Chapel Clerk (and Verger)
Job description
Salary: £31,347 - £34,006 p.a. (depending on experience) plus benefits
Job type: Permanent
Hours: 36.25 hours per week (averaged over the year)
A unique opportunity has arisen for a Chapel Clerk (and Verger) to work in the Chapel & Choir Department of St John's College, Cambridge, combining liturgical and chapel administration, front of house and floor management, alongside a ceremonial role as Verger in this prestigious setting.
The Chapel Clerk supports the provision of religious services in the College Chapel and the administration associated with them and ensures the Chapel is a safe, welcoming and hospitable place for everyone who enters, including students, staff, fellows, and members of the public.
Divine service in the College Chapel is in accordance with the rites of the Church of England and the chapel team offer pastoral care for members of the College, in particular, its student members, regardless of their religious beliefs. The Chapel Clerk is a key member of the Chapel and Choir Department and works closely with the Dean, the Chaplain, and Director of Music and musicians on a daily basis.
The College has a world-famous Choir formed of children and adult voices. The Choir provides music for services on six days of the week in the English Cathedral tradition. These services are held Tuesday to Sunday at 6.30pm during the three full academic terms of the University Calendar, and during a period of summer residence after the end of the Easter Term up until mid-July. In addition there are special services through the year including Compline, Matriculation and Graduation as well as pastoral services including weddings, baptisms and funerals.
The Chapel Clerk should be in sympathy with the Chapel’s Christian ethos and outstanding musical tradition and with the wider work of the Chapel team.
The College offers a competitive benefits package including membership of a defined contributory pension scheme, 36 days’ annual leave (inclusive of Bank Holidays), access to a ‘cash plan’ healthcare scheme currently provided by Simplyhealth, free lunch, free use of an on-site Gym and free parking close to the College site, subject to availability.
WORKING HOURS
The hours of work are 36.25 hours per week, averaged over the year.
The post holder will usually work:
- 40 hours per week for 28 weeks during term time and the summer Choir residency which runs to mid July
- 32 hours per week for 24.25 weeks outside term time
Exact working hours can be agreed however the post holder will need to be present at Evensong services at least five evenings per week.
There will also be some evening commitments during the year, including Services of Compline, which usually take place three times per term at 10pm. Time off in lieu will be given for these commitments.
Before You Apply – Please Read
To help you submit the strongest possible application, we’ve created a Candidate Information Pack that provides further information about the role and how to apply. It outlines what we’re looking for, how to structure your CV and covering letter, and tips to stand out. We strongly encourage all applicants to read this guidance before applying. You can find it here: Chapel Clerk Candidate Information Pack
The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 11pm on 25 May 2026. Interviews are expected to be held on 5 June 2026.
Please be advised that you will receive system-generated updates regarding the status of your application after it is submitted directly through our recruitment system to the email address you provided. To ensure you receive all communications without interruption, we kindly ask that you:
Add the following email addresses to your safe sender list
peoplexd@accessacloud.com
recruitment@joh.cam.ac.uk
Regularly check your junk or spam folders, as emails may occasionally be filtered there.
St John’s College is committed to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the Choristers of the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
St John’s College follows a safer recruitment process for all roles within the Chapel and Choir Department.
Our Safer Recruitment Process includes:
* Declaration of any unspent or relevant criminal convictions (as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975).
* Shortlisting based on your qualifications, skills and experience
* Formal interview
* Verification of your identity and right to work in the UK
* Confirmation of employment history and a minimum of 2 satisfactory references
* Confirmation of your qualifications
* An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
* Safeguarding training
In applying for this role, you will provide personal data which the College will process in accordance with its data protection obligations and its Data Protection Policy .