Director of Children’s Ministries Full Time

(For a more readable version of this job description, visit https://citychurchsf.org/DCM26.)

City Church San Francisco’s vision is to be a Jesus-centered community, attuned to the activity of the Holy Spirit, so that we might courageously participate in God’s work of transformative love throughout San Francisco. We seek to live into this vision by following Jesus with our heads, our hearts, and our hands. We pursue this vision and mission with a commitment to anti-racist values as we seek to introduce or reintroduce people to God and welcome folks right where they are, inclusive of age, race, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and stage of belief; to offer something sturdy, good, and joyful to the world that promotes God’s vision of wholeness of life for all.

Position Overview
The Director of Children’s ministry is tasked with seeding, stewarding, and nurturing the spiritual imaginations of children from birth to 5th grade in ways that ensure safety and welcome.

The vision of our Children’s Ministry is centered on the belief that children are integral members of the church community and their faith and experiences are woven into the church’s life. Recognizing that the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives now, the children’s ministry uses developmentally-informed ways to invite children to know God’s character through Bible stories and play; nurtures space for wondering, questioning and community building; and invites children to bring their whole selves as they grow into a lifelong faith.

Ideal Candidate

• Has a joy and passion for nurturing the spiritual imaginations and honoring the theological questions of children while caring deeply about teaching the stories of scripture.
• Nurtures their own faith deeply, drawing inspiration and nourishment from the teachings and ministry of Jesus, the work of the church, and the story of God’s liberating love expressed across generations.
• A deep faith in the activity of the Holy Spirit to work in bodies and the world, especially in children’s bodies, from the moment they are born.
• Has an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities of raising children in an urban context.

Essential Responsibilities
Spiritual Attention to Children (20%)

• Prioritization and attention to the spiritual modalities of children across cognitive ages and stages.
• Curiosity and active exploration of new Children’s Ministry resources and faith formation research. Providing seasonal resources for children and families to practice faith together.
• Demonstrating spiritual hospitality: offering compassion and friendship to children, able to journey with families who hold diverse theological perspectives while remaining anchored on City Church’s stated commitments and convictions.
• Spiritual care: Welcoming (and teaching other children to welcome) children into the family of faith, offering prayer and blessing to children during communion
• Demonstrations of care: birthday cards, school year blessings

Volunteers + Staff Management (20%)

• Recruiting, training, nurturing, and showing appreciation of long-term volunteers.
• Ensuring trained, dependable, and trustworthy nursery staff.

Sunday Morning Operations (20%)

• Coordinating with the Director of Operations to ensure adequate worship and learning spaces for three classes, as well as nursery.
• Nursery oversight, connecting to the Nursery Coordinator as needed.
• Lead a volunteer team check in.
• Greeting new families, connecting with regular attendees, and ensuring an orderly, hospitable, and secure welcoming and check in experience for children and family on Sunday mornings.
• Ensuring that all supplies are adequately stocked and orderly.

Family Support Ministries (20%)

• Regular communication with families to offer resources, updates, and insights and guidance for parents on integrating curriculum to support family faith formation.
• Maintaining an accurate and relevant database
• Resourcing families: practical support (ie, biannual educational events, guidance on faith-informed parenting and raising children in the city, meals coordination, etc) and spiritual support (prayer, encouragement).
• Cultivating community: targeted events (ie, annual camping, harvest festival, etc.), modeling a posture of welcome on Sunday mornings and in pathways of connection for new families), and fostering a culture of interdependence among families and parents through making intentional connections.
  (ie, annual camping, harvest festival, etc.)
• Is able to guide parents to research, resources, and child development, as well as connect people to one another for mutual resourcing

Administration (15%)

• Supervision and direction of Children’s Ministry Associate and nursery staff, including annual reviews.
• Oversight and stewarding of Children’s Ministry budget
• Processing payroll for nursery workers.
• Ensuring background checks for all who work with children

Collaboration with Colleagues (5%)

• Working alongside colleagues in shared ministry projects (ie, youth ministry, worship arts, Service Sunday), as well as to ensure holistic community care.
• Representing the voice and perspective of children of the church when planning with the staff
• Participation in designing and executing the strategic vision of the church, alongside staff colleagues
• Working with pastors and staff to identify gifts within the congregation that might support, strengthen, or otherwise benefit children’s ministry

Qualifications
Education and Experience

• At least 5 years of experience working with children. Ideal background in children’s ministry or education.
• Successful experience with volunteer management
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

Skills and Qualifications

• Clear background check
• California Mandated Reporter Training and Safe Sanctuaries Training (upon hire)
• HIGHLY organized and attentive to detail
• A sturdy protector of children’s dignity and safety
• Strong communication skills
• Community builder with a compassionate heart
• Collaborative working style
• Resourceful problem-solver

To Apply

Submit the following materials to [email protected] :

1. Resume, CV, or Ministerial Information Form
2. Cover letter (in letter or video format) that includes responses to the following:

• Describe your sense of call to children’s ministry. What is a core truth about God you want children to know? What impact do you feel called to make in the lives of children?
• How does your experience intersect with the “Skills and Qualifications” listed above?