Bishops’ Adviser for Women’s Ministry

Role Description

The principal duties of the Bishops’ Adviser for Women’s Ministry (BAWM) will include:

• Promoting and championing licensed women’s ministries in the Diocese
• To be an advocate for the full inclusion, flourishing and equality of ordained women in every part of church life
• To enable and help women to be all that they can be (this is in the light of all kinds of expectations as to who women in ministry should be)
• Reviewing our Diocesan policies so that they demonstrate best practice around issues which particularly affect licensed lay and ordained women and would include family friendly policies such as maternity/parental leave and a menopause policy
• To be a listening ear to and a voice for women who experience the effects of both conscious and unconscious bias in the church with a particular concern to bring to light those aspects of bias which are often hidden
• Appointing 2 other voluntary advisers to work in the Archdeaconries where the postholder is not based
• To work with others for a Diocese in which women flourish especially with the Archbishop’s Adviser for Pastoral Care
• To advise the Bishops of the Diocese and their ministry officers as to the best practice for women engaged in vocational discernment, formation and deployment for all ministries in the Church
• Being a link between the national church and the Diocese of York via NADAWM
• Encouraging formal and informal networking and mentoring opportunities
• Signposting individuals in need to sources of pastoral support
• Link with the comms team for website material (events and good practice)
• Specialist training events like Hilda’s heirs
• Manage a small budget for travel and resources