Student Pastor - Willow Creek Community Church : Job Details

Willow Creek Community Church is an egalitarian non-denominational, multi-site church in and across Chicagoland passionate about helping people take next steps to love God, love people, and change the world.

We believe kids and students are not just the future of the church, they are the church, and we want to create engaging environments where they can experience God's love, take steps in their faith, and use their gifts and talents to lead and serve. As the Willow Creek Junior High Ministry (JHM) Pastor or High School Ministry (HSM) Pastor working with the campus Student Pastor you will lead, build, develop, and execute the volunteer and group structure for the Junior HIgh or High School Ministry at Willow South Barrington. This will include training and empowering volunteers, and supporting and equipping families.

Our church is a place where you can make a significant impact for God's kingdom based on how He has uniquely designed you, leading the people around you to become more like Jesus and showing the tangible love of Jesus both locally and globally. As a staff, we aim to foster a culture that has open hands to do whatever it takes to serve and support that mission, serving with humility and open hands. Wherever the need is, we step in. Nothing is above or beneath us to serve one another or our Church.

The salary range for this position is $45,000 - $60,000 and is dependent upon levels of experience and/or education. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, retirement savings with company match, maternity and paternity leave, generous paid time off, mental health counseling reimbursement, and more.

Job Responsibilities

• Enlist, Equip, and develop a highly engaged and motivated volunteer team, that aligns with the HSM group life strategy and work to retain volunteers for the long term
• Serve as pastoral care for students as they share hard things and provide pastoral support to students and parents at the campus to help them take their next steps with Jesus.
• Shepherd and pastor the JHM volunteer team, building relationships, praying for, leading, and empowering them with personal chats, volunteer training, or creating resources that help our volunteers win.
• Champion the vision and strategy for student groups and volunteers for 6th - 8th grade in alignment with the overall mission, vision, and strategies of Willow South Barrington and the Students Central team which includes the implementation of a small group curriculum.
• Partner with and support the High School Ministry (HSM) Pastor in helping achieve the goals of HSM.
• Participate in the broader Willow Students staff team and culture. Areas of potential leadership include but are not limited to: Executing 5th grade move up, planning and executing events, camps, Oversee local C&J and the partnership with the Willow Care Center, church wide initiatives, student next steps, etc
• Teaching: You will have the opportunity to be developed for a role on the Student teaching team in collaboration with the Central and Campus staff.
• Manage general administration tasks including organization of students into small groups, student next step processes, as well as event-related needs like communication, expense management and child protection policies
• Develop collaborative relationships with the Next Gen Team across central and all campuses.

Staff Values:

• Believing the Best | Trust is our default
• Commit to Candor | Kindness is our way
• Embrace Challenge | Grit is our style
• Setting the Tone | Joy is our attitude
• Choose Unity | Diversity is our strength

Success is Defined As…

Thriving JHM or HSM student ministry where staff feel supported and resourced and fosters creativity and innovation, volunteers are equipped and encouraged, and the students of Willow know they are loved by God and take steps in their faith. Leaders are resourced, feel as though they are seen, known, and valued partners in ministry.

Preferred Skills and Experience

Skills/Competencies:

• Team Building -- can build teams and identify high capacity leaders to build more teams.
• Collaborative - Loves working with others and assumes the best in each other
• Developer -- proven track record of developing leaders.
• Talent Scout -- always on the lookout for new leaders and volunteers
• Ministry Builder - constantly builds ministries through others that grow and multiply
• Cheerleader -- encouraging volunteers and staff constantly.
• Solution Specialist -- able to identify problems and find solutions.
• Pastor -- has a heart to care deeply for your staff, parents, leaders, volunteers and kids.
• Organizer -- can effectively manage details personally, and recruit others to do the same.
• Strong Communication Skills
• Skilled in Vision Casting
• Excellent Conflict Management skills

Personal Characteristics:

• Self-starter - ability to own a project and run with it.
• Learner- Someone who desires continued growth in their area of ministry.
• Innovative - Seeks out new ideas and is unafraid to fail.
• Collaborative & Team Player - Loves working with others and assumes the best in each other
• Team Mobilizer- Able to build effective teams
• Self Aware - Knows their own strengths and weaknesses and is moving towards health, exemplifies humility and confidence
• Encourager- Able to see the good in others and is intentional in affirming it.
• Approachable- Is warm, inviting and easy to get along with.
• High Emotional Intelligence - Intuitive about others emotions and able to respond appropriately.
• Hard working - Is aware of the importance of their role and works hard to do their best.
• Effective communicator - Able to give and receive healthy feedback
• Loves kids, loves students - Feels passionate about ministering to kids and students
• Jesus Follower - Lives a life of integrity and pursues a personal relationship with Jesus.
• Aligned with Willow's beliefs and values, and a regular attender at a Willow church campus

Education and Experience:

• Undergrad degree preferred, ideally in the field of education, social work, biblical studies, youth or family ministry, or adolescent development (or equivalent experience)
• Experience working with students in a church setting preferred
• Experience working with students (6th-12th grade)
• Has proven experience leading teams.
• Has experience caring for and shepherding others.