As a ‘friend and adviser to all', you’ll give spiritual and moral guidance to any person serving in a fighting force.
This job sits within the Logistics & Catering Personnel Profession and is a Logistics & Personnel Chaplain role. Your role as a Chaplain will be unlike anything you could do in your civilian career. You’ll work in a multi-faith environment, providing friendship, guidance and support to the people who serve our nation.
You can start training one year after you have been ordained or qualified as a religious or belief leader
It's the sheer variety of opportunities on offer in the Naval Service which means I've never got bored. I've served operationally with the Royal Marines, I've been to sea on small ships looking for mines in the Gulf and even ministered beneath the waves in a submarine. The ministry of a naval chaplain is so varied but also in many ways just like parish ministry, you become an important part of the community; surely God is present among those in the most difficult and challenging situations in the world. To be an expression of that, as a royal naval chaplain, is an absolute privilege.
Peter
Royal Navy Chaplain
The Chaplain is a vital member of any naval or commando unit, with a unique congregation. The team of 30,000 men and women who make up the Naval Service come from all walks of life. They do extraordinary jobs in extraordinary circumstances, all over the world, 365 days a year. It means your congregation – and crewmates – need a unique type of support. We welcome people who practise all faiths (including those with none), so you’ll need to be a friend, adviser and spiritual guide to them all in a multi-faith environment. You’ll be there for whoever needs you to be. You’ll serve the people who serve our nation.
From picking your role to the first day of training; everything you need to know as a Chaplain
Your first step is to register for a Naval Chaplaincy Virtual Presentation. You can register by emailing [email protected] or telephoning 07811 991822 to speak/message the Chaplain Recruiter. The Chaplain Recruiter will provide you with a link to the presentation and will be able to answer any initial questions or queries you may have.
Register an interest and make an application. This starts your online application process which is similar to that of officer applications and has to run hand-in-hand with the specialist chaplaincy selection procedure, supported by the Chaplain Recruiter. At this stage your eligibility to join will be explored.
If you are eligible to join you will then be invited to attend a residential 3-day acquaint visit to find out more about what chaplaincy in the Royal Navy entails.
You will need to contact your Endorsing Authority to let them know that you have made an Expression of Interest to the Royal Navy and to learn what their specific endorsement process will entail. The Chaplain Recruiter will assist you in identifying and contacting your endorsing authority.
You will be invited for an on-line Career interview to check further eligibility criteria and cover the initial stages of the Security application. This is normally conducted using your own device over the Shine video platform.
This is a two-day residential assessment conducted at one of our Candidate Preparation Centres and will include a Fitness Assessment and Medical Assessment.
A face-to-face selection interview takes place with the Chaplain of the Fleet and three other board members, including an officer from the Admiralty Interview Board.
Once you’ve passed all eligibility criteria, including a Security Check, you’ll be offered a place at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) to commence your initial training.
Initial Naval Training at Britannia Royal Naval College
Including the New Entry Chaplain (NEC) transition course, which focuses on the intellectual, moral, spiritual, and doctrinal aspects of chaplaincy
A New Entry Chaplain will normally spend 3-6 months in a naval base or training establishment, in order to better understand the modus operandi of chaplaincy ashore. They will then be given their first sea going appointment, during which a chaplain will serve as part of a flotilla, supporting ships deployed and alongside
Future assignments will largely depend on service need and discussion with the career manager. Assignments will normally alternate between shore assignments (naval bases/training establishments) and sea going assignments (deploying as part of a flotilla or as the sole chaplain to a ship), with specialist assignments requiring further training.
Initial Naval Training at Britannia Royal Naval College
Including the New Entry Chaplain (NEC) transition course, which focuses on the intellectual, moral, spiritual, and doctrinal aspects of chaplaincy
A New Entry Chaplain will normally spend 3-6 months in a naval base or training establishment, in order to better understand the modus operandi of chaplaincy ashore. They will then be given their first sea going appointment, during which a chaplain will serve as part of a flotilla, supporting ships deployed and alongside
Future assignments will largely depend on service need and discussion with the career manager. Assignments will normally alternate between shore assignments (naval bases/training establishments) and sea going assignments (deploying as part of a flotilla or as the sole chaplain to a ship), with specialist assignments requiring further training.
Our virtual recruiter is available to answer your questions 24 hours a day