First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, Vermont
Sabbatical Director of Faith Development
Job Overview
This is a temporary (4 months) religious professional position in a vibrant, dynamic congregation of 400 adult members and 60 children and youth. Our mission is to inspire spiritual growth, care for each other and our community, seek truth, and act for justice . The Sabbatical Director of Faith Development implements planned faith development programming and opportunities for children and youth, either directly, by delegation, or in collaboration with other staff and lay leaders.
Essential Functions
- Implements plans for faith development programming for children and youth on Sunday mornings and occasionally at other times; provides support to lay leaders and staff responsible for the 7th-8th grade Our Whole Lives, Yuuth group, and Family Chapel; ongoing appropriate problem-solving while abiding by Safer Congregation policies and procedures for record keeping.
- Cultivates volunteer infrastructure to meet program needs; recruits and equips lay people to lead effectively and with confidence. Works with sabbatical support team.
- Participates regularly in core staff team meetings (weekly) and supervision with the Senior Minister (weekly); demonstrates a beneficial capacity to ask for help, balanced with the ability to work independently.
- Creates communications to families, volunteers, and the larger congregation, in a variety of media, fostering informed engagement and deepening involvement.
- Provides warm, welcoming presence to all children, youth, and families and follows up with newcomers; provides a compassionate presence and connection between families and pastoral care.
- Collaborates as necessary and possible on the development of Time For All Ages as part of Sunday worship; supporting staff and lay leaders in the creation and implementation of the Christmas Eve No-Rehearsal Nativity Pageant.
- Supervises staff positions in the faith development program, including delegating with oversight of supervision of child care providers and lay volunteers.
- Utilizes Realm database and other technology in the course of duties.
Academic and Professional Qualifications
- A minimum of 3 years relevant work experience including demonstrated success, ideally in a congregational setting, (or educational or non-profit) setting and working effectively as part of a staff team and with volunteers.
- Equivalency of lived experience and/or a degree in education, religion, human development, or related field of study.
- Familiarity with Unitarian Universalism and Unitarian Universalist religious education, and alignment with First UU mission and values.
- Proficiency in Google Suite, database management, and social media platforms, as well as use of Zoom for video conferencing.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to move around the Meetinghouse and grounds with energy.
- Must be able to manage in an office environment, including sitting/standing for periods of time at computer, in meetings, and occasional out-of-office settings.
Core Competencies
- Emotionally-Grounded Leadership : Is seen as trustworthy and reliable by others; practices direct and open communication, including avoiding triangulation; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn’t operate with hidden agendas; demonstrates appropriate personal and professional boundaries; is emotionally mature; can maintain a non-anxious presence and calmly cope with uncertainty and change.
- Interpersonal Skills: Establishes good working relationships and appropriate rapport with congregants of all ages; considers the impact of his/her actions on others; uses diplomacy and tact; is approachable; projects empathy and warmth.
- Communication Skills: Can deliver a context-appropriate message clearly and articulately in a variety of settings; is able to write clearly, succinctly and in a tone appropriate to the context.
- Organization and Planning : Gathers and organizes resources to get things done, skillfully navigates decision-making channels. Keeps the larger picture in mind while tending to the details. Orchestrates multiple activities at once to accomplish a goal.
- Delegation and Supervision : Establishes clear expectations, direction, and objectives; comfortably delegates both routine and important tasks and decisions; appropriately shares authority and responsibility and cultivates role clarity; provides regular and ongoing feedback.
- Volunteer Development : Cultivates relationships with lay volunteers to meet programming needs, as well as the spiritual needs of volunteers. Encourages others to discover and offer their skills. Co-creates a prudent risk-taking (“experi-learning”) environment.
- Faith Formation/Educational Approach : Models spiritual maturity and teaches by example; understands and can apply human development theory to programming. Possesses and applies an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and multicultural lens.
Pay: $4,000.00 - $4,500.00 per month
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
