Assistant Chaplain

Job Purpose

The role provides holistic spiritual nourishment, pastoral care, and emotional support to patients, their relatives, caregivers, and hospital staff. It ensures compassionate guidance through prayer, counselling, worship, and consolation, particularly in times of illness, grief, trauma, or crisis, and supports volunteer chaplaincy teams through training, coordination, and mentorship.

Key Responsibilities

Spiritual Care, Pastoral Support, and Program Coordination

• Offer spiritual nourishment, prayer, and pastoral care to patients, staff, relatives, caregivers, and visitors in outpatient and inpatient settings.
• Provide comfort and consolation during grief, bereavement, trauma, and crisis, including support at the hospital, farewell home, and through home visits.
• Deliver pastoral counselling and mentoring to individuals and groups.
• Facilitate discipleship, Bible study, and faith-based programmes, including dialogue on ethics, values, substance abuse, and life challenges.
• Plan, coordinate, and lead prayers, worship services, and chapel activities across the hospital.

Quality, Compliance, Administration, and Capacity Building

• Ensure all chaplaincy services adhere to ethical, professional, and hospital standards in spiritual care and counselling.
• Carry out chaplaincy administration, including documentation, planning, and reporting to management.
• Oversee, mentor, and assign duties to volunteers, chaplaincy interns, CPE students, and community pastoral workers.

Community Outreach and Development

• Collaborate with local faith leaders, religious organizations, and community groups to promote holistic wellness.
• Facilitate support groups and community programs for bereavement care, addiction recovery, and spiritual resilience.
• Represent the hospital in external chaplaincy, interfaith, and community outreach assignments.

Spiritual Leadership and Institutional Culture

• Provide visionary spiritual leadership that upholds and models the hospital's Christian values.
• Promote spiritual well-being among staff, patients, and the community.

Qualifications & Experience

• A minimum of a bachelor's degree in theology, with training in chaplaincy or clinical pastoral education (CPE), from a recognized institution.
• A certificate in counselling is an added advantage.
• At least two (2) years' experience in pastoral care.

Technical and Behavioral Skills

• Strong preaching, teaching, and counseling skills, with the ability to provide effective pastoral care and spiritual leadership.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
• High integrity, confidentiality, and ethical practice in handling sensitive matters.
• Capacity to uphold inclusivity and respect for others in an ecumenical spirit.
• Spiritual maturity, initiative, and sound judgment, demonstrating Christian values in personal and professional conduct.
• Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced hospital environment.