WESTMINSTER ABBEY Application Pack Verger, St. Margaret s Church, Westminster Abbey April 2009 Enclosed with this pack: About Westminster Abbey Job Description and Person Specification Working for us Equality Statement How to apply
About Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey is a major centre for Christian worship, a leading venue for tourism and a treasured part of Britain s heritage. The Abbey has occupied a central place in the celebration of great events for the nation and remains one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces in Britain. A living Church, Westminster Abbey is the House of Kings, where the coronation of Kings and Queens has taken place since 1066, and where many of the Kings and Queens of England and of the United Kingdom are buried. Principal among them is St Edward the Confessor, King of England from 1042 to 1066, whose shrine is at the heart of the Abbey Church. Beside and around them are buried or commemorated many of the great men and women from almost every century of British history: statesmen and politicians, lawyers, warriors, clerics, writers, artists, musicians. Westminster Abbey is a Royal Peculiar, and the Dean and Chapter of Westminster are directly responsible to the Sovereign. Westminster Abbey s Mission is To serve Almighty God as a school of the Lord s service by offering divine worship daily and publicly; To serve the Sovereign by daily prayer and by a ready response to requests made by or on behalf of Her Majesty; To serve the nation by fostering the place of true religion within national life, maintaining a close relationship with members of the House of Commons and House of Lords and with others in representative positions; To serve pilgrims and all other visitors and to maintain a tradition of hospitality. The Abbey attracts approximately one million paying visitors each year, from all around the world. A large number of people also attend services which take place seven days a week. Daily services are only part of the Abbey s work, for there are also many special services and events throughout the year. These include memorial services for distinguished public figures, services to mark significant occasions and annual events such as the Commonwealth Day Observance and the opening of the Field of Remembrance. Coronations are by their nature infrequent but there have been many royal weddings and funerals over the years. The Abbey receives no regular income from the State, the Church of England or the Royal Family, and relies on monies raised from visitors to ensure that the building can be properly maintained and remain open as an amenity for all. Westminster Abbey currently employs around 200 staff in a variety of roles and an even larger number of volunteers.
St. Margaret s Church, Westminster Abbey Standing as it does between Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, and commonly called the parish church of the House of Commons, St. Margaret s has witnessed many important events in the life of this country. This remains true in our own day but now, more than ever, St. Margaret s welcomes visitors from all over the world. Everyone is welcome to the Sunday choral Eucharist which is sung by St. Margaret s choir. Regular events at St. Margaret s include memorial and thanksgiving services, weddings, baptisms and the annual Parliamentary carol service. St. Margaret s also contributes to the regular pattern of worship of the Abbey as services are often transferred to the church when the Abbey is closed for special services and events. Canon Wright, the Sub Dean of Westminster Abbey, has special responsibility as the Rector of St. Margaret s. The verging arrangements are overseen by the Dean s Verger, and carried out by a Senior Verger and one Verger. The Verger appointed to St. Margaret s also will be expected to assist as required with some daily services, special services and events which take place in Westminster Abbey.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY JOB PROFILE JOB TITLE: ACCOUNTABLE TO: KEY RELATIONSHIPS: BACKGROUND: JOB SUMMARY: Verger, St. Margaret s Church, Westminster Abbey Dean s Verger, and the Senior Verger, St. Margaret s for daily duties at St. Margaret s Dean s Verger and Vergers Team; Senior Verger, Dean and Chapter particularly the Rector of St. Margaret s; Rector s Secretary; Minor Canons; Music Department; Conservation Department; worshippers and visitors. St. Margaret s Church is open every day, has a full programme of worship and special events during the year and large numbers of visitors from all over the world. To assist the Dean s Verger and Senior Verger to ensure that St. Margaret s Church and the goods and ornaments are properly maintained; that worshippers and visitors are welcomed; and that the church is properly prepared for services and special events. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Liturgy and Worship 1. Prepare for the liturgy, carrying out the Dean s Orders and those of the Rector and Minor Canons 2. Verge processions and verge dignitaries during services 3. Follow the written forms of liturgical requirements for daily services, special services and visitors.
Preparation for Services 4. Lay out copes and other vestments for the Clergy 5. Prepare altars and other areas for worship Sacristy and general cleaning 6. Assist with the daily care of cleanliness and good order of vestments, linen, silver/plate, candles and altar frontals 7. Responsible, through the Senior Verger, for ensuring the care and for arranging the maintenance of copes 8. Assist in keeping the church and the vestry clean 9. Report any defect or maintenance and repair issues to the Senior Verger Visitors 10. Maintain a visible presence in the church so that at least one of the Vergers is on duty at all times which the church is open. 11. Develop an awareness of the history and life of the Abbey and St. Margaret s Church and respond to questions and enquiries from visitors. 12. Deal with any issues which arise affecting the safety and security of worshippers, visitors and the church. 13. Give talks to visiting groups from time to time General 14. Assist with worship, special services and events in Westminster Abbey as required 15. Undertake any task which may be required by the Dean s Verger or Senior Verger from time to time
PERSON SPECIFICATION: Verger This section outlines the knowledge, skills and abilities the job holder needs in order to fulfil the requirements of the post. Essential criteria are those that the job holder absolutely must have in order to do the job. Desirable criteria are those qualities that would be either useful, or an advantage or those which the job holder can be trained to do. Essential Skills/Aptitudes/Knowledge: 1. Knowledge of church liturgy and the liturgical calendar 2. Self motivated, able to work unsupervised and act on initiative when required 3. Able to work effectively as a member of a team 4. Good communication skills, both verbally and in writing 5. Able to deal calmly and robustly with situations as they arise Experience: 6. Experience of working with the public Personal Attributes: 7. Commitment to achieving the Abbey s mission overall 8. Understanding of and ability to commit to the role of the Verger within the liturgy of the church Circumstances: 9. Able to work weekends, bank holidays and evenings as required Desirable 10. Previous experience as a Verger, either paid or voluntary 11. An interest in history and historical buildings This Job Profile will be kept under review and may be amended by the Dean & Chapter from time to time. Any proposed changes will be discussed with the postholder.
Working for Us Salary The starting salary is 22,000 per annum. Salaries are currently reviewed annually in October for staff who have completed their probation period. Working Hours Vergers work 40 hours a week on a four week rota with an average of two days off each week and two weekends off each month. Some evening and bank holiday working is requires. Annual Holidays The holiday entitlement is 20 days plus the eight recognised public holidays. Training Westminster Abbey is committed to providing the training necessary to develop in the role. Training needs are assessed through the probation period and annual appraisals. Pension Scheme and Life Assurance All employees are eligible to join the Abbey pension scheme, which is a final salary scheme. The employee contribution is 6.5% and the employer contributes 16.2%. All employees are covered by death-in-service life assurance, whether or not they choose to join the pension scheme. Staff Discount All employees receive a 20% discount on purchases from the Westminster Abbey shop and the from the coffee club, which serves drinks and snacks. Season Ticket Loan A season ticket loan is offered after completion of a probationary period, repayable over 10 months. Medical Insurance The Abbey will pay 50% of premiums to join a nominated medical insurance scheme after one year s employment Dress There is a dress code in operation for all staff working with the public. Vergers are expected to wear their cassock at all times when on duty in the Abbey.
Equality Statement The Dean and Chapter aim at all times to recruit the person who is most suited to the job. Recruitment will be solely on the basis of the applicant s abilities and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the job. Qualifications, skills and experience will be assessed at the level that is relevant to the job. We will ensure that our shortlisting, interviewing and selection procedures avoid discrimination in any way, including on grounds of age, disability, gender, marital status or civil partnership, race, nationality or ethic origins, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Please return the Equal Opportunities Monitoring form with your application. This will help us monitor our recruitment practice. The form will not be seen by the people making the selection decision. How to Apply Please complete our application form as CVs will not be accepted. Read the Job Description and Person Specification enclosed with this pack carefully, and think about how your experience, skills and abilities help you to meet the requirements listed in the Person Specification. Use the Supporting Statement section of the form to tell us how you meet each of the requirements. As well as your previous work experience, tell us about other relevant experience such as community and voluntary experience, also leisure and other interests. Clear information on how you meet all the requirements of the job, with relevant examples, will help us with shortlisting, and we may not be able to shortlist you for interview if you do not provide this. Please send your completed application to: The Human Resources Department The Chapter Office 20 Dean s Yard London SW1P 3PA or email it to us: applications@westminster-abbey.org to arrive no later than noon on Wednesday 6 th May 2009. The Recruitment Process Initial interviews will be held on Monday 11 th May 2009. Due to the cost of postage and administration we very much regret that we will be unable to write personally to applicants who are not shortlisted If you are invited for interview you will be asked to produce evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK. Offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references, a medical and a Criminal Records (CRB) check at enhanced level