Director, Office of the Bishop

The Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay extends from Sydney’s North Shore and Northern Beaches up to the Central Coast. As well as nurturing the spiritual lives of Catholics, the Diocese supports many more in the local community through health, education, welfare and community services. This work is undergoing a significant time of renewal under the present and third Bishop of Broken Bay, Bishop Comensoli, who was installed on 12 December 2014. The Bishop has invited all members of the local Church to reflect on how the Diocese can be placed successfully on a ‘missionary footing’. Four priorities have been identified to help focus the work and resources of the Diocese: Parishes, Families, Young People and Vocations.

Bishop Comensoli is seeking to recruit a Private Secretary (simultaneously Director, Office of the Bishop) to provide strategic and confidential advice, research into Diocesan and wider Church matters, management of the team within the Office of the Bishop, and liaison on behalf of the Bishop with a wide range of stakeholders including the Diocesan executive team, Diocesan agencies, the Holy See, business and government. This is a high-level role requiring skill, finess, and intelligence.

The successful candidate will have the following skills and attributes:

• A thorough understanding of the Catholic Church and a commitment to the mission of the Church.
• Theological or catechetical formation in disciplines of interest to the Bishop such as: life issues; family and marriage; vocations; disability; youth affairs; communications; and education.
• Capacity to provide trusted, confidential and strategic advice.
• Capacity to collaborate with key leaders across the Diocese and beyond, including Directors of Diocesan Offices and state, national and international committees, in the preparation and implementation of the Bishop’s agenda and priorities.
• High-level ability to contribute to the shape of the Bishop’s priorities within the Diocese and beyond, including preparing briefing notes and reports, conducting research, editing and writing.
• High-level capacity to drive the Bishop’s agenda in partnership with clergy, internal stakeholders, Diocesan employees and other collaborators.
• Capacity to represent the Bishop to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to initiate and manage high-level relationships.
• Ability to support, motivate, operationally direct and supervise the team of the Office of the Bishop, ensuring that competing priorities are managed effectively, deadlines monitored and resources allocated to ensure that the Bishop meets his commitments.
• Ability to work very closely with the Office for Communications on the Bishop’s media and his responses to media.