Job Title: Compassion Ministries Director
Reports to: Lead Pastor
Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week
Location: Duluth, Minnesota
About Duluth Vineyard Church
Duluth Vineyard Church is a Christ-centered community in the Twin Ports committed to loving God, loving one another, and partnering with Jesus to bring healing to our world.
We value honest community, intentional discipleship, and showing up for our neighbors. Through compassion ministries, small groups, partnerships, and practical care, we seek to meet people with dignity and love while helping our church family participate in the work God is doing in our community.
About the Role
The Compassion Ministries Director provides leadership, vision, and oversight for Duluth Vineyard's compassion ministries, helping our church respond faithfully and effectively to practical needs in our community.
This role provides leadership for ministries including the Food Shelf (Fruit of the Vine), Clothing Closet, Women's Hygiene Program, Prison Ministry, Laundry Love, Safe Bay, and Benevolence. The Director develops and supports volunteer leaders, strengthens community partnerships, oversees ministry operations and resources, and helps ensure that people who come to Duluth Vineyard for assistance experience dignity, hospitality, and genuine care.
This is both a ministry leadership and relational role. The Director will regularly interact with people receiving services and will work closely with the pastoral team when individuals or families have needs that extend beyond the scope of a particular program. Together, the Compassion Ministries Director and pastoral team will help connect people with appropriate spiritual, relational, and practical support.
The Director does not need to personally carry every ministry or every need. A primary responsibility of this role is to build healthy systems and develop capable volunteer leaders so that compassion ministry can be shared by the whole church community.
Primary Responsibilities
Lead Compassion Ministries
- Set vision, goals, and direction for Duluth Vineyard's compassion ministries in alignment with the church's mission and values.
- Provide oversight for the Food Shelf, Clothing Closet, Women's Hygiene Program, Prison Ministry, Laundry Love, Safe Bay, and Benevolence.
- Ensure ministries are organized, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of the community.
- Be regularly present and engaged in ministry programs, particularly Food Shelf distributions and other key ministry activities.
- Evaluate emerging community needs and, in collaboration with church leadership, develop appropriate programs or initiatives.
- Oversee special compassion initiatives such as Christmas Adopt-a-Family, as resources and capacity allow.
- Maintain appropriate ministry boundaries, confidentiality, safety practices, and documentation.
Develop Volunteers and Leaders
- Recruit, train, equip, and care for volunteer leaders across Compassion Ministries.
- Develop clear roles, expectations, and systems that enable volunteers to serve effectively.
- Provide ongoing coaching, encouragement, and support to key ministry leaders and volunteers.
- Build a healthy volunteer culture marked by shared leadership, clear communication, appropriate boundaries, and sustainable service.
- Identify and develop emerging leaders who can take increasing ownership of individual ministries.
Care for People in Partnership with the Pastoral Team
- Build genuine, respectful relationships with people who access Compassion Ministries, treating each person with dignity and hospitality.
- Listen well to the needs and circumstances of individuals and families while maintaining appropriate ministry boundaries.
- Work closely with the pastoral team to identify needs that require additional pastoral care, spiritual support, crisis response, or connection to other resources.
- Help connect people with appropriate church ministries, community resources, and professional services when needs extend beyond the scope of Compassion Ministries.
- Collaborate with pastors and ministry leaders when ongoing care or follow-up is needed.
- Help cultivate a church culture in which caring for people is understood as a shared responsibility rather than the responsibility of one ministry or staff member.
Community Partnerships and Resource Development
- Build and maintain strong relationships with local organizations, nonprofits, churches, and community partners.
- Coordinate relationships and resources related to food distribution, hunger relief, housing, and other community needs.
- Apply for and coordinate applicable grants and funding opportunities, including required reporting and compliance.
- Maintain partnerships with organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank, CHUM, Hunger Solutions, and other relevant community organizations.
- Stay informed about changing needs and available resources in the Duluth and Twin Ports community.
Administration and Stewardship
- Develop, manage, and monitor the Compassion Ministries budget in collaboration with church leadership.
- Maintain accurate program records, receipts, volunteer information, and reporting.
- Track basic ministry metrics to evaluate participation, community impact, volunteer engagement, and resource use.
- Oversee the benevolence process, ensuring requests are evaluated consistently, documented appropriately, and responded to with compassion and clear boundaries.
- Ensure ministry practices are consistent with church policies, applicable regulations, and responsible stewardship of church resources.
Church Participation and Collaboration
- Attend weekly staff meetings and participate in church-wide ministry planning.
- Collaborate closely with the pastoral team and other ministry leaders to support the overall health and mission of Duluth Vineyard.
- Represent Compassion Ministries to church staff, volunteers, guests, community partners, and the broader community.
- Participate in the spiritual and relational life of the church as a member of the ministry staff.
- Help the broader congregation understand and participate in God's call to care for our neighbors.
Spiritual and Personal Qualifications
- Professes Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and demonstrates a growing, authentic relationship with Jesus.
- Demonstrates spiritual and emotional maturity, personal integrity, humility, and healthy self-awareness.
- Committed to ongoing spiritual formation and personal growth.
- Demonstrates a genuine love for people, particularly those experiencing hardship, poverty, isolation, or other difficult circumstances.
- Practices compassion without losing healthy boundaries, wisdom, or appropriate stewardship.
- Maintains personal accountability through relationships with mentors, pastors, spiritual directors, or other trusted leaders.
- Agrees with and is committed to the Vineyard Statement of Faith and the mission and values of Duluth Vineyard Church.
Experience and Qualifications
- 2+ years of nonprofit, ministry, social service, or related leadership experience preferred.
- Demonstrated experience recruiting, training, equipping, and supporting volunteers.
- Experience leading teams and developing healthy volunteer leadership structures.
- Experience building relationships with community organizations and partners.
- Strong communication, organizational, administrative, and relational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple programs and priorities while maintaining appropriate follow-through.
- Comfortable working independently, setting goals, solving problems, and carrying projects through to completion.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with pastors, staff, volunteers, and community partners.
- Cultural humility and the ability to build trusting relationships with people from diverse backgrounds, identities, ages, and life circumstances.
- Ability to navigate difficult or sensitive situations with empathy, discernment, clear boundaries, and appropriate confidentiality.
Schedule & Location
This is a full-time, on-site position averaging approximately 40 hours per week and based at Duluth Vineyard Church in Duluth, Minnesota.
The schedule includes weekly staff meetings and regular Food Shelf distributions, including Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. Some flexibility for evenings and weekends is expected for ministry events, volunteer leadership, community partnerships, and other ministry needs.
Because this is a ministry leadership position, the Director should expect their schedule to vary at times based on the needs of the people and ministries they serve.
Employment Conditions
Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
Duluth Vineyard Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in accordance with applicable law, while reserving the right to hire based on religious qualifications consistent with our mission and beliefs as a faith-based organization.
Pay: $58,000.00 - $66,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Application Question(s):
- How many years of experience do you have recruiting, training, and equipping volunteers?
- Describe your experience with 1 on 1 appointments, speaking to small groups, or speaking to larger groups.
Experience:
- Nonprofit/Ministry/ Social Service: 2 years (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
