High School Pastor/Director

High School Pastor/Director

Pennington Park Church

SUMMARY 

The primary purpose of the High School Director/Pastor role is to lead and support the High School Students ministry, alongside our Intermediate Coordinator/Director and under the leadership of the Family Ministries Pastor. The High School Director/Pastor will oversee all facets of 9th-12th grade programming at Pennington Park Church and ensure that the High School ministry is flourishing while advancing the church’s mission to help people “Know Jesus and Make Him Known.”  

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required, Masters Degree preferred
• 3+ years of applicable Students ministry experience

Necessary Skills and Abilities

• Spiritual Leadership and Influence
  • Has a strong personal walk with Christ, demonstrated by a pursuit of holiness and competent handling of God’s word. 
  • Demonstrates the ability to effectively lead parents, volunteers, and students
  • Builds trust and credibility with a wide range of individuals and personalities.
  • Productively engages in difficult conversations and lovingly challenges students, volunteers, and parents toward Christ.
  • Demonstrated excellence in discipling others. 
  • Aligns all responsibilities with the mission and vision of the ministry and the church.
• Communication Skills
  • Communicates clearly and effectively in both verbal and written forms.
  • Engages diverse audiences with clarity, warmth, and purpose.
  • Ability to properly handle God’s word and effectively teach large groups of students for 20-30 minutes at a time. 
• Organization and Execution
  • Plans, organizes, and executes large-scale events and initiatives with excellence.
  • Demonstrates strong organizational skills and consistent follow-through. 
  • Effectively manages multiple responsibilities and priorities.
  • Uses time wisely, plans ahead, and meets deadlines consistently. 
• Character and Integrity
  • Exercises a high level of discretion and confidentiality with sensitive information.
  • Fulfills that character requirements for Elder as laid out in 1 Tim. 3, Titus 1, and other passages.  
  • Demonstrates integrity, dependability, and sound judgment rooted in God’s word in all areas of responsibility.
  • Leads with confidence, humility, and a servant-hearted mindset.
  • Deals with conflict maturely and winsomely with a focus on finding and maintaining unity in Christ. 
• Adaptability and Initiative
  • Remains flexible and adaptable in a dynamic ministry environment.
  • Anticipates both issues and opportunities, and proactively pursues solutions
  • Takes initiative as a self-starter, and doesn’t shy away from difficult tasks.

Essential Job Functions

Students Ministry as a Whole

These are the functions that this role will have across the Students Ministry as a whole (5th-6th grade, 7th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade gatherings). The High School Director/Pastor will partner with the Family Ministry Pastor and the Intermediate Coordinator/Director to help lead in the following ways: 

• Ministry Programming & Events
  • Partner in planning, organizing, and executing all regular Students Ministry programming.
  • Partner in planning and leading whole-ministry retreats, mission trips, and special events with a high level of excellence.
  • Create engaging environments for students that balance fun, depth, and authenticity.
• Teaching & Discipleship
  • Regularly teach and communicate at various Students Ministry gatherings.
  • Build meaningful relationships with students to support their spiritual growth and discipleship.
  • Maintain and develop our gospel-centered, Bible-driven discipleship pathway
  • Drive alignment with other ministry leaders and implement methods to effectively transition youth across ministries from childhood through high school graduation and into adult ministries
• Curriculum Development
  • Partner in the planning, development, and implementation of various curriculums aligned with the vision of the Students Ministry.
• Volunteer Leadership & Development
  • Partner in recruiting, training, and developing adult leaders to effectively serve within the Students Ministry.
  • Provide ongoing support, encouragement, and leadership to volunteer teams across the entire Students Ministry. 
  • Craft clear role descriptions/areas of focus for leaders each semester.
  • Enforce robust safety protocols and child protection compliance (such as the Rule of 3).
• Parent Partnership
  • Assist in equipping and supporting parents to actively engage in their student’s spiritual development.
  • Foster strong communication and partnership between the church and families.
• Systems & Structures
  • Assist in the maintenance of the student database and attendance tracking.
  • Execute the follow-up processes for guests and disengaged students.
  • Help manage the overall ministry budget.
  • Work alongside the Intermediate Coordinator/Director to ensure a smooth transition for students, parents, and leaders between the Middle School and High School programs. 
• Ministry Excellence & Vision Alignment
  • Contribute to driving the Students Ministry toward excellence across all areas.
  • Ensure all responsibilities align with and support the overall mission and vision of the church.
  • Help define the vision and future direction of the Students Ministry.

High School Ministry, Specifically

These are the functions that this role will have within the specific high school ministry context. The High School Director/Pastor is expected to lead in the following areas:

• Ministry Programming & Events
  • Lead in planning, organizing, and executing regular High School Ministry programming. 
  • Lead in planning, organizing, and executing special events, vision trips, and activities for the High School program in conjunction with the Family Ministry Pastor and Intermediate Coordinator/Director. 
  • Partner with the Family Ministry Pastor to facilitate a successful transition of students from High School to Adult Discipleship.
  • Lead in developing, planning, and executing a “Launch” program to ensure that graduates are sent off well.
  • Lead in planning Senior Sunday and other “milestone” events, in conjunction with the Family Ministry Pastor. 
• Teaching & Discipleship
  • Be the chief voice in the High School large-group teaching setting.
  • Lead in developing an annual teaching schedule for the High School program.
  • Lead in recruiting, training, and developing a volunteer Teaching Team for the High School program.
• Curriculum Development
  • Lead in developing and producing multi-year curriculum for the High School program in conjunction with the Family Ministry Pastor and the Intermediate Coordinator/Director.
• Volunteer Leadership & Development
  • Lead in recruiting, training, and developing adult leaders for the High School program in conjunction with the Family Ministry Pastor and the Intermediate Coordinator/Director. 
  • Enforce safety protocols and child protection compliance (such as the Rule of 3).
• Parent Partnership
  • Lead in equipping and supporting parents within the High School program.
  • Lead in shepherding parents of High School students as issues arise, in conjunction with the Family Ministry Pastor.
  • Lead in creating and implementing a communication plan between the High School ministry and parents. 
• Systems & Structures
  • Lead in developing the annual budget for the High School ministry, in partnership with the Family Ministry Pastor.
  • Manage the High School budget throughout the year.
  • Oversee the High School students database and attendance tracking system.
  • Oversee all check-in and new guest follow-up procedures for the High School program.
• Ministry Excellence, & Vision Alignment
  • Ensure that the High School ministry is remaining aligned with the overarching Students Ministry and Pennington Park visions, goals, and values.
  • Be the lead relationship builder within the High School program.
  • Drive the High School ministry towards excellence across all facets.

Anticipated Time Commitment

• 40-50 hours per week
• Many events occur on evenings and weekends
• Full-time, salaried position with full benefits

All employment decisions of Pennington Park Church are made to further its mission statement “To know Jesus and to make Him known”. Pennington Park Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on any basis covered by applicable law.  As a nonprofit, faith-based employer, Pennington Park Church reserves the right to carefully and fully explore the religious values, faith, personal conduct, and convictions of applicants and employees in order to employ only those individuals who support, advance, and live in a manner consistent with our Statement of Beliefs and Membership Covenant.