A Director of Religious Education directs educational programs and activities for a denominational group such as a church or synagogue. Coordinates the work of volunteer religious education teachers and plans classes and curriculum designed to introduce children and adults to the beliefs and practices of the congregation or denomination.
Director of Community Services & Engagement Church Of The Advent Hope New York, NY Job Details Part-time | Contract $25 - $30 an hour 7 hours ago Qualifications Record keeping Volunteer coordination for social programs Volunteer management Database management Volunteer training Volunteer coordination program management Team management Relationship management Volunteer coordination CRM system proficiency Volunteer recruitment Full Job Description Position Summary The Director of Community Service & Engagement leads Church of the Advent Hope's work of service, justice, and mercy in the Upper East Side and the broader New York City community. The Director designs and coordinates outreach initiatives, builds partnerships with neighborhood and city organizations, equips and deploys volunteer teams, and ensures that service is an integrated and visible part of Advent Hope's life of worship and discipleship. This position is being refilled following a transition. The new Director steps into an established ministry with a clear vision: Advent Hope as a church that engages, welcomes, includes, serves, and lives in loving community with its neighbors. The Director is not expected to build the program from scratch; the Director is expected to steward and grow what exists, bring fresh energy to new initiatives, and hold Advent Hope accountable to its commitment to visible service.
Supervision and Working Relationships:
Direct Supervisor:
Pastor for Community Life Collaborates with: Lead Pastor (vision and strategic alignment); Communications & Marketing Director (campaign marketing, storytelling, impact reports); Executive Assistant (calendar bookings, event logistics support); Minister of Worship and the Arts (integration of service into worship).
Coordinates:
volunteer team leaders for each service initiative; trained lay co-leaders at volunteer events.
External relationships:
liaison to partner organizations including City Harvest, The Bowery Mission, PS 169, Little Shop of Kindness, Jan Hus, and others as the ministry develops. Core Responsibility Areas 1. Program Strategy and Annual Plan Develop an annual community service plan in partnership with the Pastor for Community Life and Lead Pastor, aligned with Advent Hope's discipleship mission. The current plan includes focus areas on social justice, serving older adults in the immediate neighborhood, and building partnerships with other local churches. Sustain and evolve these. Review and revise the plan quarterly. Report progress to the Church Board at least twice per year. 2. Initiatives and Signature Projects Design and facilitate ongoing opportunities for members to engage in service — recurring (weekly/monthly) and episodic (quarterly or seasonal). Host quarterly brunches with partner organizations and neighborhood leaders to surface community needs and collaboration opportunities. Meet with the Community Board to understand the needs of older adults in the Upper East Side. Develop and maintain the relationship with Council Member Keith Powers' office (or the successor district representative) for civic partnership. Continue Advent Hope's involvement with PS 169 (mindfulness room renovation and related projects) and Little Shop of Kindness. 3. Volunteer Development and Deployment Recruit, train, and support volunteers across all community service initiatives. Identify and train lay co-leaders who can lead specific initiatives so the Director is not required to be personally present at every volunteer event. Be present at volunteer initiatives where a trained co-leader has not yet been assigned. Build and maintain the online volunteer database (Salesforce platform) — track participation, skills, availability, and impact metrics. 4. Partnerships Identify, foster, and maintain relationships with neighborhood organizations, nonprofits, and city agencies (e.g., City Harvest, The Bowery Mission, PS 169, Little Shop of Kindness, Jan Hus, and emerging partners). Serve as Advent Hope's public representative at partner meetings, neighborhood coalition gatherings, and community events. Pursue partnerships with other local churches for shared service initiatives. 5. Worship Integration and Education Work with the pastoral team to develop worship practices that integrate service into Advent Hope's worship life (e.g., commissioning, testimony, prayer for partners, offering-of-service moments). Organize educational experiences on justice and mercy needs in the broader community — seminars, panel discussions, field experiences. Participate in Advent Hope's weekly worship gatherings. 6. Funding and Stewardship Identify and pursue institutional grants to support community service projects. Track and report participation and impact metrics quarterly to the Board and for public impact reports.
Qualifications and Character:
Required Three or more years of experience in community organizing, nonprofit program management, pastoral ministry, or equivalent. Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, and lead volunteers. Strong relational skills across cultural, economic, and religious difference. Comfort representing a faith community in secular civic and partnership contexts. Ability to manage multiple initiatives and partners in parallel, including record-keeping in a CRM. Preferred Deep personal commitment to Christian service and a heart for the flourishing of the city. Bachelor's degree in theology, social work, nonprofit management, public administration, or related field. Prior experience with Salesforce or similar CRM. Grant-writing experience. Familiarity with New York City nonprofit ecosystem, particularly Manhattan's Upper East Side. Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus.
