Regional Port Chaplain (West Coast Scotland)
Salary: c£31,500 pa.
Hours of work: Between 24 to 40 hours (with paid 1 hour lunch break). This post is offered on a part-time to full-time basis, equivalent to 3–5 days per week.
Location: Ports and harbours throughout West Coast of Scotland, including, but not limited to Argyll & the Isles, Mallaig, Oban, Fort William, as well as some working from home.
Leave arrangements: 28 days per annum FTE plus bank and statutory holidays.
Pension: Stella Maris operates a pension scheme (up to 6% matching contributions). Full details, and terms and conditions of employment will be issued if an offer of employment is made.
Right to Work in the UK: Applicants must already have the legal right to live and work in the United Kingdom at the time of application. The organisation is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role.
Pre-employment Checks: Appointment will be subject to satisfactory references and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, and/ or Scottish equivalent.
Closing date for applications: 25 October 2026
About Stella Maris
Stella Maris is the largest ship-visiting network in the world, supporting seafarers, fishers, and their families. For more than 100 years, our network of chaplains and volunteers has been a trusted presence in ports, offering practical, pastoral and spiritual support to those who work at sea.
About the Job
Reporting to the Senior Area Port Chaplain for Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Regional Port Chaplain for West Coast of Scotland you will promote the vision, mission and values of Stella Maris in caring for all seafarers and fishers by providing them practical, pastoral and spiritual support. You will recruit, train and support Stella Maris staff and volunteers for the port and will maintain good relations with local parishes and the local diocese. You will work ecumenically with members of other Christian maritime societies with whom Stella Maris works.
We are looking for a confident candidate with experience in pastoral care, chaplaincy, community outreach, welfare services, or mission work and experience in managing volunteers and building relationships with multiple stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
You will be expected:
- To meet the welfare and pastoral needs of all seafarers and fishers equally according to their needs and wishes. To be an advocate on their behalf, upholding the dignity of each. Through regular and frequent ship visiting, to understand the working and living conditions of the seafarer and fishers and be able to work for justice and for the well-being of all crew members without distinction.
- To address the communication needs of seafarers, providing transport, news, and access to telephone and internet facilities.
- To address the welfare needs of seafarers and fishers, including support with money transfers, hospitality, and crisis support, e.g. abandonment, injury and death, detainment, bereavement, advice and access to medical care.
- To meet the ecclesial, spiritual, and sacramental needs of Catholic seafarers and fishers; to facilitate the religious and spiritual needs of others and to be a pastor to all, sharing one’s faith as appropriate.
- To participate in SM conferences, ongoing formation and other professional courses as required.
- To support seafarer centre functioning.
- To recruit, train, develop and retain a SM ship visiting volunteering team.
- To represent SM on the local Port Welfare Committee(s), to include attending such meetings and submitting reports.
- To liaise and maintain good working relationships with all port stakeholders, including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, port health, harbour masters, dockers, security, and shipping agents.
- To work in an ecumenical and multi-faith context by respecting the differing religious and spiritual needs of seafarers drawn from diverse regions throughout the world.
- To encourage and support the development of an ecumenical service to seafarers through engagement with our ecumenical colleagues, including Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest (QVSR), Mission to Seafarers, Fishermen’s Mission, Sailors’ Society (to name a few).
- To engage with local maritime colleges.
- To engage with the local press, in particular the local Catholic diocesan press.
- To represent and be a proactive advocate for SM at Deanery meetings, in local parishes, in schools, with diocesan Justice and Peace networks, with migrant communities, in the local Catholic community and in the local community as a whole.
- To support the Fundraising and Communications team with the development of local fundraising initiatives.
- To promote SM internally and externally so as to ensure a highly motivated workforce and a positive external image.
About You
Required Elements
- Roman Catholic
- Full UK Driving Licence.
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in pastoral care, chaplaincy, community outreach, welfare services, or mission work.
- Experience managing volunteers and building relationships with multiple stakeholders.
- Able to work independently and without supervision.
- Be able to use own initiative.
- Happy to manage and be responsible for a small team of volunteers.
- Good interpersonal/social skills.
- Able to interact and be comfortable around a diverse range of people.
- Willing to work ecumenically (with other of other faiths and those of no faith).
- Be competent in basic IT and using Word, Excel, Teams and databases.
- Knowledge of the geographical area.
- Flexible.
- Good time management.
- Resilient.
Desired Elements
- 5 O Levels/ GCSEs (or Scottish equivalent) and 2 A Levels.
- Strong commitment to team working and an ability to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with colleagues across whole organisation.
- Resilient, determined and robust with a positive outlook.
- Dynamic and energetic personality with a high degree of personal drive and self- motivation.
- Desire to succeed, achieve results and make a difference.
- Knowledge of the wider UK charity sector.
- Knowledge of the wider maritime sector.
- Understanding of the Catholic Church.
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for this position, please send the following:
- An up-to-date CV outlining your employment history, academic and professional qualifications, and contact details.
- A supporting statement (no more than 2 x A4 pages) demonstrating how you meet the criteria outlined in the job description and person specification and why you are interested in becoming the Head of International Programmes at Stella Maris.
Key dates
- Closing date for applications 23:59 hrs on 25 October 2026
- Short listing 27 October 2026
- Candidates notified of shortlisting results 28 October 2026
- 1st Round of Interviews 2 November 2026
- 2nd Round of Interviews (if required) 3 November 2026
- Candidates notified of outcome 5 November 2026
Stella Maris is an International Maritime charity supporting seafarers, fishers, and their families in the UK and around the world.
Stella Maris is the largest ship-visiting network in the world, and the official maritime charity of the Catholic Church.
Seafarers often have to work away from their families and local communities for nine to 12 months at a time. Across the world, we aim to provide a ‘friend in every port’ and stand alongside seafarers and fishers to ensure their rights are upheld. For 100 years we’ve been extending the hand of friendship and welcoming seafarers and fishers to our shores.
Our network of chaplains and volunteers makes more than 70,000 ship visits each year and supports hundreds of thousands of seafarers and fishermen in times of need.
