As part of the restructuring process BUGB is looking for a new General Secretary. The details are here.
It will be an impossible job requiring an impossible range of skills:
- An experienced Baptist minister
- Able to articulate vision whilst being a committed team player,
- Team leader who is good at thinking strategically and helping a staff team implement agreed strategy
- Able to think and speak with theological depth and insight
- An understanding of finance, legal & HR systems so they can assimilate information quickly and contribute to sound decision making
- The spiritual leadership qualities to embed culture change in the Union.
I’m concerned we are not being clear enough about the relative priorities because no one is going to be good at all these things. Do we want a visionary leader, someone who will articulate a view of the future and guide the Union towards it? Or do we want a good organisational leader who can keep a watching brief over a wide area and act as a facilitator for the new staff and leadership teams? Or a theologically reflective thinker and speaker?
I will be particularly interested to see if people who have not got a track record of being engaged in the structures as Regional Team Leaders or members of the old Senior Management Team get seriously considered. Would the Union be prepared to take someone who is a Minister / team leader of a church and give them the job?
Distinct Reflections 
I wondered about starting a book and offering odds, but felt it was probably too serious an issue. But if anyone else wants to do this in the comments below, you are welcome!
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Sounds like you’re considering it yourself 🙂
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Andy – I have pleasure in confirming that I’m not considering it. Whilst I’ve said in private conversation before that it is one of two jobs in the BUGB that I would love to have the opportunity to do – not for another decade and probably not as currently described. The Union needs a candidate that will unite people across its diversity, who can carry the confidence of the staff, associations, trustees and wider church and has the polictical skills to be good at touchy feely stuff. You know me well enough to recognise these are not qualities people immediately associate with me!
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