Program Consultant for Lifespan Faith Development - Joseph Priestley District
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Apr 03 2008 at 2:45 PM
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OPEN POSITION

Date Posted:  3/25/2008

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

Updated: March 24, 2008
Position Title: Program Consultant for Lifespan Faith Development
Staff Group: District Services
Reports To: District Executive, Joseph Priestley District
Location: Offsite (Wilmington, Delaware and surrounding area)
FLSA:  Exempt
Grade:  13, full-time

Basic Purpose:  The Program Consultant for Lifespan Faith Development (PCLFD) is a spiritual role model and advocate for faith development education in local congregations of the Joseph Priestley District (JPD), for the religious professionals serving those congregations, and a passionate spokesperson for Unitarian Universalism in the JPD.  The JPD is functioning in a form of governance known as Policy Governance.  It is expected that the PCLFD is willing to work with the District Executive and other District staff as they create and implement strategies to carry out the JPD Board’s vision to strengthen our congregations and grow our faith both spiritually and numerically.  

The PCLFD is a joint employee of the JPD, with its principal office in Wilmington, DE, and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) with its principal office in Boston, MA.  The PCLFD supervises two other employees (Coordinator of Youth Activities and the Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministries).  The PCLFD reports to the JPD District Executive, although it is expected that all District employees will be in a covenantal relationship.

This position is one of covenantal religious leadership.  Although it is not required that the PCLFD be an ordained minister, it is expected that he or she will abide by the Code of Professional Practice for members of the UUA District Staff.  UUA District Staff are bound by the Codes of Professional Practices of the UUMA if they are ministers, and of the LREDA Code of Professional Practices if they are religious educators, in addition to the Code for District Staff.

Along with fulfilling all the duties and responsibilities required by the UUA for the position, currently the specific duties of the PCLFD include:

Principal Responsibilities

Administrative
1. Be in a supervisory role with the Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministries and the Coordinator of Youth Activities, having regular meetings, supporting and directing their work, and guiding them through an annual assessment and setting of annual goals.
2. Attend JPD Board meetings when requested by the District Executive and/or the Board.
3. Develop good working relationships and a system of ongoing communication and support with other JPD staff.
4. Develop good working relationships with the following groups and any additional groups as they are formed for the needs of the District: 
* JPD-Youth Steering Committee (YSC)
* JPD-GWAREC (Greater Washington Association Religious Education Council) 
* JPD-DSAREC (Delaware Susquehanna Area Religious Education Council) 
* JPD-Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) Chapter
* JPD-UUMA-PK Ministers Chapter
* JPD-CUUMA Ministers Chapter
5. Develop and maintain relationships with congregations within the JPD emphasizing connections with their religious education programs and youth programs.  Develop a regular system for communication using the various means provided by the JPD and by being a visible presence at JPD functions.
6. Assure that accurate physical and electronic mailing lists are maintained for JPD-YSC and JPD-RE Professionals, and JPD-paid Youth Coordinators.

Educational/Programmatic
1. Oversee the work of the Coordinator for Youth Activities (CYA) with the JPD-YSC (Youth Steering Committee) to recruit, train and support members of the YSC and to provide training for adults serving as advisors to the YSC and at youth conferences.
2. Work to provide district-wide training opportunities for religious educators and lay religious education volunteers, including (but not limited to) Our Whole Lives leader training, workshops at district meetings and events, New DRE Start-Ups, and other workshops and trainings as seem appropriate and timely.
3. Provide either directly or through trained adjunct staff trainings, workshops, and retreat facilitation to individual congregations and clusters on specific topics requested by them in all areas of faith development.
4. Be familiar with faith development curricula and related resources commonly used in congregations and provide congregations with information about such curricula and resources.

Visionary
1. Work with the JPD Staff, the JPD Religious Education Professionals and Lay Leaders, and JPD-YSC to fulfill and promote the current “Ends” as determined by the JPD Board for lifespan religious education and youth programming in healthy, growing local churches in the JPD by coordinating and training persons to act as facilitators and consultants to congregations in all areas of lifespan faith development; helping small and mid-size congregations to move toward having at least one trained, paid, professional religious educator working at least ½ time and compensated according to UUA Guidelines; helping congregations to provide paid youth coordinators and trained youth advisors for their youth groups.
2. Oversee the maintenance and improvement of the JPD Lending Library.

Consultative
1. Be available to consult with ministers, lay and professional religious educators, board members, and youth coordinators and advisors from individual congregations by phone and email or on-site, as necessary.
2. The PCLFD will provide facilitation or referrals to other appropriate facilitators for all phases of the development of good working relationships between congregations and their paid, professional religious educators.  The PCLFD will be available to facilitate negotiated resignations as needed.

Other
Performs additional duties as requested by supervisor or, in his/her absence, the Director of District Services, the Executive Vice President, or the President.

About the UUA and the Joseph Priestley District:  The Unitarian Universalist Association is an historic, progressive, religious denomination located on Boston’s Beacon Hill.  Our faith community of more than 1,000 self-governing congregations brings to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance, and social justice.  The Joseph Priestley District is an organization of 65 Unitarian Universalist congregations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia.  Our normal workweek is 35 hours, we pay 80% contribution towards health insurance premiums, 11% towards retirement (after 1 year), and have generous paid time-off policies.  We are a great place to work and are seeking to increase the diversity of our staff.  The UUA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  For more information on the UUA, visit us online at UUA.org.

Qualifications:  The PCLFD must be able to travel by car and have basic proficiency with Microsoft Windows and Word.  S/he must have or be willing to learn conflict management skills, an understanding of systems theory, models for youth empowerment, and must be committed to anti-racism and anti-oppression work.  The position requires working with congregations of all sizes and the PCLFD must be committed to the growth of Unitarian Universalism and passionate about Unitarian Universalist lifespan religious education.

Conditions of Employment:  The JPD maintains a suite of offices in the heart of downtown Wilmington, DE.  Given the limited office space, the PCLFD has the flexibility to work from home or the office.  S/he is expected to be in the District office at least every other week.  The PCLFD is expected to maintain good working relationships with all JPD staff.

A laptop computer, portable printer, cell phone, and other electronic equipment are furnished as necessary to enable the PCLFD to perform his/her duties.  The District employs administrative staff and maintains additional equipment to support the activities of the PCLFD.  Parking is provided in a parking garage one block from the office.

A professional expense budget is allocated on an annual basis to cover travel and other expenses related to the position.  Commuting expenses to and from the JPD office will not be reimbursed.

How to apply:  This is an exempt Grade 13 position (entry $51,800; midpoint $66,200).  People with disabilities, people of color, Hispanic/Latino/Latina and B/G/L/T/I/Q/Q candidates are encouraged to apply.  Applications will be accepted until 4/30/2008.  Send cover letter and résumé—indicating “JPD Program Consultant” in the subject line—to the Rev. Richard Speck via email (preferably) at rspeck@uua.org, or to his attention at Suite 1008, 100 West 10th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.