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Pastoral Assistant Job Description

What does a Pastoral Assistant do?

A Pastoral Assistant is responsible for providing pastoral care and support to individuals within a community, often within a religious context. They typically work alongside religious leaders to provide spiritual guidance, emotional support, and practical advice to those in need. Tasks may include offering counseling services, leading prayer groups or religious services, organizing community events, visiting the sick or elderly, and providing assistance to those in financial need. The role requires strong interpersonal skills, empathy, and a genuine desire to help others.

Our Pastoral Assistant job description includes the Pastoral Assistant responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.

Pastoral Assistant Example


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If you need an example job description for a Pastoral Assistant download the one below, alternatively we have many other Religious Worker job description samples and a job description library with over 3000 job descriptions templates that you can download for free.

What does a Pastoral Assistant do?

The role of a Pastoral Assistant is to provide support and guidance to pupils in a school or college to ensure their social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. In addition, the role involves providing pastoral care to pupils, helping them to develop an understanding of their own lives and their relationships with others. This may involve developing close relationships with pupils, providing pastoral guidance and advice, and helping to resolve any issues they might face. The Pastoral Assistant will also be responsible for supporting the school's wellbeing programme and liaising with other professionals such as social workers, counsellors and the school's senior leadership team.

Pastoral Assistant Role Purpose

The purpose of a Pastoral Assistant is to provide support, guidance and pastoral care to individuals within the college or school setting. The role may involve helping students with personal and social issues, as well as providing general guidance and advice. Additionally, the Pastoral Assistant may be required to liaise with other professionals, such as support workers and health professionals, in order to ensure the best possible outcome for those they support. The role also involves providing a safe, caring and supportive environment in which students can thrive and reach their full potential.

Pastoral Assistant Role

A Pastoral Assistant works in a school, college or other educational institution to support students in their personal, social and emotional development. Responsibilities may include providing advice, guidance and support to students, liaising with parents and teachers, and helping students manage their academic and personal life.

Pastoral Assistant Duties

  • Provide support to pastoral team in undertaking pastoral duties
  • Organise and lead pastoral care programmes and initiatives
  • Assist in the planning, organisation and delivery of pastoral activities
  • Liaise with external stakeholders and other organisations as required
  • Provide guidance and advice to pastoral team members
  • Keep accurate records and monitor performance

Pastoral Assistant Requirements

  • Organise and lead worship services
  • Provide pastoral care to members of the church
  • Assist with the administration of church programmes and activities
  • Carry out religious education and outreach activities
  • Administer sacraments and maintain church records

Pastoral Assistant Skills

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work as part of a team and independently
  • Demonstrable commitment to pastoral care
  • Organisational and administrative ability
  • Knowledge of relevant pastoral care policies and procedures

Pastoral Assistant Personal Traits

  • Strong interpersonal skills
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Able to work effectively both on own and in a team
  • Able to work under pressure
  • Able to work flexible hours

How to write a Pastoral Assistant Job Advert

Use our job advert template to write a job advert for posting on job sites and job boards. Our job advertising templates are carefully created to help you reach your audience and beat the competition to the best talent.

A job description informs the reader about a job, whereas a job advert’s main objective is to sell the job opportunity to attract as many suitable applicants possible. A job advert maybe the first touch-point a candidate has with your company so it is important to create a great impression.

Job Advertisements should enticing, so considering using short, exciting language which get the reader’s attention.

How to write a Pastoral Assistant Job Description

To write a job description, we recommend starting with a job description template from our job description library, which contains examples for 800+ positions and professions. Our job description examples include a job summary with duties and responsibilities and skills and requirements, which can be personalised for your job vacancy.

Job Description Advice - Guidance on How to Personalise a Pastoral Assistant Job Specification

The hiring process and recruiting new employees to fill your key roles requires a degree of personalisation if you are to attract the best employees in a competitive employment market. The right person for a crucial role or more senior roles will likely have other employers targeting them. As your job description will be the first point of contact, you need to nail your pitch and provide the best possible service.

Job Description Tips - Help on formatting a Pastoral Assistant Job Specification

When creating your bespoke description and advert, you should cover and promote these points:

Job title: This should accurately reflect the role and include keywords that top talent might be using to search for jobs.

Job duties: The day to day duties, such as administrative tasks, which vary depending on the company and inform the candidate if they can complete the role.

Technical skills: These are the hard skills required through training, such as proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Soft skills: These include the interpersonal skills and general abilities the right candidates will possess. For example, the competency to prioritise multiple tasks, handle customer queries and customer complaints, work alone, or build a good relationship with coworkers.

The company's culture: Highlighting your company culture and values ensures employees thrive and find outstanding job satisfaction. Candidates that are not the right fit won’t waste their time completing the application process, meaning you can focus on qualified individuals and hire in a more timely manner.

Career progression: Including the career path will entice candidates looking for career growth. 

Training and development programs: Smaller companies may need employees with previous experience or provide educational assistance over internal training offered by larger organisations with more significant resources. 

Employee benefits: Compensation and benefits often fail to appear in job ads and while you may want to hold your cards close to your chest, failing to include them is a mistake. Consider answering common questions, such as working hours and paid leave. Researching the average salary for the role in these early stages will ensure you don’t waste your interviewer’s and the candidate’s time.

Skill gaps: Your company may need to bring in new skills beyond those required to complete the key role and duties. Thinking on an organisational level can be beneficial when contemplating skills diversity.

Legal requirements: Ensure your job advert and description does not ask for inappropriate or discriminatory personal details, such as age, marital status, or religion.

How to Hire a Pastoral Assistant

Once you have selected your Job Description download it or convert it to a Job Advert. From here you can post/advertise your job across our network of job boards. If you wish to use the job description for a CV Template click through for advice and Convert to a CV

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