Learning and Development Officer

Learning and Development Officer (Scotland)

Part time (28 hrs per week)

Are you passionate about helping to further the mission of our churches, circuits and districts? Are you an excellent facilitator, able to enable others in their learning and support organisational development and change? If you are, we would like to hear from you. In this role, you will be part of the GB-wide Learning Network of the Methodist Church, encouraging and resourcing life-long learning.

This role is aligned to Scotland and covers a wide range of learning and development areas within the life of the church, aimed at supporting, encouraging and inspiring the church in living out ‘Our Calling:  to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission’.
The Learning Network works primarily with lay and ordained church leaders, equipping them as they in turn seek to equip all God’s people. A particular focus of this role will be to further the mission of churches, circuits and districts and support the development of new worshipping communities in different contexts.

As the successful applicant, you will work with other team members across the Learning Network and wider Connexional Team, to enable Methodist people in all aspects of their calling as together we seek to be an inclusive, justice seeking, evangelistic and growing church.

About You

The role includes:

• supporting circuits in exploring vision and developing mission plans;
• working collaboratively with colleagues to plan, develop and review learning and development in areas such as leadership development, biblical literacy, vocation, worship leading and preaching, pastoral care, ministerial wellbeing, supervision, conflict resolution, mission and ministry with all ages;
• facilitating effective and potentially transformational conversations on a variety of subjects;
• enabling, equipping and resourcing through preparation, delivery and evaluation of a wide range of contextually relevant learning and development activities, events and initiatives, both for onsite and online contexts;
• contributing your particular gifts and experiences to enhance learning and development across the connexion;
• helping churches in their commitment to support the Church’s aspiration to be inclusive, justice seeking, evangelistic and growing;
• a requirement to travel, and work during some evenings and weekends.
• a requirement to be a member of a church in good standing with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland or equivalent.

Key skills include:

• Building good relationships with the District(s) and with individuals and communities across the church and beyond;
• An ability to work interculturally, being sensitive to working across different nations or jurisdictions, with an understanding of contextual theology;
• Good communication, including utilising digital mediums, planning, organising, and leadership skills;
• An understanding of safeguarding;
• Supporting adult learners;
• Theologically thinking and the ability to facilitate others in developing theological conversation;
• Flexible and creative approach.

You will have significant experience in offering learning and development support and theological reflection in a relevant context.

Our Culture, Values and Benefits

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing.

We value and support all those who join our team through a positive work-life balance augmented by generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year), annualised hours and a Wellbeing Adviser service. We offer a generous occupational pension scheme, where the Methodist Church will pay double the employee contribution up to a maximum of 16% employer contribution.

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from people of all backgrounds. We welcome applications from people of Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups. We also welcome applications from people living with disabilities. 

The successful applicant will be required to live within the geographical area of the aligned Methodist District, or close commutable distance, and be expected to travel for work purposes.

If you require reasonable adjustments to made at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know (contact detaiils on our website). 

How to Apply:

Click on Apply to be redirected to our website where you can complete an application. 

Closing date: 5 January 2025

Shortlisting date: 6 January 2025

Interview date: 17 January 2025 at Paisley Methodist Central Hall

N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.