Vicar for Social Services

Lead Mission | Shape Strategy | Deliver Impact

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as Vicar for Social Services, providing canonical advice and leadership to support the Archbishop’s engagement with Catholic social services ministries across the Archdiocese.

Where appropriate, the Vicar for Social Services will represent the Archbishop and provide trusted advice on mission, governance, public policy and emerging social issues.

This is not an operational leadership role. Rather, it provides ecclesial leadership, strategic oversight and advocacy in support of the Archbishop’s responsibilities relating to Catholic social services.

Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Vicar works closely with the Archbishop, Vicar General, Council of Vicars, the Executive Director of Centacare, and senior leaders across Catholic ministries.

Initial Appointment
The initial appointment is a fixed-term 18-month engagement of approximately two days per week, focused on extensive consultation and relationship building with invested stakeholders, scoping and further differentiating responsibilities, and designing future governance and operating arrangements for the social services portfolio.

About you
You will bring:

• Demonstrated stakeholder engagement and influencing capability across boards, government, community and Church environments.
• Expertise in governance, public policy, funding and regulatory frameworks relevant to social services.
• A demonstrated understanding of Catholic theology, ecclesiology and mission.
• Sound judgement, credibility, integrity and a collaborative leadership style.

The Archdiocese welcomes applications from suitably qualified lay women and men who can bring outstanding leadership, professional expertise and commitment to the mission of Catholic social services.

The role requires an appreciation of the Church’s commitment to justice, human dignity and support for vulnerable people, together with an ability to position Catholic social services as a contemporary and effective expression of the Church’s mission.

How to apply
Please submit your resume and cover letter to
[email protected] 
For a confidential discussion, please contact Ruth Buchanan | 0448 241 521 

The Archdiocese of Brisbane has standards of conduct for workers to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children. Our commitment to these standards requires that we conduct working with children checks and background referencing for all persons who will engage in direct and regular involvement with children and young people (0 – 18 years) and/or vulnerable adults. The organisation is fully committed to child safety and has a 0 tolerance to abuse of children or vulnerable adults.
Accessibility and Inclusivity The Archdiocese of Brisbane is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment where all job candidates can fully engage in the recruitment process. We acknowledge and actively support the inclusion, respect, and equitable treatment of, including but not limited to, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disabilities, and people from culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse backgrounds. If you require any reasonable accessibility adjustments or information in an alternative format during the recruitment process, please contact us to discuss how we can support your participation. We respect your privacy and confidentiality. Information is shared with other staff only as reasonably necessary to arrange workplace accessibility adjustments.