Chris Jones appointed Support Services Team Leader
We are delighted to announce that Chris Jones has been appointed as Support Services Team Leader
Chris is an active member of his local Anglican church, where he has worshipped for 13 years. Here he facilitates a homegroup, is part of the Eco Church Steering Group and occasionally helps to lead services.
Chris grew up attending his parents' Anglican church and after a few years of wandering came to personal faith in Christ in an Elim Pentecostal Church in London, where he was baptised.
Chris joins Baptists Together having been the Managing Director of three veterinary businesses within a large veterinary corporation for the last seven years. His work focused on strategic planning, people, finance, income generation initiatives, managing efficiency savings, organisational investment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Before that Chris spent nine years as Head of the South West Region for KeyRing Living Support, providing services for people with learning disabilities. Chris was part of the national leadership team, and held responsibilities for expanding service provision, developing the property portfolio and leading organisational restructuring.
Earlier in his career he held roles with Mencap, Cardiff County Council and Wiltshire Council, working in the management of care services.
Chris has a BA (Hons) in Politics, and completed his Executive MBA in 2021, focusing on strategic planning.
His previous employers describe his strengths as ‘collaboration, consensus building and change’.
Chris began on 30 August and has already participated in September’s meetings of the Core Leadership Team and Baptist Union Trustees. He also made his first presentation to Baptist Union Council in October.
'Through the recruitment process I increasingly felt a sense of call to the role,’ he explains. ‘Apart from a couple of visits, I'd never been to a Baptist church, so I initially thought it wouldn't be the right fit. However, the job kept appearing in front of me: I felt it must be God nudging me to apply, and this was confirmed through the process.
‘In my early days I've thoroughly enjoyed participating in staff prayers, as well as the praise and worship and Holy Communion as part of the Core Leadership Team. It's a real privilege to have this as part of our work, and the novelty isn’t going to wear off anytime soon.
'I'm looking forward to deepening my understanding of Baptist life, and contributing in all the ways I am able.'
General Secretary Lynn Green said, ‘We are delighted Chris has joined us as Support Services Team Leader. Chris’s combination of a deep personal faith and extensive professional background and skillset make him an ideal fit for this role.
'Our mutual sense of God’s calling grew as the appointments process unfolded, leading us to conclude together that we believe God has indeed called him for such a time as this.
‘Chris brings a fresh perspective and insight to our challenges, and we look forward to seeing how God will will be at work in and through him in his new role.’