St Paul's Cathedral - Virger

Purpose of the Job:

The Dean’s Virger and Deputy Head Virger manage the Cathedral floor on a day-to-day basis, assisted by a team of Virgers in delivering the Cathedral’s mission and ministry. The role of the Virger, therefore, is to:

•Prepare for and assist at services in collaboration with the Cathedral Clergy.
•Assist and support other departments at all other events taking place in the Cathedral.
•Be the link between worship, events, sightseeing and fabric matters, ensuring that the ethos of the Cathedral and the welcome the Cathedral provides is visible in all.
•Be a warm and welcoming presence to worshippers, visitors, clergy, VIPs and those in need.
•Take responsibility for those areas delegated by the Dean’s Virger and ensure the Dean’s Virger is fully informed of the delegated area.

Key Relationships and Accountability:
•The Virgers are a key link on the Cathedral floor between the clergy, staff, volunteers, and visitors.
•The Virgers are answerable to Chapter and the Senior Leadership Team through the Dean’s Virger on all matters.
•On a day to day basis, the Virgers work closely with the Sacrist.

Main Duties:
•Being a presence within the Cathedral to respond to the needs of clergy, staff and visitors.
•Working with clergy and other departments towards a common shared aim.
•Working collaboratively with the team to deliver very high standards with attention to detail, effective communication and a proactive approach, enabling a seamless handover between shifts.
•Reporting regularly to the Dean’s Virger and keeping the Dean’s Virger properly informed, especially in relation to those areas delegated by the Dean’s Virger or in his absence the Deputy Head Virger.
•Taking a role as leader of the team when acting as the Nominated Person in the absence of the Dean’s Virger and Deputy Head Virger.

Ministry of Welcome:
•Supporting the Cathedral clergy, staff and volunteers, in providing a place of welcome to all.
•Supporting the role of the Pastoral Team on the Cathedral Floor.
•Being the link between staff and clergy in ministering visitors’ pastoral matters.
•Providing a pivotal role in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, working closely with the Chaplaincy team.
•Working with clergy in maintaining and updating the Cathedral intercessions list.

Worship and Ceremonial:
•Assisting in the delivery of the practical elements of all services and events in a spirit of collaboration with all those involved.
•Working collaboratively with the Liturgical Office and other departments in the execution of all services and events.
•Having a complete knowledge and overview of all services held in the Cathedral and an eye for the unknown, spotting the potential for error and responding proactively, calmly and professionally.
•Preparing for and assisting at all services held in the Cathedral.
•Administering the chalice at services of Holy Communion (Eucharist) for which a licence is required from the Dean and for which the administrant must themselves be a communicant member of the Church of England.

Fabric:
•Working with the Conservator and Collections Manager in the care and maintenance of Cathedral property and its loans.
•Maintaining the tidiness and condition of furniture and vestments.
•Ensuring the care and maintenance of vestments and linen.
•Maintaining records and historical particulars appropriate to the Virgers’ Department.

Health and Safety:
•Ensuring that all policies are adhered to.
•Ensuring that the Accident Book is properly kept.
•Keeping the Clerk of Works informed of Health & Safety matters as they arise.
•Together with the Security team, ensuring the proper security of the building while on duty and at handover.
•Implementing emergency procedures in conjunction with the Visitor Experience team.

Delegated Areas of Responsibility as allocated to Individual Virgers by the Dean’s Virger

Laundry and Linen:
Responsible for:

•Responsible for the good order of all choir and clergy cassocks and cinctures.
•Responsible for the good order of all clergy and choir surplices and linen.
•Responsible for the laundry of all altar linen, and for liaising with outside laundry firms regarding it.
•Responsible for ensuring that all clergy, choir and altar items are presentable at all times.
•Responsible for keeping an up to date record and annual audit of all linen in stock and for carrying out regular stock checks.
•Responsible for ensuring the Dean’s Virger is fully informed of this delegated area.

Proof-reading:
•Responsible for the department’s proof reading of all in-house published documents, including service papers, music lists and leaflets.

Supplies and Consumables:
Responsible for:
•For the ordering and safe storage of all consumable and sacristy supplies.
•Keeping an up to date record and annual audit of all supplies in stock and for carrying out regular stock checks.
•Ensuring that all consumables and sacristy supplies are ordered well in advance for Christmas and Easter and Festivals and Special Services as required.

Vestments and Plate:
Responsible for:
•The good order of all Cathedral Vestments and Plate, liaising over repairs with the Collections department and the Cathedral Embroiderers, in consultation with the Dean’s Virger and the Sacrist.
•Ensuring records of plate and vestments are kept up to date, and liaising with the Collections department.
•Working with the Collections department over loans of Cathedral Vestments and Plate;
•Ensuring the smooth running of the audit by Central Chancery of all Vestments, furnishings and plate belonging to the Order of the British Empire, the Order of St Michael & St George and the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.
•Providing tours of the Vestments and Plate in consultation with the Dean’s Virger.

Office Management:
Responsible for:
•Updating all regular service check lists and the Department’s Handbook and ensuring that these represent an accurate record of current practice.
•Responsible for ensuring the Dean’s Virger is fully informed of this delegated area.

*A communicant member of the Church of England is someone who has been confirmed or received into the Church of England by a Bishop or who has been admitted to Holy Communion by their parish priest, and regularly receives Holy Communion i.e. at least three times a year.*

Person Specification:

•An Anglican communicant or a communicant of a church in communion with the Church of England.
•A sympathy with and a willingness to work within the ethos of the Cathedral.
•Able to support the Dean’s Virger in developing their vision for the Virgers’ team, and leading that team in the absence of the Dean’s Virger.
•Reliable and calm under pressure.
•A warm caring supportive and compassionate approach when dealing with all individuals being able to separate the person from the behaviour and to handle disruptive behaviour in an appropriate manner whilst always showing respect for the person.
•The ability to multi-task in a fast-paced working environment.
•The ability both to lead and to work as part of a team.
•Able to work for a number of different clergy and senior lay staff at different times, while providing the same professionally high standard of support.
•Professional and accountable approach to work.
•Excellent attention to detail and a willingness to set high standards.
•Excellent organisational skills. An ability to plan, prioritise and manage workloads and to meet deadlines.
•Calm, practical and flexible approach. Able to manage demands under pressure and to handle last minute changes with a calm and positive attitude.
•A good clear and confident communicator not only among the Virgers team but with all departments and personnel throughout the Cathedral.
•Experienced at the liturgical aspects which make up a significant part of the Virgers’ role, and having a basic knowledge of the liturgy of the Church of England and an appreciation of the different worship traditions.
•Good IT skills.
•Able to work at heights, climb stairs, lift and carry.
•A positive, cheerful nature with an ability to work effectively and collaboratively and to build strong and effective relationships.

Any other appropriate duties that the line manager, senior management or Chapter may request from time-to-time.

The individual will be in sympathy with, and in their work support, the Christian aims and mission of St Paul’s Cathedral.