Learning and Development Officer (Aligned to Wales Synod Cymru and West Midlands)

Learning and Development Officer (Welsh speaking) 

Location Wales Synod Cymru District and West Midlands District / Home based

This role is part of the Connexional Team Learning Network, supporting, encouraging, and equipping the Church to live out ‘Our Calling’ through worship, mission, evangelism and discipleship. The Learning Network primarily works with lay and ordained leaders, helping them equip others.

This post contributes to Connexional-wide learning and development initiatives, and is specifically aligned with the Wales Synod Cymru District as the Welsh speaking Learning and Development Officer (LDO) and the new West Midlands District following the merger of the current Birmingham District and the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District on 1st September 2025. Wales Synod Cymru is a bilingual District of 16 circuits, including the Welsh language Cymru Circuit which covers the whole of Wales, and the West Midlands District has 20 circuits across Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the Black Country, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire. Both districts are diverse in terms of population groupings and serve communities in rural, market towns, suburbs and city centre settings.

The Ideal Candidate for This Role

The person best suited for this Learning & Development Officer role will be:

A Passionate and Committed Christian:

• Deeply engaged in their faith and motivated to help churches grow in discipleship, worship, mission and evangelism.
• A member of a church in good standing with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (or an equivalent organization).
• Committed to the values of inclusivity, justice, evangelism, and church growth.

A Skilled Educator and Facilitator

• Experienced in learning and development, with transferable skills to a church setting.
• Confident in designing, delivering and evaluating training, both and online and onsite.
• Able to engage adult learners effectively, making theological concepts accessible, and equipping people for vocations within the life of the church.
• A strong theological thinker, able to guide and develop conversations to enable A Methodist Way of Life.

A Strong Communicator and Relationship-Builder

• Able to connect with and inspire people across the church to enable them to serve in their varied communities.
• Skilled in facilitating discussions on vision, mission and growth planning.
• Comfortable using digital tools and online platforms for training and communication.
• Adept at working across cultural and theological contexts, bringing sensitivity and adaptability.
• Proactive in identifying learning and development needs and responding with creative, tailored solutions.
• A fluent Welsh speaker with strong oral and written communication skills in both Welsh and English

A Collaborative Leader

• Capable of working with diverse teams, including ordained and lay church leaders.
• Skilled in planning, organizing, and evaluating learning and development initiatives.
• Proactive in identifying training needs and responding with creative, tailored solutions.
• Open to collaborating across Methodist districts and the wider church network.

A Flexible and Self-Motivated Professional

• Comfortable with travel and occasional evening/weekend work.
• Based in the either Wales or the West Midlands, with the ability to travel across both districts as required.
• Organized and self-driven, able to manage multiple projects and responsibilities.
• Creative and adaptable in responding to the changing needs of churches and communities

Our Culture, Values and Benefits

Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming team that strives for excellence and values employee wellbeing.

We value and support all those who join our team through a positive work-life balance augmented by generous annual leave (plus an extra 3 days over Christmas/New Year), annualised hours and a Wellbeing Adviser service. We offer a generous occupational pension scheme, where the Methodist Church will pay double the employee contribution up to a maximum of 16% employer contribution.

The Methodist Church is an inclusive and supportive employer. We are actively committed to encouraging applications from people of all backgrounds. We welcome applications from people of Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups. We also welcome applications from people living with disabilities. 

Please note that this is a post which includes Welsh language work for which the ability to speak and write in Welsh to a high standard is essential.

The successful applicant will be required to live either within or close to either District and will be expected to travel extensively across both Districts and beyond for work purposes.

If you require reasonable adjustments to made at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact HR@methodistchurch.org.uk

Please note previous applicants need not apply 

Closing date: 15 April 2025

Interviews to take place on: Tuesday 6 May in Birmingham

The rest of the recruitment process will be conducted in English.

N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.