Job requirements
Essential
32 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Qalifications Training
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with demonstrable learning in a relevant field such as counselling, pastoral care, psychology, psychotherapy, religious studies or theology
- Qalifications Training
Endorsement to practice as a healthcare chaplain by a recognised/established sponsoring faith community or belief group.
- Qalifications Training
Evidence of Continued Professional Development relevant to healthcare chaplaincy to Council for Professional Chaplains and Pastoral Carers standards
- Communication and Relationships
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be able to negotiate and work within highly complex and sensitive situations and to provide or advise on the spiritual care that is required.
- Communication and Relationships
Capability to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively
- Communication and Relationships
Experience of counselling skills and pastoral techniques
- Communication and Relationships
Ability to work both collaboratively and independently, and the capacity for effective Multi-faith and belief networking
- Communication and Relationships
Enhanced use of self in chaplaincy practice including emotional availability, cultural humility, appropriate self-disclosure, positive use of power and authority, and clear and responsible boundaries
- Communication and Relationships
To be trustworthy, showing careful attention to the individual and specific needs of those in their care, and have an approach that values and affirms the right of those outside the chaplain's own tradition to practice their beliefs appropriately.
- Communication and Relationships
Workload prioritisation, time management and hold others to account on delivery of outcomes
- Communication and Relationships
Supervision of newly qualified chaplains and others working within the chaplaincy service
- Communication and Relationships
Lead reflective practice with a range of groups
- Communication and Relationships
Practice professionally within recognised boundaries within pastorally diverse settings (as per the Code of Conduct)
- Communication and Relationships
Supportive of the Trust's values
- Communication and Relationships
To participate in the on-call rota and respond to urgent referrals within 60 minutes
- Communication and Relationships
Car owner/driver or suitable alternative transport to enable you to travel between sites and respond to on-call referrals.
- Communication and Relationships
Willingness to respond to urgent need and unexpected events, including Major Incidents.
- Communication and Relationships
Resilience and adaptability in complex, challenging and unpredictable situations
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Minimum of 1600 hours of professionally supervised clinical practice as a designated healthcare chaplain that should include: On-call duties, Neonatal care, Maternity Care, Palliative and end of life care
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
An understanding of different leadership styles and the difference between leadership and management.
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Create and lead ritual or other spiritual process in a way that is sensitive to the pastoral context and faith/belief needs of those present
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Offer spiritual care beyond own faith/belief boundaries with evidence of commitment to an inclusive approach to chaplaincy
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Working knowledge of major faith communities and belief groups in relation to the acute hospital context
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
An understanding of the principles and practice of governance and/including safeguarding
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Evidence of reflecting critically on the practice and experience of providing pastoral care. Evidence of finding or searching for meaning through exploration of spiritual issues encountered in sickness, mental health, dying, death and bereavement
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Teaching and training of healthcare staff at a variety of levels
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Act as an informed theological/philosophical and ethical resource in complex pastoral and clinical situations.
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Engagement with audit, service evaluation or research
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Ability to take responsibility for, and representation of, the Chaplaincy Department.
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
The ability to regulate own workload and to act on own initiative
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
IT skills and accurate record keeping
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Experience of managing change within the service and supporting immediate team members with a flexible approach and embracing of change.
Desirable
8 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Qalifications Training
Post graduate qualification or Masters, or equivalent post basic training or work experience with demonstrable outcomes of learning relevant to healthcare chaplaincy
- Qalifications Training
Registration with the Council for Professional Chaplains and Pastoral Carers or eligibility to register (the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care recommends choosing chaplains from an Accredited Register.)
- Qalifications Training
Qualification in Leadership and Management
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Leadership and management experience.
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Ability to articulate vision for the chaplaincy service
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Experience in budget management
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Evidence of successful quality improvement.
- Knowledge, Experience & Expertise
Recruitment and selection of staff.
Job overview
The Lead Chaplain is responsible for leading the delivery of Multi-faith and belief Chaplaincy services across the Trust.
The Lead Chaplain will work closely with the Matron for Patient Experience to plan, manage, and improve chaplaincy services, ensuring that patients, families, and staff receive appropriate religious, spiritual, and pastoral support.
They will have management responsibility for healthcare chaplains, honorary chaplains and chaplaincy volunteers and ensure there is an on-call provision during weekends.
The Lead Chaplain will work within the Council for Professional Chaplains and Pastoral Carers Code of Conduct.
Main duties of the job
The Lead Chaplain will provide strategic, professional and operational leadership for the Trust's Chaplaincy Service, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, inclusive spiritual, religious and pastoral care for patients, families, carers and staff.
The postholder will lead the development of a compassionate, value based service, ensuring compliance with national standards, NHS guidance and Trust policies. They will provide expert advice to senior leaders, contribute to Trust strategy and governance, and work with clinical teams to embed spiritual care within patient-centred care.
The role includes responsibility for clinical and professional governance, service planning, quality improvement, performance monitoring, risk management and major incident preparedness.
The Lead Chaplain will lead and develop the chaplaincy workforce and volunteer programme, supporting recruitment, appraisal, training and professional development while promoting understanding of spiritual care across the Trust.
The postholder will also manage departmental resources, including budgets and charitable funds, ensuring services are effective, sustainable and responsive to the needs of the diverse communities served by the Trust.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
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.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Lead Chaplain with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust in Halifax, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Chaplain role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 21 Oct 2026.
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