Legacy of Slavery Project Officer

Contract: Fixed term for 12 months

Hours: Fulltime, 35 hours a week (.8 FTE or 28 hours will also be considered). Some occasional evening or weekend work may be required with time off in lieu.

Location: Edinburgh, with a hybrid work pattern with regular travel to archives in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Annual leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus 10 public holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff)

Closing date: 31 October 2025, 5pm

The Legacy of Slavery Project Officer will be responsible for conducting archival research to locate, assess and map historical materials relating to the Scottish Episcopal Church that demonstrate the ties of the Church to transatlantic slavery.

The Scottish Episcopal Church wishes to understand and acknowledge the role that slavery has had in its history. This scoping project will help us achieve a better understanding the extent and the limits of slavery's role in shaping the history of the Scottish Episcopal Church, financially, intellectually and theologically.

Findings from this initial scoping research project will support the development of further research in this area, as well as inform and develop our collaborative work with the wider Anglican Communion in societies and countries affected by the history of the slave trade.

The successful candidate should hold or, be close to completing, a PhD in a relevant subject together with a track record of conducting research in archives. You will have excellent communication skills, the ability to independently manage a discrete research project, as well as experience of contributing to publications and giving presentations to specialist and non-specialist audiences. You will ideally have experience of public engagement work.

The Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) is a diverse church in the liturgical tradition, with approximately 300 congregations across Scotland. We are part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion. The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church is a registered charity serving the Church at national (or ‘provincial’) level. The General Synod Office, with a staff complement of c.30, supports dioceses (regions), congregations, clergy and laity across Scotland and facilitates the governance of the Church.

The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal is currently located at 21 Grosvenor Crescent in the city centre of Edinburgh, within a short walking distance of Haymarket station. We will be relocating to a modern office very close to our existing location by early 2026.

How to apply

By the closing date below, please send to HR@scotland.anglican.org the following documents:

• a copy of your CV
• a cover letter (maximum two pages of A4) explaining how you meet the job specifications
• a sample of your writing of 8,000-10,000 words (excluding footnotes and bibliography). This could take the form of a book chapter or article.

Separately, please arrange for two academic referees familiar with your work to provide a supporting statement for your application. These should be sent directly by the referee to HR@scotland.anglican.org by the closing date of 31^st October 2025, 5PM.