Parish Manager – Job Specification

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Background
The Parish of Holy Cross, Dundrum, is seeking to appoint an individual to the newly created position of Parish Manager. Reporting directly to the Parish Priest, the Manager will provide professional and administrative support to the Parish Priest, staff, and volunteers to ensure the smooth and efficient running of all non-pastoral aspects of parish life. The role requires strong organisational, interpersonal, and managerial skills, with responsibility for the overall coordination of the administration of the parish.

This role will be for an initial 18-month period. It can be either part-time or full-time, and we are open to discussing what works best for you.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and support parish staff and volunteers in the administration that underpins Dundrum Parish.
  • Coordinate, with parish staff, the maintenance and future development of parish facilities including the Church, Parochial House, and Pastoral Centre.
  • Act as the main point of contact for non-pastoral matters such as health and safety, GDPR, safeguarding, compliance, media systems and overall good governance.
  • Establish and maintain relationships with external suppliers, including oversight of purchasing, contracts, renewals, and negotiations.
  • Oversee and develop parish communications in areas such as signage, newsletters, website, and traditional and digital communication channels.
  • Review, revise, and maintain effective parish processes and procedures. This includes ensuring compliance with all relevant legislative requirements and all aspects of the Archdiocese of Dublin Administrative Regulations and Guidelines.
  • Assist the work of various parish committees.
  • Support, facilitate and establish parish revenue-generating initiatives.
  • Participate, as required, in the development of the parish partnership with Balally, Ballinteer, and Meadowbrook, as guided by the Parish Priest.
  • Undertake other tasks as may be reasonably assigned by the Parish Priest.

Experience and Skills

Essential Experience

  • Proven experience of managing and developing people.
  • Financial literacy, including experience of budgeting and interpretation of financial reporting
  • Knowledge of IT systems and capabilities.
  • Strong relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.

Desirable Experience

  • Experience in change management and/or organisational development.
  • Awareness of Diocesan initiatives and/or parish administration.

Key Skills and Attributes

  • Align with the mission of the Parish.
  • Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills.
  • Ability to delegate and motivate.
  • Identify, influence and implement change initiatives.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Confident in making presentations to and networking with diverse parish and community groups.

Application Process
To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and qualifications to meet the requirements of this role, along with an indication of your availability (full time/part time). Applications should be sent via email to HCparishmanager@outlook.com no later than Friday 17th April 2026. For further information or informal inquiries, please contact the same email address.

Appointment of Parish Manager

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New Parish Manager Role

Over the past number of years, many of you will have noticed the growing pressure on parishes across the Dublin Archdiocese due to the continuing reduction in the number of available priests.  Our own parish is no exception.

In recent years, the diocese has been encouraging the development of parish partnerships. Our partnership, the Columba Marmion partnership, consists of Balally, Ballinteer, Dundrum and Meadowbrook. We have been encouraged to look to the future, to work more closely together and to share our resources, including the clergy! This represents a significant change from previous years when we were fortunate to have a number of priests in each parish. A recent letter to the Irish Times pointed out the extent to which our circumstances in the church and in our parishes have changed, yet our structures have been too slow to adjust, putting an increasing and unreasonable amount of responsibility on parish priests.

Alongside the full-time pastoral and liturgical responsibilities, there has also been a substantial rise in the amount of administrative and regulatory work required to run a modern parish. This includes areas such as health and safety, GDPR, safeguarding, financial compliance, the increased use of IT systems, communications and HR. These are very necessary responsibilities which place additional demands on already stretched resources.

Taking all of this into account, and following a process of discernment, the Parish Pastoral Council and the Parish Finance Committee, in consultation and initiated by Fr Paul, have agreed that the best way forward, in everyone’s best interest, is to appoint a Parish Manager. The purpose of creating this new role is to allow Fr Paul, Fr Moses and Deacon Gabriel to focus more fully on the pastoral care of the parish and to delegate the responsibility for most of the day-to-day administrative duties to the Parish Manager. Fr Paul will of course remain ultimately responsible for the life and mission of the parish.

It is important to say that we are fortunate to have such dedicated and committed staff who will continue in their roles working closely with Fr Paul and the Parish Manager once appointed. Likewise, the parish is indebted to so many volunteers who give generously of their time, without which we would be lost. This new role will provide everyone with more support.

A recruitment advertisement for the new Parish Manager position is published on the parish website www.dundrumparish.com and has been circulated through the parishes of the Archdiocese. We ask for your support and prayers as we take this important step to ensure the continued smooth running and pastoral vitality of Holy Cross Parish into the future.

Lorna Radcliffe, Chair, Parish Pastoral Council
Cormac O’Sullivan, Chair, Parish Finance Committee