address the communication needs of seafarers, providing transport, news, and access to telephone and internet facilities.

3.     To address the welfare needs of seafarers and fishers, including support with money transfers, hospitality, and crisis support, e.g. abandonment, injury and death, detainment, bereavement, advice and access to medical care.

4.     To meet the ecclesial, spiritual, and sacramental needs of Catholic seafarers and fishers; to facilitate the religious and spiritual needs of others and to be a pastor to all, sharing one’s faith as appropriate.

5.     To participate in SM conferences, ongoing formation and other professional courses as required.

6.     To supporting seafarer centre functioning.

7.     To recruit, train, develop and retain a SM ship visiting volunteering team.

8.      To represent SM on the local Port Welfare Committee(s), to include attending such meetings and submitting reports.

9.     To liaise and maintain good working relationships with all port stakeholders, including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, port health, harbour masters, dockers, security, and shipping agents.

10.  To work in an ecumenical and multi-faith context by respecting the differing religious and spiritual needs of seafarers drawn from diverse regions throughout the world.

11.  To encourage and support the development of an ecumenical service to seafarers through engagement with our ecumenical colleagues, including the Mission to Seafarers, The Fishermen’s Mission, The Sailors’ Society (to name a few).

12.  To engage with local maritime colleges.

13.  To engage with the local press, in particular the local Catholic diocesan press.

14.  To represent and be a proactive advocate for SM at Deanery meetings, in local parishes, in schools, with diocesan Justice and Peace networks, with migrant communities, in the local Catholic community and in the local community as a whole.

15.  To support the Fundraising and Communications team with the development of local fundraising initiatives.

16.  To promote SM internally and externally so as to ensure a highly motivated workforce and a positive external image.

No job profile can cover every issue which may arise within the post at various times and the post holder is expected to carry out other duties from time to time.

Person Specification

Regional Port Chaplain for Southern Ports

General Info

Stella Maris UK is a well-known and respected charity within the maritime industry We are the largest ship visiting network in the world. As a Regional Port Chaplain, you will be responsible for being the face of the charity when visiting ships, seafarers, fishers and their families. You will also be representing the charity at meetings, conferences, events and any other required functions. You will need to be effective, efficient, well organised, confident and comfortable in working with all other stakeholders, organisations and charities whilst undertaking various tasks in and out of the port environment.

The role will also require interactions and communication with various staff members at head office, the Senior Area Port Chaplain and other members of the team, as well as communicating and building relationships with local Catholic parishes. You may also be asked to attend various meetings or gatherings where you would be asked to give a presentation on the work of Stella Maris.

It will be vitally important to be flexible whilst working within this role and environment using as much effective time management as possible, but remaining creative and using initiative, when necessary, in certain situations and circumstances.

The role of chaplain can often be a lonely and sometimes isolated role that may require some out of hours working. Things do not always go according to plan and sometimes you may not be welcomed onboard. The role can be challenging mentally, emotionally and sometimes physically (long, steep gangways to board ships). You will be part of a team that has chaplains spread out through the South of England and Wales, as well as being part of a larger team of chaplains in the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Chaplains in the South of England and Wales gather together for a retreat and social time once a year, and the whole organisation will also meet annually for a retreat and staff conference.

Supporting seafarers is a varied, demanding, rewarding, fulfilling and vital ministry.

Required Elements:

·        Roman Catholic.

·        Full UK Driving Licence.

·        Able to work independently and without supervision.

·        Be able to use own initiative.

·        Happy to manage and be responsible for a small team of volunteers.

·        Good interpersonal/social skills.

·        Able to interact and be comfortable around a diverse range of people.

·        Willing to work ecumenically (with other of other faiths and those of no faith).

·        Be competent in basic IT and using Word, Excel, Teams and databases.

·        Knowledge of the geographical area.

·        Flexible.

·        Good time management.

·        Resilient.