About The Role
Grosvenor Chapel is a Chapel of Ease within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St George’s Hanover Square. Located on South Audley Street in the heart of what is fondly referred to as the ‘Village of Mayfair’, it has served the community of Mayfair and beyond for almost 300 years.
Life at the Chapel is vibrant, welcoming and sociable. Our main public service is the Sung Eucharist at 11.00am on Sundays. Alongside Sunday worship, highlights in our calendar include services at Easter and Christmas, a monthly mid-week Choral Evensong using the Book of Common Prayer, and the major festivals and feast days of the liturgical year. A beautiful eighteenth-century building, the Chapel is also a popular venue for weddings, private hire and other events throughout the year. Our community rooms, overlooking Mount Street Gardens, provide a peaceful space in the heart of the city for a wide range of user groups and are an important part of our ministry and outreach.
Over the past three years the Chapel has been going through a period of renewal and growth, and we are now seeking a verger and liturgical administrator to support the practical work that enables it to function as a place of worship and to serve its wider activities.
The verger will play a key role in ensuring services run smoothly by supporting the clergy, helping to oversee the practical care of the worship space, and managing a range of logistical and operational duties.
Previous experience as a verger, whether paid or voluntary, would be welcome, but training can be provided. We also encourage applications from candidates with transferable skills from backgrounds, such as facilities management in a heritage or historic building setting, high-end hospitality, events management, customer service, or other public-facing roles.
If this role interests you, we’d love to hear from you.
For full application pack please email info@grosvenorchapel.org.uk.
This role is based in the UK, and applicants must already have the right to work here.
There is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for the postholder to be a Christian and a communicant member of the Church of England, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
This role is offered on a self-employed basis and does not constitute a contract of employment. The verger will be responsible for their own tax and National Insurance contributions. The post is subject to a six-month trial period.
The Diocese of London is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults through the use of the Safer Recruitment practice guidance. This role is subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks, including a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Check.
Liturgical duties and administration
• Help with the organisation and preparation for the weekly services, including typesetting and formatting orders of service using the lectionary and other liturgical resources, and producing the volunteer rota,.
• Prepare the sanctuary before services, changing vestment and altar frontal colours for the liturgical season, arranging sacred vessels, linens, cruets and candles, setting out and marking the liturgical books.
• Maintain the cleanliness, order and readiness of the worship space and care of liturgical items, vessels and linens. Monitor and manage (including ordering) the stock of essential altar supplies such as bread, wine, candles, incense and holy oils
• Ensure the sacristy remains a quiet, focused space for clergy and servers before worship; be available to assist clergy with duties when required such as verging processions, serving at Holy Communion, managing service collections.
Set-up for services and premises management
• Open and close the Chapel as required, providing access, ensuring the building is secure, clean, well ordered and ready for use, managing the operation of the lighting, heating and sound systems.
• Carry out set-up tasks as needed, including arranging tables, chairs and furniture; setting up the PA system and microphones; opening the Memorial Doors; tidying the pews; ensuring hymn books, seat cushions, Gift Aid envelopes, pens, service sheets and other service materials are in place; checking the sides persons’ basket and making sure the contactless machine charged and ready for use; keeping signage, notice boards and leaflet displays tidy and up to date; opening the main doors; help set up for refreshments.
• During working hours, carry out some basic caretaker duties, such as replacing lightbulbs, some at high level, making sure the entrance steps, porch and patio are swept and clear of any rubbish, setting up the gazebo in summer if needed, sweeping and/or mopping floors, vacuum carpets, removing any general rubbish, making sure the community rooms are clean and tidy and fully stocked.
• For other bookings and events, manage access and welcome and assist organisers, providing any assistance need for set-up and staging.
Front of house
• Supervise services from the front door, helping to greet the congregation, guests and visitors, offering a warm welcome and acting as a point of contact for assistance.
• Maintain a visible but discreet presence, oversee the security of the building and the safe use of its facilities, and respond calmly to disturbances or other issues as they arise.
Clearing up after services and securing the building
• Ensure all areas are left clean, tidy and in good order, and that all items used, including sacred vessels, vestments and collection plates, are put away securely.
• Help clear refreshments, check all areas for lost property and rubbish, put away tables and chairs.
• Lock up the Chapel and ensure the building is secure, candles extinguished, lights and heating switched off, windows closed, all doors locked properly.
• Report any incidents, accidents, defects, or maintenance and repair issues noticed or arising during the work shift. Record incidents and accidents in the appropriate logs.
Other
• Carry out any other general duties reasonably required, such as covering gaps in the volunteer rota, helping to produce and display posters and notices, and collating and sending the weekly newsletter when staff are on leave.
Experience and knowledge
• Previous experience as a verger, whether paid or voluntary, and/or relevant transferable skills.
• Familiarity with worship in the Church of England.
• Understanding of liturgical rites, seasons and required supplies.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, health and safety, fire safety, and premises and facilities management.
Skills, abilities and personal attributes
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong interpersonal awareness.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• A collaborative team player, able to work well with people from all walks of life.
• An understanding of how to work effectively with volunteers.
• Proactive and self-motivated, able to work with limited supervision, respond calmly to situations as they arise, exercise sound judgement, and escalate issues when needed.
• A practical, hands-on approach and the ability to meet the physical demands of the role.
• Confident using computers and standard office software.
Other
• An unrestricted right to work and live in the UK.
• Availability to work public holidays at Easter and Christmas, as well as weekends, evenings and other unsociable hours.
• Availability to attend the weekly staff meeting on Tuesday mornings.
Equal Opportunities
The Diocese of London is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workforce which represents our context and wider community. We are aware that those of Global Majority Heritage/United Kingdom Minority Ethnic (GMH/UKME) and disabled people are currently under-represented among our clergy and workforce, and we particularly encourage applications from those with the relevant skills and experience that will increase this representation.