Our initial review of applications will begin July 2, 2026; applications submitted later may be accepted.
Please send a letter of interest, resume, and supporting materials to the DLRE Search Team at [email protected].
This position is begin offered as either Full-time or 3/4 Time (40 or 30 hours per week); Salaried, Exempt | Start date August 2026
UUS is committed to following for our size (Midsize II) and geoindex (2) with a starting salary of $51,000 - $56,000 annually for a full-time position. Level of experience and UUA RE credentialing will affect salary. UUS provides benefits in accordance with UUA recommendations. Full benefits are available starting at 30 hours per week and include paid time off, holidays, and sick leave; a professional expenses budget; and the ability to enroll in UUA benefits plan including health with subsidy or to apply that subsidy to the incremental cost of enrollment in another qualified group health plan, dental, vision, long-term disability, and retirement.
About Our Congregation
The (UUS) seeks a Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) for our vibrant, engaged congregation of about 300 adult members (around 150-200 participating each week) and about 80 currently active children and youth (around 25-30 participating each week). The congregation has been growing new roots since moving to a new, green sanctuary on 8 acres of woodland in 2017. In our new location and post-pandemic, we have developed a vibrant RE program that includes both traditional programming and programming that connects with the wider community, including summer camps, OWL for community members, and the Learning Space for LGBTQIA+ children and youth (now closed). This position offers an opportunity to help our congregation continue to collaboratively develop our religious education program that includes lifespan faith development, family ministry, multigenerational programming, and community partnerships. We are particularly interested in continuing and enhancing offerings that involve direct experience in nurturing and honoring the land, including summer camps, advocating or volunteering for social and racial justice, making music, fostering relationships, and creating meaning.
We are looking for candidates who can continue working with us to build on what is serving UUS and the wider community well and adapt or let go of what is no longer needed. UUS is currently in a transitional ministry period with our current settled minister and DLRE leaving this summer for positions in CA and MN.
The DLRE position is being offered at 30-40 hours per week to allow for flexibility for different candidates’ needs. UUS currently has an RE coordinator whose hours could be increased if the DLRE wishes to be hired at the 30 hour per week level. If the DLRE is hired at the 30-hour per week level, the position would include fewer responsibilities for worship services, adult religious education, program development, and programming that connects with the wider community.
About the DLRE Position
The Director of Lifespan Religious Education (DLRE) is the senior staff member responsible for the leadership, planning, implementation, and evaluation of spiritual and faith development programming for children, youth, adults, and families. At the advanced level with UUA credentialing, the position would include greater responsibility and authority for collaborating on overall congregational vision, innovative program development, community partnerships, and externally-facing programming.
The DLRE is expected to affirm the principles, values, and policies of UUS and abide by the Unitarian Universalist Association Covenant on Ethics and the LREDA Professional Guidelines.
Responsibilities
- Under the minister’s overall authority and direction, collaborate with the minister, staff, Board of Trustees, and volunteers to develop and administer lifespan faith formation programs that promote, fulfill, and expand UUS’s mission.
- Develop and collaborate with teams or task forces needed to carry out lifespan faith formation at UUS.
- With volunteers and other staff, develop, lead, and manage procedures and processes to provide educational opportunities and childcare for children, youth, and adults throughout the congregation. Develop, organize and administer programs for children and youth, including planning, ongoing evaluation, volunteer management (recruiting, orienting, supervising), and coordinating materials. Implement existing and new programs for adults to explore topics such as spirituality, UU principles, living our faith, and background to becoming a member. Work with volunteers to support covenant groups and small group ministries.
- In collaboration with teams and other staff, develop and run mission-oriented programming that draws in and connects with the wider community, including summer camps, OWL for community members or organizations, and programming for adults.
- Collaborate with the minister, worship associates, and other participants to develop and co-lead all ages worship services, stories/times for all ages, rites of passage for children and youth, and other aspects of the weekly worship service as requested by the minister.
- Recruit, supervise and support any other religious education staff and volunteers, paid childcare staff, and volunteers.
- Provide support for families through activities that connect families, and strengthen at-home faith development, particularly for children and youth.
- Develop and implement age-specific or multigenerational offerings that involve direct experience in nurturing and honoring the land, advocating or volunteering for social and racial justice, making music, fostering relationships, and creating meaning. Coordinate with other UUS teams and staff to plan and carry out church-based pull and external events such as family walks on our trails, care for the land, and social justice projects.
- Collaborate with other staff and volunteers to communicate UUS’s faith formation and community partnerships internally and externally. Work closely and collaboratively with staff and volunteers to communicate and share relevant faith formation information with members and friends.
- Participate actively in ongoing professional development through reflective reading, membership in the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA), and participation in related online, regional, and national workshops and meetings.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in education, child development, community development, social work or ministry related field preferred.
- Knowledge of and commitment to liberal religion generally, and willingness to learn more about Unitarian Universalist principles, history, traditions, and current social justice concerns.
- Understanding of theories of learning and religious traditions. Interest in and commitment to the processes by which children and adults learn and grow.
- Program management or supervisory experience in a church, educational institution, other volunteer-management, or comparable setting. Strong leadership, planning, and program implementation skills.
- Strong writing, speaking, and other communication skills. Strong computer and digital communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills including personal warmth, approachability, effective listening, and compassion.
- Training in and understanding of anti-racism education and action within congregations and communities.
- The ability to comfortably engage with members and visitors of all ages and identities.
- Unitarian Universalist Association Religious Education/Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) progress toward credentialing or interest in engaging in .
Core Competencies
- Mission Ownership: Demonstrates understanding and full support of the mission, vision, values, and beliefs of UUS. Selects and teaches curricula in a manner consistent with UUS’s mission, values, and beliefs. Works professionally and in accordance with Unitarian Universalist Values and Principles, UUS’s Mission and Vision statements, and UUS’s Policies and Bylaws.
- Compassion and Care: Maintains high standards of confidentiality and discretion. Exudes a natural sense of care for the well-being of others; respond with empathy to the life circumstances of others; demonstrate appropriate and boundaried expressions of care. Demonstrates the skills and temperament to provide care to children, youth, and adults of all abilities along with an open heart and open mind toward families of all types, however they define themselves.
- Educational Skills, Creativity, and Innovation: Has training in child and human development, understands and keeps current on trends and best practices in religious education and lifespan faith development, as well as anti-racism and social justice, and communicates these to teachers, ministers, and congregational leaders. Generates new ideas for programs; makes new connections among existing ideas to create fresh approaches; adapts lessons or activities to adjust to the skill levels and abilities of participants; learns from mistakes; has good judgment about which creative ideas and suggestions will work.
- Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work with others in a participatory style. Engages in thoughtful listening; holds others accountable in a spirit of love. Demonstrates passion for religious education, children, and families; the ability to inspire others and to be self-motivated, as well as work in a staff team. Productively engages and resolves interpersonal conflict; overcomes personal bias to hear the ideas and concerns of another; can describe the perspective of another, even when they disagree. Able to accept constructive criticism. Interacts positively with visitors, attendees, members, church leadership, staff, and others.
- Communication Skills: Is able to deliver a message clearly in a variety of settings; demonstrates communication styles appropriate to the situation at hand; adjusts the message, without losing the essence of the message, depending upon the circumstances and the listener. Is able to write clearly and succinctly; able to use computer programs relevant to the position (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs) as well as web-based training materials, able to provide communications in a timely manner.
- Developing and Motivating Others: Inspires trust and confidence from teachers, team members, parents and children. Creates a climate in which volunteers and youth helpers want to do their best; empowers volunteers and youth helpers; invites input and sharing in decision-making; makes volunteers and youth helpers feel that their contributions are important. Provides volunteers and youth helpers with challenging and stretching tasks; holds frequent developmental discussions; is aware of the developmental aspirations of volunteers and youth helpers; builds confidence and morale. Creates a fun and dynamic environment.
- Management Skills: Manages work time well without overworking; marshals resources (people, funding, materials) to get projects completed on time and successfully; keeps accurate records and a functional filing system, as well as successfully managing an annual budget.
- Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Awareness and Skills: Knowing that this work is always in-progress, continually develops and maintains awareness of equity and inclusion; can apply a lens of power and privilege to issues that arise in their work with the congregation; demonstrates accountable engagement with diverse spiritual traditions and communities and is mindful of issues related to cultural misappropriation in their work with the congregation; ensures that processes and practices are adaptable to different needs, abilities, and ways of working, seeking support for this as appropriate.Practices personal stress reduction and spiritual growth work; works with a religious education mentor and actively seeks collegial connections.
Pay: $51,000.00 - $56,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
