Congregational Administrator

First Parish Church in Beverly, Unitarian Universalist

JOB DESCRIPTION: Congregational Administrator

First Parish Church in Beverly (FPC) is a vibrant, progressive religious community of 160 members. Founded in 1667, we are located in downtown Beverly, MA and continually seek to marry our rich history with our contemporary lives. 

​Hours: 15 hours/week during the “church year” (September – June). No more than 10 hours/week (no less than 8 weeks per year) in summer months as determined by the Minister. Days/hours of the workweek determined in consultation with the Minister and actual hours worked will be recorded in the weekly timesheet.

Compensation: Hourly rate is $25.00, in accordance with UUA Compensation Guidelines. Paid Personal Time Off (vacation, leave, etc.) and sick leave will be in accordance with church’s policy. The number of leave hours in the initial annual period will be adjusted based on the date of hire and the pro-rata share of the annual period remaining.

Status: hourly, non-exempt employee, part-time, with paid time off.

Reports to: Minister. The Annual Performance Review is done by the Minister with support from the Treasurer, Personnel Committee, and with input from others the Administrator works with on a regular basis.

Physical Requirements and Access: Applicant needs to be able to lift and carry 25 pounds. Our church sanctuary is accessible by ramp; Hale Hall (basement) is accessible by elevator. Our staff offices and meeting rooms are located on these two levels. Our balcony is used primarily for storage and is up a full flight of stairs. 

Background: All employees must complete a SORI/CORI and have no disqualifying offenses*

*What constitutes a disqualifying offense will be determined by FPC’s leadership on a case-by-case basis in light of all the surrounding circumstances. Generally, convictions for an offense involving children and/or for offenses involving violence, dishonesty, indecency and any conduct contrary to our mission will preclude someone from working at FPC.

Job Summary: The primary function of this position is to provide administrative support and coordination for programs and operations of the Church and the Congregation. The Congregational Administrator is the face, voice, and welcome of First Parish for many people in the congregation and the community at large.

The Administrator is supervised by and works closely with the Minister. The Administrator also works closely with other Church staff, the Treasurer, and the chair of the Building Committee.

The Administrator should have experience with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Quickbooks, the ability to upgrade and maintain a WordPress based website, ability to use MailChimp, skills in desktop publishing, ability to proofread and edit, ability to manage web-based database and building access programs.

Familiarity with church operations is helpful but not required.

Minimum educational requirement: high school diploma or equivalent.

People with disabilities, people of color, indigenous people, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. FPC is committed to developing a diverse and talented staff team. If you are excited about this role, but are unsure whether you meet 100% of the requirements, we encourage you to inquire and/or apply.   

To Apply: Please submit resume, cover letter, and references to minister@firstparishbeverly.org by March 18, 2024.

​ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Communication:

  • Collects content for, creates and publishes e-newsletter and maintains email newsletter list;    
  • Maintains, upgrades and updates church website; 
  • Updates the Church social media pages; 
  • Maintains an accurate and up to date online church calendar; 
  • Maintains an accurate online church directory and database; 
  • Handles phone calls, voice mail, email, and USPS mail; 
  • Facilitates communications with staff and members as needed;
  • Builds and prints order of service for weekly worship, holiday services, and rites of passage;
  • Maintains meeting records submitted by committees.

Facilities maintenance:

  • Periodically reviews the level of church supplies and orders items as necessary, monitors office budget categories and keeps expenses within appropriate limits;
  • Completes run-through and basic tidying of sanctuary/narthex following services;
  • Administers key check-out/building access;
  • Manages room reservations for church events; 
  • Meets and assists facilities contractors, vendors and inspectors in collaboration with the Building Committee;
  • Ensures permits, inspection certificates, fire extinguishers are up to date;
  • Communicates building needs to sexton.

Manages information and supports financial management:

  • Prepares internal documents and communications such as Annual Meeting reports, generosity campaign mailing; 
  • Maintains organized files for legal and other documents, policies, minutes and annual reports, financial records;
  • Distributes all financial correspondence to the Treasurer; 
  • Updates Quickbooks in collaborating with the Treasurer;
  • Completes bank deposit of giving at least weekly;
  • Maintains giving records in church database;
  • Completes and submits payroll information to payroll company.

Manages church rentals:

  • Schedule and meet with potential renters, provide tour of space;
  • Ensure staffing as needed for rentals;
  • Prepare and execute rental contracts.

General

  • Attends weekly staff meetings;
  • Maintains CORI records for church volunteers and staff;
  • Supports orientation of new employees, including paperwork.

Provides other administrative support as needed and as time permits.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Mission Ownership: Demonstrates understanding and full support of the mission, vision, values and beliefs of the congregation; can demonstrate those values to others; consistently behaves in a manner congruent with the mission, vision, values and beliefs.

Integrity and Trust: Practices direct, honest and transparent communication; avoids communication triangles; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn’t operate with hidden agendas; responds to situations with constancy and reliability.

Attention to Detail: Catches mistakes; proofreads and edits effectively; consistently attends to the many small pieces which must be assembled into an organized whole; follows up on missing or out of balance items; resolves unanswered questions needed to address a problem; keeps the larger picture in mind while tending to the smallest details.

Informing Others: Provides the information people need to do their jobs well; helps people understand the information and knowledge and its relevance to the task at hand; is timely and transparent in the sharing of information.

Time Management: Prioritizes key tasks and ignores or minimizes distractions; demonstrates focus; plans ahead; follows through on assigned and regular tasks; meets deadlines.

Communication: Is able to deliver a message clearly, articulately and with appropriate emotion in a variety of settings, including in writing; demonstrates communication styles appropriate to the situation at hand.

Initiative and Creativity: Works independently; researches best practices; generates new ideas; thinks of and implements process improvements; experiments appropriately.

Interpersonal Skills: Establishes good working relationships with all others who are relevant to the completion of work; works well with people at all levels of the congregation; considers the impact of their actions on others; uses diplomacy and tact; is approachable; is collaborative.

Personal Resilience: Can effectively cope with change and uncertainty; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; is able to function when things are up in the air; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty; is flexible.

Self-Development: Sets appropriate personal work objectives, measures own progress, identifies personal gaps in knowledge, understanding and skill; undertakes appropriate activities to develop needed skills; seeks regular feedback on performance; knows personal strengths and weaknesses, is sensitive to changing personal and organizational requirements and changes accordingly.