Senior Leadership Learning and Development

new clergy member with a bishop standing either side

Diocese of Gloucester

We provide ongoing training and development for senior clergy to flourish. We ensure that senior clergy are provided with tools for growth throughout their priesthood. We run and outsource programmes tailored for specific groups within senior leadership.

Core programmes

We support Bishops, Deans and Archdeacons to lead with collegiality, confidence and competence and to develop and equip a pool of candidates with the potential for wider leadership roles in the Church via the Strategic Leadership Development Programme (SLDP).

For queries on any of the offerings described below, please contact [email protected].

Bishops' Leadership Development Programme

This programme offers individually focused support including induction, 360 and transition coaching for Diocesan Bishops, Suffragan and/or Area Bishops. Our modules cover key leadership concepts such as Leading Change, Innovation, Public Square leadership, Dialogue, Retirement. We also run the Diocesan Bishops' Ministerial Development Review (MDR).

Deans' Leadership Development Programme

This programme offers focused support including induction meetings, an induction programme and transition coaching. Our modules cover key leadership concepts such as Leading Change, Financial Awareness, Dialogue, Retirement. We run Action Learning Sets and bespoke focused workshops e.g., for ‘Smaller’ Cathedrals, collaborating with Church Commissioners on implementation of Cathedrals Measure 2021.

Strategic Leadership Development Programme (SLDP)

This is a national leadership development programme designed to support clergy identified as having potential for taking on significantly wider responsibilities in the future. The programme is also an ongoing process of discernment, creating space and structure for participants to listen to the call of God in their ongoing ministerial development. Above all, the SLDP is a Learning Community - where participants journey together in their development through shared learning experiences, prayer and fellowship.

It is a 2.5 year programme for discerned cohorts of ordained ministers offering discussions of systems thinking and organisational and group dynamics, leadership seminars, workshops and events, simulations of key leadership scenarios, pilgrimage experience, cross church group project work, coaching 1:1 and small group work, theological reflection and contextual integration/application of all the above.

Archdeacons' Leadership Development Programme (Church of England and Church in Wales)

This programme offers focused support including individual and group induction, mentoring and coaching, sourcing and resourcing ongoing personal and skills development, resourcing the national and regional Archdeacons’ groups. Providing a link between Archdeacons and teams within the national churches, and with external bodies – for consultation and representation.

Learning Communities Learning Together

This programme offers support on covering current leadership issues for our senior leadership learning communities.

The team

Acting Head of Leadership Development
Susie Perks Baker ([email protected]) oversees the Leadership Development Team and is responsible for the leadership development for Bishops, for co-ordinating Diocesan Bishops’ Ministerial Development Reviews (MDRs), and overseeing the coaching offered to senior clergy. Susie is also the Programme Director for the Strategic Leadership Development Programme (SLDP); a national programme designed to equip ordained ministers within the Church of England with the knowledge, skills and behaviour sets to deepen their leadership skills at a local level and prepare them for the possibility of wider leadership roles. As part of this role she oversees the SLDP discernment programme.
Archdeacons’ National Development Officer
Cameron Watt ([email protected]) co-ordinates the national induction and ongoing development programmes for Archdeacons in the Church of England and the Church in Wales. He acts as the liaison between Archdeacons and national bodies both inside and outside the churches, co-ordinating communications and consultation. Cameron is also the Executive Officer for the College of Archdeacons, its Executive body and the eleven regional groups.
Senior Leadership Development Consultant for Cathedral Deans
This role is currently being covered by Cameron Watt and provides induction and continuing developmental assistance for Deans.
Programme Manager
Nazia Sarkar ([email protected]) is responsible for the Leadership Practicum Learning System, digital technologies used by our team and operational efficiencies of all leadership programmes we offer.
Project Co-ordinator
Lewis Jackson ([email protected]) is primarily responsible for the planning and logistics of the Strategic Leadership Development Programme (SLDP) including the discernment programme. Lewis is also responsible for the administration and design of the new Learning System that members of the cohorts are able to use for module planning, accessing relevant paperwork and also to complete online modules.
Project Co-ordinator
Ben Firth ([email protected]) is responsible for the logistical elements of the Bishops’, Deans’ and Archdeacons’ leadership programmes and the Learning Communities Learning Together programme. Ben also supports the Learning System, curates content on there and coordinates inductions with key National Church Institutions individuals for new Bishops and Deans.