Job summary
- Main area
- Chaplaincy
- Grade
- 6
- Contract
- Permanent: Includes shared on call cover and some weekend working
- Hours
- Part time - 18.75 hours per week (Shared on call cover and some weekends.)
- Job ref
- 265-7338120 COR-B
- Employer
- Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- University Hospitals of Northamptonshire
- Town
- Northampton
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 Per annum, Pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/01/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Hospital Chaplain - Part Time (Multi Faith)
6
Job overview
The Chaplaincy Department is seeking to appoint an experienced and motivated multi-faith chaplain who shares our passion for providing excellent spiritual, pastoral and religious care to patients, visitors and staff.
Chaplains work closely with all professional healthcare teams, as well as with community colleagues and an active team of volunteers. The role is for a suitably qualified individual to work collaboratively with the Senior Chaplain and all members of the Chaplaincy Department to ensure the timely and appropriate response to referrals and requests for spiritual, religious and pastoral care support.
Main duties of the job
We aim to provide the best possible care for patients and staff, and the department has a spiritual calling to care for, support, encourage, nurture and provide for all patients across the Trust, especially in times of crisis and at the end of life.
As a Hospital Trust we respect and rejoice in diversity and difference as reflected in our immediate local community Chaplains support individual and corporate wellbeing through visiting, active listening, pastoral counselling, end of life care, bereavement counselling and, when appropriate, through particular rituals of the faith community to which a person belongs.
The candidate will demonstrate a creative approach to working as part of a multi-faith team and be willing to undertake an on call commitment shared between the team (with an ‘on-site’ response time of 30-45 minutes).
Any candidate applying for the posts should have sufficient experience to offer sensitive and safe religious, spiritual and pastoral care to patients, relatives, friends and carers, and to members of staff, whether these are persons of faith or not. There is also a commitment to weekend working, which is on a pro rata basis.
The role is demanding and fast paced and the successful candidate will have to demonstrate reliability, personal, physical, mental and spiritual resilience so as to be able to cope under pressure in difficult situations. The candidate will have a secure personal faith and the ability to work as a reflective practitioner.
Working for our organisation
Northampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values
Compassion
Accountability
Respect
Integrity
Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
We are a Defence positive trust, supporting our reservists, veterans, spouses and partners.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.
We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. To work with the Lead Chaplain and collaboratively with all members of the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Team to ensure the timely and appropriate response to referrals and requests for spiritual, religious and pastoral care support, playing a full part on the On Call rota (minimum one day/night per week and one Sunday per month) as required by the service and taking responsibility for ward-based visiting.
2. To engage proactively and communicate effectively with colleagues to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach to the provision of spiritual, religious and pastoral care to patients, their families and carers, and to staff, seeking to meet the needs of those of all faiths and philosophies of life.
3. To develop understanding of End of Life and Bereavement Care and use active listening and pastoral care skills to support those who are dying, their relatives and those who are bereaved.
4. To have pastoral responsibility for visiting all wards and clinical areas as well as for certain areas of the Hospital in relation to special projects (for example – Co-ordinate and Supervise Volunteers - A&E Pastoral Care Team, Maternity Care, Family Care Service, Weekday Ward Visiting Team, Patient Experience, Staff Wellbeing) developing pastoral expertise in those areas and be able to share this learning with others. (Areas to be agreed with the Lead Chaplain, depending on the candidate’s experience and interest, to include leading on responsibility for volunteers).
5. To be committed and able to maintain the patient-facing nature of the chaplain’s role and possess the personal physical, psychological and spiritual robustness to work in all clinical areas including those of high infection risk and all Covid-19 secure environments.
6. To help with the planning, preparation and (where appropriate) the delivery of faith-based services and other significant festival celebrations in the world faith calendar, respecting the traditions and beliefs of all who work in partnership with the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Service.
7. To conduct pastoral care services, funerals and memorials, as requested, primarily in relation to emergency weddings, infant deaths and adult funerals.
8. To maintain all records and data management in accordance with Information Governance policies and procedures, and to assist in project evaluation processes and preparation of reports as required.
9. To be prepared to undertake evening and/or weekend activities in agreement with the Lead Chaplain.
10. To be prepared to take part in Major Incident Response in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
11. To work in accordance with the Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust values, policies and procedures, fulfilling statutory and mandatory Trust training requirements and undertaking any necessary training that supports the work in agreement with the Lead Chaplain. 12. To undertake other duties as may be requested by the Lead Chaplain to facilitate the smooth running of the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Team to ensure delivery of excellent spiritual, religious and pastoral care services to the Trust.
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
- First Degree in Theology/Religious Studies or Equivalent Professional Qualifications to Level 6 or above.
- The candidate should be in good standing with and formally endorsed by their relevant Faith Community or Association – (for example - ordained priest or lay minister in good standing with their faith community or authorising body and having permission to practice.) Evidence required.
- Evidence of continuing personal and professional development.
Desirable criteria
- Membership of the United Kingdom Board for Health Care Chaplaincy (UKBHC)
Experience
Essential criteria
- Currently working as a healthcare chaplain and/or spiritual and pastoral care in an hospital setting.
- Experience of successful team working.
- Experience of working on projects with targeted outcomes, deadlines and reporting processes.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a multi faith team and/or in an international setting with people of other faiths and beliefs than own.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent listening skills and ability to respond appropriately during in-depth one to one encounters.
- Ability to build rapport and develop trust.
- Ability to be calm, empathetic and compassionate in distressing situations
- High quality oral and written communication skills
- Computer and word processing skills
- Ability to prioritise tasks and manage a range of activities.
- Ability to provide Spiritual and Religious Care for the dying, critically ill and newly bereaved, including those experiencing sudden death or pregnancy loss.
- Pastoral or Counselling skills or other relevant training / certification
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Mike Corcoran
- Job title
- Acting UHN Lead Chaplain and Staff Governor
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01604 545573
- Additional information
Marilyn Benjamin - Hospital Chaplain
01604-545773
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