Communications Director | St. Paul's United Methodist Church

Status: Part Time (20-25 hours/week)
Location: Lenexa, KS (hybrid remote)
Schedule: M-Th; occasional evenings and Sundays

Job Summary

The Communications Director will serve as a key member of the staff team of St. Paul’s UMC, advising and supporting staff and lay leadership on issues of communication and public engagement. The Communications Director will support the Senior Pastor in setting strategy for communication and public engagement, both to the congregation and local community. The Communications Director will design systems and processes to facilitate communication and public engagement, and ensure the execution of critical church communications (internally and externally) and public relations.

Essential Functions:

● Oversee centralized communication on behalf of the church to the church membership and community to support transparency, awareness, and understanding.

● Design and maintain the church’s external branding and image in support of the mission and strategies of the church, as determined by the Senior Pastor and Church Council.

● Coordinate processes to engage members of the local community and congregation to increase participation and discipleship.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

● Attend staff meetings and professional development activities.

● Serve as appointed staff representative on church committees

● Consult with Senior Pastor on church communication and branding strategies.

● Manage and edit the church website through design and content creation.

● Design, develop, and execute marketing campaigns across all domains (e.g., social media, print, web).

● Support church ministries and events with the development of print and digital materials, website information, and advertising.

● Produce and distribute a weekly e-newsletter or equivalent ongoing news publication.

● Estimate budget needs for communication and manage allocated budget.

● Coordinate and compose entries for church publications and website.

● Support Video Tech Coordinator, Worship Team, and Visual Arts team in design and production of worship service visual content (e.g., slide graphics and content).

● Other duties as assigned in support of the essential functions and mission of the church.

Minimum Qualifications:

● Basic fluency in Microsoft Office Suite, Canva, WordPress, MailChimp, social media platforms

● One or more of the following:

• Baccalaureate Degree (B.A. or B.S) in Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, or Advertising from an accredited institution
• At least three years experience performing two of the essential functions described above
• Combination of education and experience relevant to the above

● Ability to obtain approval from Safe Gatherings through the Great Plains UMC Conference for workers with children, youth and/or developmentally disabled adults.

Desired Qualifications and Characteristics:

● Ability to produce clear and concise written communication.

● Ability to collaborate with others in editing written communications.

● Skill in team based work and interpersonal communication.

● High attention to detail and concern for accuracy; conscientiousness.

● Ability to work effectively under tight deadlines.

● Ability to manage projects independently with minimal, outcome-oriented guidance.

● Proactive work ethic and resourceful, problem solving attitude.

● Advanced web-based communications knowledge, skills, and experience (primarily website and social media).

● Interest in, and ability to, leverage advances in digital tools and social media platforms

● Graphic design skills and experience

● Familiarity and experience with customer relationship management (CRM) software

● Familiarity and skill with desktop publishing, graphics, and video and photo editing software (e.g., Adobe InDesign; Microsoft Publisher, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Canva, YouTube)

● Familiarity and skill with website creation and editing software and programming languages (e.g., Adobe Dreamweaver, WordPress)

Core Staff Competencies:

● Mission Ownership: Understanding and full support of the mission, welcome statement, values, and beliefs of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

● Emotional Maturity: Modeling servant leadership. Acceptance of people at all stages of their faith journeys. Teaching and learning from others.

● Interpersonal Skills: Giving and receiving constructive feedback. Productive engagement and resolution of interpersonal conflict. Positive interpersonal engagement with a demeanor of optimism and respect.

● Team Building Skills: Collaboration as a member of a professional staff. Exhibiting the skills of active listening. Participation in the maintenance of a trusting and supportive environment.

Mission Statement:

The mission of St. Paul’s UMC is to LOVE God and all others unconditionally, SEEK answers to our questions, and SERVE God by serving others.

Welcome Statement:

We, the people of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, believe that God’s love is expansive and unconditional and that, through Christ, God calls us to love one another as God loves us. We welcome all people, regardless of gender, race, age, cultural or religious heritage, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, economic circumstances, family configuration, or difference of ability. We celebrate the worth, dignity, and gifts of every person as a child of God.

Statement of Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination:

St. Paul’s UMC is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all employment, programs, and services, and does not discriminate on the basis of race/ethnicity, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status.

Reports to: Senior Pastor

Directly Supervises: None

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Physical Requirements: None

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $19.00 - $21.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20 – 25 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Lenexa, KS 66217