Situation Vacant: Music Team Leader, Winchester

[Nick Baty]

Music Team Leader – St Peter and the Winchester Martyrs Parish, Winchester
Part time: 21 hours per week, including weekends and major feasts (for Masses)

Contract type: Initially 18 months, fixed term contract
Salary: Competitive. Further details on enquiry.

St Peter’s is a busy and thriving city centre church, one of 4 churches in the Catholic parish of St Peter and the Winchester Martyrs (Winchester, Alresford and Stockbridge). It has a tradition of music, which in the past has included an adult SATB choir and a Youth Choir, contemporary music groups, and several volunteer organists and cantors.

We are now seeking an experienced pastoral musician to build and grow a strong music team at St Peter’s, while also developing existing volunteer music leaders in their own roles and skills.

The successful candidate will:

• • Ensure that the Music team can provide suitable music for all weekend Masses at St Peter’s (Saturday 17:30, Sunday 10:30 and 17:30, and Sunday 08:00 as required), and on major feasts;
  • Lead, or preferably arrange for the leading of choirs and music groups that exist or may develop;
  • Recruit and develop more volunteers: performers (singers, accompanists, instrumental players) and support roles (administration; music tech);
  • Retain, and strengthen the commitment and confidence of those currently serving;
  • Encourage more diverse involvement (age, nationality, musical styles, Mass communities).

We are looking for someone who, through their own musical performing and directing, is able to inspire others to join the team. Even more important than their own musical skills, will be their passion and enthusiasm to recruit, develop, support and grow others: new and existing talent – so that our music ministry can operate more sustainably, and over time grow in size and capability, to support the parish’s vision to bring others closer to Jesus Christ in hope and joy.

Their success will be judged by the team they have built, more than the music they have performed.

To achieve this, they will:

• • Develop relationships with the clergy and the people in the parish, to gain support and assistance for their work in raising the profile of music in the parish;
  • Be open to feedback about their own work and that of the whole music team, as they seek to fulfil the vision for music in the parish;
  Liaise with music teams at the other churches in the parish, to encourage collaboration (especially at major feasts), and to provide support, while respecting a degree of autonomy for these teams;
  • Set a personal example, through their own life of prayer and their attitude of service.

We welcome applications from anyone with an active Christian faith, though candidates will be expected to demonstrate a readiness to engage with the Catholic Church’s teaching and directives regarding music and liturgy.

For a full job description and person specification, plus details of how to apply, please contact: recruitment@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
To request an informal discussion about the role, please contact the Parish Office by
Email: office@stpeterswinchester.org.uk, or by Telephone: 01962 852804

Closing date for applications: Thursday 16th February 2023, 12 Noon
Interview date to be confirmed in early March 2023