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The Clergy Wellness Commission
Job Descriptions
POSITIONS DESCRIBED
- Rector
- Assistant to the Rector
- Deacon
- Director of Religious Education
- Coordinator of Lay Ministries
- Choir Director
- Organist
- Parish Secretary
- Bookkeeper
- Sexton
- Operations Secretary
A common feature of secular work-life, job descriptions represent contractual understandings between an individual and his/her work community. They help to ensure that expectations and standards for review remain clear between an employer and an employee or, in the case of this Commission, between rectors, staff, vestry and the congregation as a whole. Nevertheless, many churches have not made use of this tool. Richard Ullman (see Bibliography) presents the following case-study and template for the tool.
CASE STUDY: Church of the Good Shepherd, Raleigh, North Carolina
In January 1992 when he began his ministry here, the interim Rector asked staff members to share with him a copy of their position descriptions. Some could not find one. Others had a copy, but found it was out of date. So, with Vestry encouragement, the Interim Rector asked staff members to draft their own position descriptions.
We began with an outline and sample position descriptions based on a major study of clergy position descriptions and performance evaluation. The year-long study was funded by The Episcopal Church Foundation, and conducted in l971-72 under the sponsorship of the clergy association of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, with the guidance of Hay Associates, a management consultant firm with internationally recognized expertise in personnel administration.
POSITION DESCRIPTION OUTLINE
Title: Name of Institution
- Objective
- Why this position exists.
- Dimensions
- Some of the "hard data" surrounding this position, such as number of households in the congregation, size of budget, etc.
- Nature & Scope
- Formal authority vested in this position.
- Sociological environment of this position.
- Formal qualifications for this position.
- Typical challenges in this position.
- Typical resolutions to challenges.
- Principal working relationships within the institution.
- Accountabilities
- Goal-oriented activities: the key things (no less than four, or more than eight) that have to get done in order to meet the Objective of this position. These accountability statements may then be used to set specific targets for later performance review.
VESTRY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Set an example of fulfilling the ministry of the laity: "to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life worship and governance of the Church." (The Book of Common Prayer, page 855)
- Participate in church programs, especially worship and education, and enlist others to participate, so that the achievement of total church program is assured.
- Assist the Rector in planning, organizing and goal setting, so that responsive programs are developed which assure the vitality of the church.
- Communicate with the congregation, so that exchange of viewpoints and faithful representation results in parish unity.
- Communicate with others (individuals, community, other churches, the Episcopal family), so that mission of the congregation is advanced.
- Manage the finances of the church, so that the total church program is supported and financial information is available for input to the total planning process.
- Manage the church property, so that it is adequate for the total church program.
- Select and support clergy leadership, so that mutual ministry is maintained at the highest possible level for the fulfillment of God's call to the congregation and its members.
May 20, 1992
Richard L. Ullman
Interim Rector
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