POSITION DESCRIPTION
Parish Administrator to the Rector, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Spotswood, NJ
Objective
To assist the Rector in the work that is needed to carry out the ministry and the overall coordination of the day-to-day operations of the Church, and function as an administrative assistant to the care and well-being of the parish. Particular needs of the position relate to communication, administration, facilitation of pastoral care, property management, and finance.
Criteria
- Due to the sensitive nature of this work, members of the parish or a relative of a member of this parish will not be considered for this position.
- A background check may be required.
- Administrator will complete Diocesan Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Prevention certification and Diocesan Anti-Racism training at the earliest possible date.
Times of Work and Leave
- The regular work week is Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is primarily an in-office position, as the parish administrator is expected to be present and available during regular office hours. Occasional remote work may be approved by the rector in advance when parish office needs allow.
- Some weekend work may be required for special parish events or circumstances. Off-hours emergency contact may occur from time to time. Personal phone numbers will not be published.
- 2 weeks paid vacation taken at a time convenient to the Rector, not cumulative, to be available after the first year of employment. A maximum of five days can be carried over to next year, but not cumulative beyond one year.
- 8 PTO days, not cumulative.
- 12 (13) paid holidays: New Year’s Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Monday after Feast of Pentecost, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Friday, and Christmas Day (and the day following Christmas Day, if during work week). If a holiday falls on a Saturday, one day in the week preceding or the following Monday shall be a paid holiday.
- Compensatory days/time off may be negotiated with the Rector.
- A probationary period of 180 days from the date of hire will apply.
Compensation
Negotiable: base is $24,000, with a top salary of $30,000 per year. Operative: (equiv. 15$-20$ an hour based on experience)
Episcopal Church Lay Pension benefits (Church Pension Group defined contribution plan).
All canonically mandated benefits per the Episcopal Diocese of NJ
Nature and Scope
The Parish Administrator is appointed by and accountable to the Rector and exercises the Rector’s canonical authority in maintaining the Parish Register, the Register of Church Services, and in keeping pastoral and membership records.
The Parish Administrator is, first and foremost, the Rector’s confidential assistant, implementing the Rector's ideas for worship, ministries, and religious education. The main objective is to free the Rector from deskbound duties. S/he must have the flexibility to handle any problems that may occur on any given day. S/he oversees the maintenance of office equipment, maintaining computer files, office supplies, postage budgeting of the same, and staying within the scope of that budget, projecting usage and ordering of supplies for worship, i.e., bulletin covers, readings, etc., as well as stewardship supplies of coin folders, envelopes, flower envelopes, etc. S/he works with volunteer help, supervising and coordinating their activities. S/he serves as liaison between the Rector and members of the staff and congregation, and as a resource person to the Vestry and Vestry commissions, and the Rector’s staff. S/he also assists in the various undertakings of committees and ministries of the lay leaders and congregation.
The successful Parish Administrator:
- Maintains amicable personal contacts across the internal organization and appropriately shares information.
- Multitasks effectively and efficiently.
- Constantly hones understanding and responsiveness to internal and external ministry requirements, goals, and issues.
- Manages situations in a calm, steady, “can-do” manner.
- Demonstrates self-confidence; resilient.
- Demonstrates a focus on results over time; resourceful, tenacious.
- Takes the time to maintain relationships and create new ones.
- Manages projects, activities, and resources according to search and team strategy effectively.
- Sets priorities and reviews progress against goals regularly.
- Seeks to adopt best practices to increase effectiveness and organization.
- Gives constructive feedback and recommends suggestions for improvement, where appropriate.
- Generates enthusiasm for mission strategies and key initiatives.
- Energizes others with whom they are in regular contact.
- Sets a personal example of seeking out new and better ways of doing things and stays open to new ideas and approaches.
- Other duties as required
Accountability
To achieve the objective of this position, the Parish Administrator must:
1. Pay bills, make deposits and coordinate transfers, and record the same in the online QuickBooks program and online banking, working with the Bookkeeper and Treasurer
2. Support the Rector’s Ministry through administrative and pastoral support tasks so that the Rector may be freed from desk-bound duties and the day-to-day operation of the parish
3. Keep them updated on all upcoming events of importance. Assist in the implementation of the Rector’s ministries
4. Coordinate with the Rector and any assigned lay leadership on the management of vendors, contractors, and all those assigned to work on capital projects on the church property
5. Provide phone coverage during working hours, determining the importance of messages and being reactive to requests within their scope of responsibilities
6. Process mail and e-mail daily
7. Purchase office, worship, and stewardship supplies in accordance with budgetary guidelines. Assist in preparing the budget for the same
8. Support the administrative and supply needs of the Shop at St. Peter’s, onsite Thrift Store
9. Weekly preparation of online Daily Office scripts, Sunday bulletins, and special bulletins (i.e., funeral & wedding) as they occur through gathering of necessary information, typing, copying, assembling, and placing in the church. Each week, the upcoming lectionary readings will be mailed or emailed to the appropriate lector. Prepare Prayers of the People, print and place in the church, as well as the appropriate page of the lectionary
10. Prepare a consolidated Worship Schedule for Lectors, Acolytes, Ushers, and LEMs by coordinating with ministry heads, and distribute
11. Assist the Rector in the preparation and publication of weekly parish electronic newsletters, and assist in pastoral online communications.
12. Update the website every week with events, schedules, and calendars. Upload digital copies of Sunday sermons each week to the website
13. Preparation for Annual Parish Meeting by gathering reports from all ministries, editing, typing, and printing the Annual Report. Type and copy the agenda, ballots, and sign-in list, and post the notice of the meeting
14. Coordinate schedules of various ministries along with Parish Hall usage and keep a master calendar
15. Preparation of Baptismal, Confirmation, Communion & Marriage Certificates, and booklets for Memorial Garden usage, marriage guides, and Baptism services. Mail in Marriage Certificates to the Registrar promptly
16. Maintain accurate official parish records, membership lists such as birthday, anniversary, telephone directory, Parish registry, and Service register. Keeping the Parish Database up to date, as well as the Cemetery listing. File organization and maintenance
17. Oversee maintenance of office and computer equipment, schedule services of outside companies for fire equipment maintenance, and furnace in rectory
18. Ensure that schedules and readings are mailed or emailed out promptly
19. Provide appropriate correspondence as needed by the Rector, Deacon, and various ministries
20. Transcribe Vestry meeting voice recording to minutes
21. Assist in the preparation of Diocesan reports
22. Ensure that lay licenses and insurance certificates from groups using the parish hall are kept up to date
23. Maintain a file of all ministry leaders and staff who have completed the required Diocesan Sexual Misconduct and Abuse Prevention Training
24. Coordinate and assist all ministries, committees, groups, vestry members, lay leaders, and the Sunday School in the performance of their ministries of the church
25. Purchasing, maintaining the supply, and records of Shop Rite Cards for fundraising
Order Nameplates for the Memorial Garden
26. Ensure Cemetery listing is up to date, ensure that records are updated both electronically and on parish Yard maps.
27. Record Memorial Fund donations and send thank-you notes and information to the families of those who made donations
28. Year-end duties include:
- Clean out files and move to storage
- Set up and meet with the Audit Committee
- Assist with year-end Closing of QuickBooks
Qualifications
- Working knowledge of the Episcopal Church’s polity and worship is a definite plus
- Willingness to work cheerfully and collaboratively in a faith-centered, mission-focused parish church environment
- Experience with computer programs for word processing, newsletter, bulletin formatting, and creating necessary forms, for updating the website, and bookkeeping. Conversant with contemporary information and technological management of multiple media platforms
- Knowledge of
o QuickBooks
o Online SAS Management platforms for administration and data storage
o Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.)
o Working knowledge of Squarespace and Mailchimp programs
o Flexible and quick study of computer systems, church proprietary software, etc.
- Good organizational and communication skills.
- Excellent planning and coordination of multiple groups and functions into one master calendar/plan
- Excellent telephone skills
- Ability to deal with confidential matters
- Work well with people, and assist in the recruitment of volunteers
- Ability to work unsupervised and make decisions appropriately
Pay: $25,000.00 - $30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
