Civil Chaplain - Mental Health

• Macquarie Hospital, Ryde NSW 
• Full-time

Successful applicants will be invited to interview, Wednesday September 14th on site at Macquarie Hospital Mental health Executive office in Ryde.

Bring compassion, faith and presence to work that matters

Macquarie Hospital is a major mental health facility serving communities across Sydney’s north and north-west. It’s a place where skilled care, humanity and connection can make an enormous difference.

We’re looking for a Civil Chaplain to join the hospital community and provide something fundamental to holistic care — pastoral and spiritual support for patients, families and staff.

This is a role where your presence matters. You’ll build trusted relationships, listen without judgement and walk alongside people through some of life’s most challenging and significant moments.

What you’ll do

You’ll provide pastoral and spiritual care within the hospital, including:

• Offering compassionate pastoral support, spiritual care, prayer and reflection where appropriate.
• Supporting patients, families and staff through difficult and significant life circumstances.
• Respecting and responding to diverse beliefs, cultures, values and individual choices.
• Building strong relationships across the hospital and working collaboratively with healthcare professionals.
• Contributing to a caring, inclusive and respectful hospital environment.

Position Description - Civil Chaplain

About you

You’ll be a mature, compassionate and grounded pastoral practitioner with the ability to connect authentically with people from diverse backgrounds.

You’ll bring:

• Relevant theological qualifications, with a degree or equivalent qualification in theology, ministry or a related discipline.
• Relevant ministry and pastoral care experience, ideally including experience in a healthcare, hospital or similarly complex environment.
• Experience providing pastoral and spiritual care to people experiencing distress, illness, grief, loss or significant life circumstances.
• Strong interpersonal, listening and communication skills.
• The emotional maturity and resilience to work effectively in a complex mental health setting.
• The ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams while maintaining appropriate pastoral boundaries and confidentiality.
• A demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the mission and values of the Uniting Church.

This position is a Synod placement for Ordained Ministers, or an employed position through the Synod Board as an employee of the Synod Office. The role operates within Uniting’s Mission Directorate and is accountable to the Uniting Church in Australia Code of Ethics and Ministry Practice and Uniting’s Code of Conduct.

Why this work matters

Chaplaincy is about presence. Sometimes it’s offering words of hope. Sometimes it’s sitting quietly with someone who needs to be heard. Sometimes it’s supporting a family or simply being there when there are no easy answers.

At Macquarie Hospital, your contribution sits alongside clinical care to support the whole person — mind, body and spirit.

You’ll be part of Uniting, whose purpose is to inspire people, enliven communities and confront injustice, guided by our values of being Imaginative, Respectful, Compassionate and Bold.

If you’re called to chaplaincy and want your work to have genuine impact, we’d love to hear from you.

How to apply

Please submit: Your current CV and cover letter today!

For all enquiries, please contact Louise Massie, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, at mmassie@uniting.org using the subject line: Civil Chaplain - Mental Health enquiry via EthicalJobs.

To ensure every application is managed fairly and consistently, all applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal. Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications sent directly via email.