Our cathedral is supported by over 50 staff members and over 100 volunteers.
If you would be interested in joining our diverse, welcoming and enthusiastic team – please see our current opportunities below.
Current opportunities
TENOR LAY CLERK
Reporting to: Head of Music
Salary: £8,151.99 p/a
Hours: 9 hours per week
Pension: Subject to meeting the relevant criteria you will be enrolled in the Cathedral’s Pension Scheme with 8% employer contributions.
Annual leave: 9 days (pro rata) plus bank holidays.
Start Date: 1 September 2024
Our Tenor Lay Clerks contribute to the provision of fine music to enhance the worshipping life of the cathedral.
Roles and responsibilities
- To sing for the regular choral services, in line with the regular working hours.
- To sing for additional services around Christmas and Easter, and on certain feasts, further details of which are available on request.
- To sing for concerts and broadcasts.
- To sing for special services such as weddings, funerals and memorial services, for which additional fees are normally payable.
- To arrive at rehearsals and services punctually and able to sing all required music accurately and confidently.
- To set a good example of both musicianship and conduct to the boy and girl choristers, always working in accordance with the Cathedral’s Safeguarding Policy
Personal profile
The applicant must be able to demonstrate the following criteria through their application.
Education, Qualifications and Training:
- Excellent singing voice and sound vocal technique
- Full vocal range appropriate to the voice type being applied for
- Ability to sight read accurately and confidently
- A good ear and a strong level of musicianship
- Ability both to sing as a soloist in a choral context and to blend with other voices
Work and other relevant experience:
- Experience of singing in a choir of Cathedral Choir standard
- Experience of singing for the Anglican liturgy (desirable)
- Experience of singing alongside children (desirable)
Personal Qualities:
- In sympathy with the ethos and values of the Church of England
- Organised and communicative
- A pleasant manner, able to relate easily to adults and children
Normal working hours
Sunday
- 1015-1045 – Full Choir rehearsal
- 1045-1215 – Eucharist (service begins at 1100)
- 1440-1520 – Full Choir rehearsal
- 1520-1630 – Evensong (service begins at 1530)
Tuesday (or very occasionally Wednesday)
- 1720-1740 – Full Choir rehearsal
- 1740-1820 – Evensong (service begins at 1745)
- 1820 - 1920 - Lower Voices rehearsal
Friday
- 1720 - 1740 – Full Choir rehearsal
- 1740 - 1830 - Evensong (service begins at 1745)
- 1830 - 1920 - Lower Voices rehearsal
Requests for unpaid absence for other work can be made to the Head of Music and it is usually possible to accommodate them.
Download this information as the Tenor Lay Clerk recruitment pack.
How to apply
Closing date for applications is Sunday 28 April 2024.
Auditions will take place between Wednesday 8 May and Monday 13 May by mutual arrangement on a first-come and first-serve basis.
If you have any issues with this form, or with availability for the audition dates, or if you would like to have an informal conversation about the post, please contact David Hardie, Head of Music at david.hardie@birminghamcathedral.com.
Stewards
RESPONSIBLE TO: Head of Commercial Events and Diary and Events Support Officer
KEY INTERNAL Head of Commercial Events, Head of Facilities, Diary and Events
RELATIONSHIPS: Support Officer, Vergers
SALARY: £12.36 per hour
PENSION: Subject to meeting the relevant criteria you will be enrolled in the Cathedral’s Pension Scheme with 8% employer contributions.
HOURS: As and when.
CONTRACT: Zero hours.
HOLIDAYS: 12.07% has been added to the salary in respect of rolled up holiday pay. Therefore, holiday will not be accrued.
Job Description:
- At the start of an event a briefing will be given, stewards must attend.
- Greeting guests and, if applicable, check tickets on the door.
- Direct guests to seats - this may involve directing guests to specific seats according to a seating plan or assisting and directing guests who require accessible access.
- Be on duty as a Fire Marshal with an assigned fire exit and in the event of an evacuation open doors and direct guests out to the evacuation points on the close.
- Ensure walkways and doors are clear and remain unobstructed.
- Use the torch provided and hi-vis vest when required.
- Take direction from the Verger during an event and offer support to them.
- Communicate any observations and concerns to the Events Team or Verger.
- Assisting with various food and drink refreshments including taking cash and card payments.
- Assisting with logistics where necessary.
- Full training will be given.
Person Specification:
- A passion for sharing sacred space in sympathy with the ethos of the Church of England.
- Comfortable supporting the worshipping life of the cathedral.
- Awareness of good customer service, to be friendly and welcoming.
- Good communication skills and a proactive awareness to ensure the smooth running of events.
- The ability to handle people with tact and be confident in dealing with a range of situations.
- Understand the need of safeguarding, Health & Safety, and Counter Terrorism measures
- Be punctual, reliable, communicative and flexible to enable smooth allocation of shifts, which are allocated on a first come first served basis.
The primary role as a steward is to assist with the delivery of an enjoyable and safe experience for event attendees, to maintain a high level of customer care, and provide practical assistance both inside and outside of the venue.
Without your time, support, and dedication the cathedral would not be able to offer this service.
Applicant must 18 or older at the time of application.
Deadline for Applications: 2 weeks from receipt of the application pack.
Download the Steward Job description
How to apply
If you have any issues with the online form or would prefer to apply via the downloadable application form. This can be returned to recruitment@birminghamcathedral.com
Forms can also be returned by post to: Recruitment, Birmingham Cathedral St Philips, Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2QB.
Visitor Experience volunteers
Do you want to be a part of delivering a warm welcome to our visitors, and to tell the story of our cathedral?
We are looking for enthusiastic individuals, who can talk confidently to visitors about our building and answer any questions they might have. You should enjoy talking to people and be able to handle them with tact and sensitivity.
Our volunteers work in alignment with the ethos of the Church of England, although many are not practising Christians themselves.
What this volunteering opportunity will provide you with:
- Knowledge of the international significance of the windows, the artists Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris and their links to Birmingham.
- First-hand experience of a real-life conservation project.
- Experience working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
- Opportunity to work on a variety of events and activities for the public, and to carry out research or write blogs.
- Insight into the workings of the cathedral, and experience working in a sacred building and place of faith.
- The opportunity to practice speaking in various foreign languages dependent on the nationality of visitors you encounter.
- Opportunities to volunteer in further roles in the cathedral team.
- Experience working alongside a team of skilled and knowledgeable individuals both clergy and non-clergy
- Safeguarding and ACT training (this is a requirement)
Depending on the nature of the volunteering role you undertake with us, we may need to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service Rules.
All information provided by volunteers with be held in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation within the Data Protection Act 2018.
How to apply
If you have any issues with the online form or would prefer to apply via the downloadable application form. This can be returned to recruitment@birminghamcathedral.com
Forms can also be returned by post to: Recruitment, Birmingham Cathedral St Philips, Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2QB.
Education team Volunteers
Our education visits are some of the best opportunities to engage with the children and young people of the city, and our education guides are instrumental in this goal. We can usually run visits on Tuesdays and Thursday, from either 10am-12pm or from 1pm-3pm.
We can accommodate up to 60 children at any one time, however we will typically split them into at least 3 groups.
Our volunteers work in alignment with the ethos of the Church of England, although many are not practising Christians themselves.
What this volunteering opportunity will provide you with:
- Knowledge of the international significance of the windows, the artists Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris and their links to Birmingham.
- Experience working with people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
- Opportunity to work with children and young people in an educational context.
- Insight into the workings of the cathedral, and experience working in a sacred building and place of faith.
- The opportunity to practice speaking in various foreign languages dependent on the nationality of visitors you encounter.
- Opportunities to volunteer in further roles in the cathedral team.
- Experience working alongside a team of skilled and knowledgeable individuals both clergy and non-clergy
- Safeguarding and ACT training (this is a requirement)
Depending on the nature of the volunteering role you undertake with us, we may need to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service Rules.
All information provided by volunteers with be held in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation within the Data Protection Act 2018.
How to apply
If you have any issues with the online form or would prefer to apply via the downloadable application form. This can be returned to recruitment@birminghamcathedral.com
Forms can also be returned by post to: Recruitment, Birmingham Cathedral St Philips, Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2QB.
