Job summary
- Main area
- Chaplaincy
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (weekend working / on-call / out of hours)
- Job ref
- 236-MED-P193-26-B
- Employer
- Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Northern Care Alliance
- Town
- Salford
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 28/09/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care Manager
Band 7
Job overview
Lead Chaplain – Multi-Faith Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care
Leads the strategic and daily operations of the Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Team across the Northern Care Alliance, ensuring inclusive, compassionate support, and highly-quality spiritual and religious care for patients, families, and staff.
The Lead Chaplain will:
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Provide expert guidance on spiritual and religious matters.
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Lead a diverse team of Chaplains across faiths and beliefs systems represented in the in-patient population for the Northern Care Alliance Trust.
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Manage staff and oversee daily service operations.
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Integrate spiritual care into holistic healthcare.
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Offer direct support in complex emotional and spiritual situations.
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Participate in on-call and holiday cover, with emphasis on Christian (Church of England/Free Church) needs.
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Champion equality, equity, and inclusion
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Ensure adherence with national standards, NHS guidelines, Trust policies and UKBHC code of conduct.
Occupational requirement:
Due to identified service needs, the post holder must be of Christian faith (Church of England or Free Church), as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010.
Main duties of the job
Please see full job description for more detail:
Professional Duties
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Deliver spiritual, pastoral, and religious care—including rites—to patients, families, staff, and students.
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Serve as lead contact for spiritual, ethical, and interfaith matters across the Northern Care Alliance.
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Manage a personal caseload with diverse and complex care needs.
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Participate actively in care delivery, including on-call cover.
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Manage referrals across disciplines, offering expert support in sensitive situations.
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Uphold UKBHC professional standards and registration requirements.
Responsibilities for Patient Care
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Respond to referrals with empathetic spiritual assessments and support.
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Provide tailored care for Anglican and Free Church patients.
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Collaborate with clinical teams to deliver integrated spiritual care.
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Ensure regular ward visits and consistent pastoral presence.
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Lead care in complex settings (e.g. ICU, trauma, palliative care).
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Continuously evaluate and adapt to spiritual needs of patients, families, and staff.
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Lead Christian services and inclusive gatherings (e.g. memorials).
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Conduct Trust funerals and remembrance events across age groups.
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Advocate for patients, relatives, and staff in spiritual matters.
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Coordinate Chaplaincy response during Major Incidents per Trust proto
Working for our organisation
The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) provides hospital and integrated health and social care services to over one million people living across Greater Manchester. Our 20,000 colleagues care for people in hospital and in the community, working across Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Salford, to save and improve lives.
As a large NHS trust we are committed to enhancing the health of our local population by delivering consistently high standards of care and working closely with local authorities and key partners. We believe in our power and potential to make a difference and we’re always looking for people who demonstrate our three core values - care, appreciate and inspire – to join our team.
In return, we can offer you a job role with purpose and flexibility. The size and scale of the NCA means we can provide more challenge and opportunities so your career can always be moving in the right direction. By joining us you can also access a competitive benefits package, including, a fantastic annual leave allowance, flexible working opportunities and protected hours for health and wellbeing activities, helping you to achieve more personal downtime and a better work-life balance.
Learn more about us in our Candidate Information Pack.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To read more information about the advertised role, and the main job duties/responsibilities please open the Job Description and Person Specification located under the supporting documents heading. You can also read more information about working at the Northern Care Alliance within the attached Candidate Information Pack or by visiting our careers website: www.careers.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- A degree or equivalent in in subject relevant to chaplaincy
- Postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience in a chaplaincy-related discipline
- Evidence of counselling skills.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
Desirable criteria
- Eligible for registration with UK BHC
Professional Registration
Essential criteria
- Ordained or accredited person and in good standing the Anglican Church or a part of the Free Churches Group of Churches Together in England.
Desirable criteria
- To be registered, or to be able to register as a chaplain with UKBHC
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Working knowledge of major faith communities and belief groups in relation to the acute hospital context
- Specialist knowledge of a range of faith/ belief traditions beyond candidate’s own, with particular reference to practices around birth, sickness, death and bereavement.
- Understanding of the structures and working practices of the NHS and how to work within them.
- Understanding of acute healthcare chaplaincy and the ability to articulate service needs and advocate the spiritual needs of service users as required.
- Knowledge of national policy and guidance relating to the managing of an effective chaplaincy service
- Knowledge and experience of the implementation of service evaluation in relation to national and local guidance
Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable experience of working as a healthcare Chaplain (minimum 5 years) with additional experience of providing formal pastoral care in a recognised, professional capacity.
- Experience of caring for the sick and or bereaved patients and their loved ones.
- Experience of the multi-cultural, religious and spiritual dimensions of health care.
- Experience of complex ethical, theological and pastoral issues that may arise in a healthcare setting.
- Experience of leading and managing teams
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with excluded and marginalised groups and individuals discriminated against due to mental health issues, race or culture, faith, disability, gender or sexual orientation.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Claire Rathmill
- Job title
- ADNS for Palliative Care, Bereavement & Chaplaincy
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01612065167
- Additional information
Ian Inglis - Chaplaincy & Spiritual Care Manager
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