Dialogue Secretary for the Conference of European Churches

Permanent full time contract under Belgian law. Place: Brussels. The Dialogue Secretary is acting as executive staff member and will report to the General Secretary. The successful candidate will be joining a small team of staff at Europe’s leading ecumenical organisation. Starting date: latest 1 January 2017.

Duties and responsibilities

• To facilitate and resource the theological and dialogue work of the CEC.

• To work closely with other CEC staff in developing dialogue between Member Churches, their theological schools and other institutions, in the areas of doctrine, ecclesiology, spirituality, ethics, pastoral care, diaconia and mission.

• To facilitate dialogue in the above mentioned areas with non-member churches and Christian movements.

• To promote the Charta OEcumenica and evaluate its reception.

• To facilitate interreligious and intercultural dialogue between CEC and other institutions and to accompany the member churches in the same.

• To monitor reception of relevant theological CEC documents.

• To work in close cooperation with the Communication Coordinator to strengthen the mutual understanding of Member Churches.

• To provide fora for issues of doctrine, ecclesiology, spirituality, ethics, pastoral care, diaconia and mission in the work of CEC.

• To cooperate with the General Secretary for the work in liaison with CCEE.

Candidate profile

• be actively engaged in one of the CEC Member Churches

• having substantial experience in international ecumenical dialogue and ecumenical theology, on different levels of the ecumenical movement

• Publications in the field of ecumenical theology and ecumenical dialogue are an advantage

• Positive and constructive attitude in an evolving environment

• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team, and willingness to “pitch in” as required in a small organisation

• Willingness to work outside normal office hours and to be on call as required, willingness to travel

• Holder of a PhD degree in theology is an asset, but not a prerequisite

• Fluency in English, active knowledge of French and German or at least one of these languages having a passive knowledge of the other language, other languages considered as an asset

• Experience in a non-profit or ecumenical organisation is an advantage

We offer

• An international working environment located in Brussels (Rue Joseph II 174, 1000 Brussels)

• A unique opportunity to work with ecumenical and international issues

• A competitive salary package

Applications

Electronic applications: Motivation letter + CV in English At least 2 recent reference letters in German, English or French.

The complete application file should be addressed to Very Reverend Heikki Theodoros Huttunen at the following email address: , Reference code CEC-DS by 13 May 2016.

Interviews will be held in Brussels.

Contact details of the General Secretary:

Conference of European Churches Brussels Office Centre OEcuménique rue Joseph II, 174, BE-1000 Bruxelles Tel: +32 2 234 68 34

(CEC) an ecumenical fellowship of 114 Member Churches, National Councils of Churches, and Organisations in Partnership. CEC’s membership covers Europe in its broad political sense, from Iceland to Armenia, Canary Islands to Siberia. 

CEC was founded in 1959 having active associates and networks in most European countries. The mission of CEC is to pursue together the path of growing conciliar understanding by helping the European Churches to renew their spiritual life, to strengthen their common witness and service and to promote the unity of the Church and peace in the world. 

Our vision is to seek in faithfulness to the Gospel the reconciliation and common witness of the Churches to build a humane, socially conscious and sustainable Europe at peace with itself and its neighbours, in which human rights and the basic values of peace, justice, freedom participation and solidarity prevail. Its task is to help the churches study questions from a theological and socio-ethical perspective, especially those with a European Dimension.

CEC accompanies European churches in their dialogue with each other, other ecumenical and inter-religious partners, and the Institutions of the European Union and the Council of Europe.

The Dialogue Secretary is acting as executive staff member and will report to the General Secretary. The successful candidate will be joining a small team of staff at Europe’s leading ecumenical organisation.