Director of Youth Ministries (Full-Time) – Orlando, FL

First United Methodist Church of Orlando is a reconciling United Methodist Church located in downtown Orlando. Our mission as a church is to SEEK and LOVE GOD, LOVE and SERVE PEOPLE. Our church is a growing church that is looking for our next youth director to continue our growth and expand our reach into the community. If you love serving with youth and engaging youth in acts of mercy and justice, then our church is a good fit for you.

Position Title: Director of Youth Ministries
Ministry Area: Discipleship
Reports To: Executive pastor
Status: Full-Time (40 hours/week) Exempt

Summary

Seek out youth in the church and surrounding community to share the love of God through engaging programs that meet the spiritual and developmental needs and interests of the youth. Surround the youth with loving and caring adults who will mentor the youth. Equip and encourage youth and their parents to learn to seek and love God, love and serve people. Communicate with youth, parents, church members, participants, and community members through various avenues of church communication, including social media. Support non-youth ministries of the church with presence, hospitality, and administrative assistance. 

Core Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with special needs to perform the essential functions.

Lead:

• Work with pastors, ministry staff, and youth adult volunteers to create, plan, and oversee developmentally and theologically appropriate opportunities for youth of all ages and abilities.
• Develop and lead weekly spiritual formation opportunities for youth (i.e. Youth Group, etc.).
• Plan and oversee seasonal spiritual formation programs and milestone celebrations for youth (i.e. Mission Trips, summer camp, Confirmation, retreats, Senior Recognition, etc.).
• Recruit, empower, and train adult volunteers to adhere to the Children and Youth Policies and Procedures.
• Empower youth to undertake leadership roles in the youth ministry and at First Church.
• Create ministry opportunities that minister to the whole family as well as across generations.
• Partner with parents to ensure youth continue to seek and love God, love and serve people throughout their lives.
• Create processes that enable smooth transitions of ministry through various life stages (Confirmation, Graduation, etc.).
• Ensure all First Church programs and events adhere to the Children and Youth Policies and Procedures of First Church.

Collaborate:

• Coordinate and work with volunteers and youth student leaders.
• Demonstrate healthy and effective teamwork with pastors and staff.
• Work with pastors to evaluate youth ministries with input from relevant people.
• Work with the pastoral staff and worship planning team to create opportunities that incorporate and engage youth in worship services.
• Oversee the Youth Ministry budget with input from relevant people.
• Work with pastors, staff, and laity to update and maintain the accuracy of Realm, our church database and directory. Add and deactivate participants and members in Realm. Expand our current usage of Realm.
• Be present on Sunday mornings to participate in worship leadership, connect with youth and families, offer hospitality, and support any other church needs on Sunday morning.
• Assist pastors and congregational care ministers to respond to pastoral care needs of youth and their families.
• Attend and participate in staff and other meetings.
• Create an environment conducive to positive interaction with pastors, staff members, lay leadership, church members, and the community.
• Attend First Church Scholarship Committee meetings as a non-voting member. Assist Scholarship Committee in reaching out to students.
• Assist with other administrative and programmatic needs of the church, as needed and/or assigned.
• Provide support for other church and/or community events, as needed and/or assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality of youth medical history and/or prescription needs per HIPAA as needed. 

Communicate:

• Establish communication methods with youth students and parents. Proactively communicate with youth students and parents with long-range information as well as short-term reminders. Use communication tools such as Realm database, social media, texts, mail, etc. 
• Maintain current rosters of youth students and parents in church Realm database. Update as needed with correct contact information.
• Work with the Director of Communications to manage the church social media accounts. Create content that will advertise clearly and often with youth, parents, volunteers, First Church members, and the community about opportunities in both First Church’s Youth Ministry as well as all other ministries at First Church. 
• Enthusiastically inform pastors, staff, members of First Church about the Youth Ministries.
• Ask for help when needed.
• Promote, communicate, and embody the vision, mission, and core values of First Church.

Preferred Qualifications

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree from four-year College or University and two years of related ministerial experience.
• Embodies and lives the Christian faith. Deeply committed to personal spiritual growth.
• Passionately desires to share and develop the Christian faith with youth and families.

Computer Skills:

• Working knowledge of internet tools including social media, spreadsheets, and word processing software.

Other:

• Strong commitment to Christian faith and theology of The United Methodist Church. Familiarity with the United Methodist Church structure and Wesleyan theology.
• Must be adaptable, innovative, cooperative, and communicative.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from other staff, lay leadership, children, parents, and the community.
• Ability to solve practical problems and effectively cope with the challenges that may arise from working with a variety of people in a church setting.
• Must be able to multitask, organize, and delegate.
• Must be able to work independently and with a team.
• Must pass a background, fingerprint, and reference check.
• Ability to occasionally lift 25 lbs or more.