DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION
Reports to: Lead Minister
Directly Supervises: Childcare Workers
Status: Full-time
FLSA: Exempt
First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City is a growing, progressive faith community in Midtown Oklahoma City. With 240 adult members and 50 children and youth, our congregational programs are vibrant and expanding. We are looking for a highly-skilled, passionate educator to join the team and help drive the Religious Education portfolio forward.
Living into our Unitarian Universalist values, 1UC aims to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. Individuals from historically marginalized identities are encouraged to apply.
Job Summary:
The Director of Religious Exploration (DRE) shall organize and implement religious education for children and youth, including Sunday mornings, Wednesday evening youth programming, and a one-week day camp in June, and other programs. They will also support the Adult Programs Committee to coordinate education opportunities for adults. This position reports to the lead minister, supervises part-time childcare workers, and collaborates with and motivates lay volunteers. This salaried position averages 40 hours per week. It is an FLSA-exempt position, and the DRE shall be entitled to employee benefits as described in the Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual.
Essential functions:
- Lead religious exploration classes and activities for all age levels, Pre-K through 12th grade: While regular classroom teaching will be done by volunteers, the DRE will be highly skilled at classroom management and able to coach volunteers on those skills. The DRE will occasionally lead classrooms as a backup for children, youth, and adult programs.
- Select curricula that are engaging and rooted in UU values: Working with a Family Ministry Committee and Adult Programs Committee, the DRE will identify curricula that are appropriate for a Unitarian Universalist setting in our current times. Children’s and youth curricula will be selected for roughly five groups, depending on the year's enrollment levels.
- Collaborate in worship planning and leadership: The DRE will collaborate with the lead minister to plan and implement quarterly multigenerational worship services. They will select or write and present the Time for All Ages (children’s story) in the worship service twice monthly. They will also collaborate with the Worship Committee to present a monthly 20-minute children’s chapel.
- Administer the Religious Exploration program: The DRE will schedule teachers, maintain attendance records, communicate with families weekly, and attend carefully to other administrative details for the Religious Exploration program.
- Support Adult Programs Committee: The DRE will assist the Adult Programs Committee with coordinating, scheduling, and advertising their programs. As the primary staff support to the Adult Programs Committee, the DRE will ensure that educational opportunities for adults are integrated smoothly into the full life of the congregation.
- Manage the RE budget: The DRE will work with the Family Ministry Committee, Adult Programming Committee, and Finance Working Group to develop and manage a budget for Religious Exploration programming at 1UC. The DRE will also lead fundraising activities to support RE programming.
- Recruit and train volunteer teachers: We depend on a large team of volunteer teachers to run our program. The DRE will recruit teachers from within the congregation and train them to succeed in their classrooms. The DRE will also be available to coach and support teachers as needed.
- Ensure safety practices for children and youth: The DRE will work with the lead minister and Family Ministry Committee to ensure compliance with the 1UC Child and Youth Safety Policies. They will track and order background checks for all classroom volunteers. The DRE will consult with church leaders on current best practices for the safety of children and youth in a church setting.
- Prepare classrooms and attend to physical space: The DRE will prepare materials needed for classes and make purchases as needed. With the Family Ministry Committee, the DRE will organize and keep track of crafting and other materials. The DRE will attend to order and cleanliness in classrooms and advise when janitorial services are needed.
- Collaborate on holiday and special church activities: The DRE will collaborate with the lead minister and the Family Ministry Committee to plan and execute holiday events such as the Easter Egg hunt, Trunk or Treat, Christmas pageant, Solstice, and other special gatherings.
- Organize and implement Chalice Camp: The DRE will plan and implement our annual one-week day camp. The camp is at a rented facility that provides staff to lead a variety of activities. Chalice Camp, held each June, is a beloved program of the church.
- Organize and implement Our Whole Lives (OWL) and Coming of Age programs: OWL is an age-appropriate, values-based, comprehensive sexuality education program. Coming of Age is a program for ninth- and tenth-graders that empowers them to identify and claim their own beliefs within our UU tradition. The DRE will maintain a slate of trained volunteers to ensure these two programs are part of the RE curriculum, with OWL classes offered for one or two age groups per year and Coming of Age, typically every other year.
- Support the pastoral mission of the church: The DRE will offer a caring, confidential ear to congregants (especially families) and alert the minister to situations that require additional care. The DRE will be well-informed about and comply with mandatory reporter requirements.
Required Qualifications:
- At least two years of prior experience in the area of religious education, education, or a related field.
- An academic degree in Education, Child Development, Religious Studies, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Strong organizational, communication, and collaborative leadership skills.
- Expertise in volunteer management and program management.
- Demonstrated administrative, record-keeping, and time management skills, and knowledge of relevant software to perform the responsibilities outlined above.
- Knowledge of religious education philosophy and of the Unitarian Universalist tradition is desired. Highly qualified candidates may be given the opportunity to learn these on the job.
- Successful completion of a background check and professional references.
Physical requirements and working conditions
The person in this position must be able to (with or without accommodation):
- Communicate with congregants of varying ages on the phone, in person, and through technological means;
- Remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time, also be able to move about inside the church to access supply closets, file cabinets, office machinery, etc.;
- Routinely operate a computer and other office machinery, such as computer printer, copier, and telephone;
- Run errands occasionally to pick up supplies or drop off materials; move/lift weights of up to 20 pounds;
- Work outdoors, when required, in an environment like a summer day camp.
Core competencies
- Nurturing curiosity and growth: Inspires learners to engage with the world around them; effectively utilizes age-appropriate pedagogical models; respects children as individuals and members of the learning community; actively pursues professional development through the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) and other resources.
- Organizing and Administration: Can gather and allocate resources (people, materials, curricula) effectively; manages the program budget responsibly; demonstrates proficiency in necessary software for record-keeping and communications; and orchestrates multiple activities to accomplish goals.
- Planning: Accurately assesses the length and difficulty of a project; sets objectives and goals; breaks down work into process steps; develops schedules and task/people assignments; anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks; measures performance against goals; evaluates results.
- Developing volunteers: Is able to identify talent and recruit capable volunteers into positions of responsibility; provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments for others to do; delegates appropriately; builds people up; maintains open and active dialogue with volunteers; communicates expectations clearly and respectfully holds people accountable.
- Program Evaluation: Establishes clear success metrics for programs; uses feedback from volunteers, staff, families, and youth to analyze program effectiveness; and proactively implements changes to ensure high-quality, relevant religious education.
- Enacting UU values: Demonstrates the values of Love, Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence and Generosity and promotes them in age-appropriate language; collaborates in building beloved community and dismantling systems of oppression on an interpersonal, institutional, and community level.
- Managing Conflict: Deals with problems quickly and directly; steps up to conflicts, seeing them as opportunities; reads situations quickly; focuses when listening; settles disputes collaboratively and equitably; finds common ground and gets cooperation.
- Interpersonal relationships: Relates well to all kinds of people, inside and outside of the congregation; builds appropriate rapport; builds effective and constructive relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; is regarded as a team player.
- Trust and integrity: Is widely trusted; seen as direct and truthful; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; adheres to the Liberal Religious Educators Code of Professional Practices during good and bad times.
- Managing vision and purpose: Articulates and supports the vision of 1UC (explore the eternal, nurture community, pursue the common good); communicates a compelling and inspiring vision for UU Religious Exploration; talks beyond here and now to a larger sense of purpose; creates a compelling vision of possibility, hope, and healing; helps others to own the mission and vision of 1UC.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $63,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Relocation assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Education:
Experience:
- religious education, education, or related field: 2 years (Required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Oklahoma City, OK 73103
