Sample Job Descriptions

Our thanks to Janice Haywood, author of the book Enduring Connections: Creating a Preschool and Children’s Ministry for her gracious permission to include on our website this material from her book.

Part-Time Childhood Minister/Director (Paid or Volunteer)

Responsible To: (Who will be immediate supervisor?)

Number of Hours Per Week (or month): Usually 20-25

General Position Description: To guide in developing and implementing a childhood education ministry (infants through 6^th grade) that includes planning, coordinating, and educating.

Ministry Responsibilities:

1. Guide in establishing vision and goals for the childhood ministry.
2. Plan, promote, and guide the religious education programs for preschoolers and grade-schoolers such as …(List current ones but leave possibility of adding others).
3. Recruit childhood ministry volunteers and provide them with leadership, resources, and training. (If your church uses a committee to screen and recruit volunteers, outline the role of the minister/director here.)
4. Work with Childhood Ministry Team (or name of coordinating body) in planning programs and activities which meet the needs of children and their parents.
5. Encourage the healthy development of children (spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially) in all aspects of the ministry.
6. Inform children, parents and church members about children’s activities through newsletters, bulletin board displays, e-mail, and announcements.
7. Organize and direct an outreach and visitation program for enlistment and attendance of preschoolers and grade-schoolers.
8. Provide pastoral care and support to children and their parents, including hospital visitation as needed.
9. Provide at least one parenting seminar each year and support parents in their parenting roles throughout the year.
10. Provide and maintain a calendar of activities for preschoolers and grade-schoolers.
11. Assist in worship leadership as requested.

Administration:

1. Attend weekly staff meetings as requested. (Remember this is part-time and may be bi-vocational)
2. Work with other staff in planning activities that will involve the children and families.
3. Prepare a yearly budget for childhood ministry to present to the finance committee.
4. Supervise …(List anyone that will fall under supervision such as paid childcare workers.)
5. Maintain set office hours for accessibility to children and parents.
6. Perform other tasks as assigned by supervisor when such tasks would enrich and enhance the mission of the church.

This description is not intended as a comprehensive, all-encompassing list of the duties of the Part-time Childhood Minister/Director but is to serve as a guideline to the responsibilities of the position.

Full-Time Childhood Minister/Director (Usually Paid)

Responsible To: (Indicate supervisor—Minister of Education, Associate Pastor, Pastor, etc.)

General Position Description: To assist the church in planning, conducting, promoting, and evaluating a comprehensive and balanced ministry to children (infants through sixth graders) and their families.

Minister:

Work as a part of the church’s ministerial team.

1. Attend regular staff meetings.
2. Participate in worship leadership as requested.
3. Assist with the total visitation program of the church.
4. Participate in hospital visitation and home visits.
5. Provide basic counseling for church members as requested.
6. Be present at all church-wide functions and participate in Sunday and Wednesday programs of worship and education.

Minister to Preschoolers and Grade-Schoolers

1. Guide in establishing vision and goals for the childhood ministry.
2. Guide, promote, and administer, in cooperation with the leaders of the childhood programs, the faith education of the church as it relates to preschoolers and grade-schoolers. (These may be listed.)
3. Work with Childhood Ministry Team (or name of coordinating body) in planning programs and activities which meet the needs of children and their parents.
4. Enlist and equip childhood ministry leadership and provide them with resources and training. (If your church uses a committee to screen and recruit volunteers, outline the role of the minister/director here.)
5. Coordinate planning and presentation of children’s sermons with pastor and guide the church in providing worship experiences to meet the needs of children. Work with the pastor in planning parent/child dedication services and assist older preschoolers and their families with introduction to congregational worship.
6. Keep informed about current ministry ideas, resources, and methods in childhood ministry by reading and attending conferences, seminars, and workshops.
7. Evaluate and secure literature, resources and teaching materials.
8. Develop and implement policies for the safety and security of children.
9. Develop and maintain an active outreach ministry to preschoolers, grade-schoolers, and their families.
10. Plan, organize, staff, and coordinate and effective summer program for children.
11. Provide special events and seminars for parents that will enhance and enrich their parenting skills and relationship with their children.
12. Plan and coordinate special events, fellowships and ministry opportunities for preschoolers and grade-schoolers.
13. Counsel children and their families about conversion and church membership. (Needs to coincide with church policy)
14. Supervise the director of the weekday preschool program.
15. Facilitate the sharing of space, resources, and teaching materials by church and child care teachers.
16. Coordinate and staff the preschool worship care and childcare during special church-wide events.
17. Serve as liaison to … (Name committees or teams to which this staff position will be a liaison.)
18. To develop and administer an annual budget in accordance with the church budgeting process.
19. Perform other tasks as assigned when such tasks would enrich and enhance the mission of the church.
    
     

This description is not intended as a comprehensive, all-encompassing list of the duties of the Childhood Minister/Director but is to serve as a guideline to the responsibilities of the position.

Enduring Connections: Creating a Preschool and Children’s Ministry, Janice Haywood (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2007), pp. 166-168. Used by permission.