She has assumed pastoral responsibilities (11)

I believe the answer is:

shepherdess

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'she' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

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(Other definitions for shepherdess that I've seen before include "Little Bo-Peep, for example" , "Little Bo-Peep perhaps" , "She guards flock" , "Country girl" , "Tender of animals" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish News.

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