Buddhist Chaplain

Job description

The Buddhist Chaplain will join an existing multi-faith Chaplaincy team, working across all campuses of King’s, to provide Chaplaincy services to staff and students, particularly but not exclusively to those within the Buddhist community at King’s.  The team currently comprises Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Baptist), Muslim (Shia, Sunni), and Jewish (Masorti) Chaplains.  The Buddhist Chaplain is responsible to the Dean of King’s College London, and is line managed by the College Chaplain (Anglican), who is the Chaplaincy team leader.  

All Chaplains play an important part in the field of student welfare, in collaboration with colleagues in other areas where applicable, and also provide a support service to King’s staff where needed.  The Buddhist Chaplain may often be the face of the Buddhist faith at King’s, and will represent religion in the public square.  The Buddhist Chaplain should therefore be prepared to work on improving cohesion between different views and groups on the campuses, including improving religious literacy by appropriate means, and advocating for religious students and staff where and when necessary.   

The Buddhist Chaplain will build on existing connections on the campus and across King’s in all relevant areas, and develop new relationships as appropriate, especially with others who have responsibility for caring for students, and with student Buddhist societies.  It will be important to foster the perception that the Buddhist Chaplain is available to everyone when required, not just Buddhists (or even those of faith more widely). 

While working as part of the wider team, the Buddhist Chaplain will have considerable freedom to create and exercise a ministry in response to their own understanding of the needs of the King’s community.  The Buddhist Chaplain will have a strong degree of autonomy in managing workload and resources, within the overall plans of the Chaplaincy team as a whole.   

The Buddhist Chaplain will divide their time between King’s five central London campuses (Denmark Hill, Guy’s, Strand, St Thomas’, Waterloo) as works best, with the option to choose one campus to be a particular base.  The King’s Dharmic Prayer Room is located at the Guy’s Campus. 

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract  

This is a part-time post - 20% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

•         To be a point of contact for the Buddhist community at King’s College London.  

•         To provide pastoral support to all members of the King’s community (staff and students), whether Buddhist or not. 

•         To build and develop links with all who are responsible for caring for students, eg tutors, Student Services, KCLSU, Counselling, and others as appropriate.

•         To provide advice and guidance with regard to Buddhist beliefs, traditions, and customs (seeking further advice from recognised authorities, including of different traditions where necessary), especially where these lead to circumstances or situations which may impact on King’s activities. 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria  

1.       Training in and/or experience of Buddhism and the Buddhist scriptures and traditions, and in good standing within the wider Buddhist community. 

2.       Pastoral counselling skills and understanding, both to provide immediate and/or initial support, and also to discern when to refer to other/more specialized resources. 

3.       Sufficient academic ability sympathetically to challenge and stretch the comprehension and understanding of students. 

4.       Confidence in working with a large degree of autonomy within an overall team structure. 

5.       Knowledge and experience of work with young adults. 

6.       Willingness to work in and be part of a multi-faith team. 

7.       Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. 

Desirable criteria

1.       Knowledge and experience within Higher Education. 

2.       Willingness to keep up to date with theological and educational issues. 

Further information

There is a genuine occupational requirement for this post to be held by an observant Buddhist.