Director of Administration

JOB DESCRIPTION – DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION

REPORTS TO: Senior Minister

STATUS: Full time, Exempt

SUPERVISES: Office Manager, Facilities Manager

STARTING SALARY RANGE: $70,000 – $80,000

BENEFITS: Healthcare benefits begin day 1 of employment with 80% of premium covered; retirement plan eligibility after year 1 with employer contribution of 10% of annual salary

JOB SUMMARY: As a member of the Staff Executive Team, you are responsible for overall management of the administrative functions of the church in support of its mission and ends; you are key to operationalizing the church’s vision and strategic direction.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Financial Management (35%):

• Oversee control of resources approved in the annual budget.
• Manage regular and routine financial operations, as well as the payroll system.
• Manage production and accuracy of regular financial reports.
• Lead the volunteer Finance Team and collaborate with the Board Treasurer.
• Oversee third party bookkeeper (Giersch Group) in the execution of their duties.
• Lead development of annual church budget in collaboration with Finance Team and Senior Minister.
• Maintain accounting policies, procedures, and records in compliance w/financial controls & procedures.
• Protect the church’s assets, including managing appropriate insurances.

Organizational Administration (25%):

• Operationalize a strategic vision for management of administrative systems, building cohesion among finance, customer relations management, HR, and IT systems.
• Develop and maintain processes and policies for effective operation of the church.
• Hire, supervise and evaluate administrative staff.
• Oversee the operation of the administrative office.
• Oversee church communications and publications.

Human Resources (20%):

• Administer personnel policies and benefits programs including all insurance programs.
• Maintain accurate personnel records, including PTO tracking.
• Manage new employee onboarding and documentation processes.
• Provide data and context for annual salary recommendations to the Senior Minister.
• Cultivate an engaged staff team by demonstrating inclusive and welcoming leadership, building collaborative and cohesive practices, and supporting a shared vision amongst staff.

Facilities Management (20%):

• Hire, supervise and evaluate the Facilities Manager.
• Oversee stewardship & use of church property according to policy, incl maintenance planning & implementation.
• Oversee user-friendliness and welcoming aesthetics of the facilities.
• Oversee capital renovations and improvement needs, plans, and implementation.
• Support facilities use in absence of Facilities Manager.
• Participate in meetings with the Buildings and Grounds Committee.

Employee may be required to perform other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A degree in finance, accounting, business, or a related field is recommended; relevant experience or certifications (CNAP or similar) will be considered.
• You have a minimum of 10 years of experience in non-profit administration, with at least 3 years of experience managing others.
• Your experience includes leading financial management functions, human resources operations and benefits, facilities management, and use of administrative technologies, including financial and CRM systems.
• You have experience operationalizing organizational objectives, including new ideas that maximize efficiency and improve outcomes.
• Affinity for or alignment with Unitarian Universalist values.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Process Management: Skilled at determining the processes necessary to successfully implement and achieve objectives ; knows how to facilitate people and activities; understands how to separate and combine tasks into efficient work flow; knows what to measure and how to measure it; can see opportunities for synergy and integration; can simplify complex processes and create policy for repetitive processes.
• Project Management: Identifies the key objectives and scope of a proposed project; garners needed resources and project support; develops a realistic and thorough plan for achieving key objectives; keeps team members briefed on progress; implements action plans; communicates progress to sponsors; identifies and resolves barriers and problems.
• Priority Setting: Spends their time and directs the time of others to what is important; quickly zones in on the critical issue and ignores or minimizes distractions; can sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal; eliminates roadblocks; demonstrates focus.
• Supervising Work: Is good at establishing clear expectations and setting clear direction; sets stretching objectives; distributes workload appropriately; provides regular and ongoing feedback about performance; proactively deals with substandard performance; engages disciplinary processes in a timely manner.
• Delegation: Clearly and comfortably delegates both routine and important tasks and decisions; appropriately shares authority and responsibility; creates accountability; sets clear objectives and measures, monitors process, progress and results; builds feedback loops into the work; trusts people to perform their own work.
• Attention to Detail: 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 of details.
• Organizational Knowledge: Knowledge about how congregational communication, decision making and leadership works; knows how to get things done through formal and informal decision-making channels; can maneuver through charged political situations effectively and quietly; anticipates where organizational barriers are and plans their approach accordingly.
• Hiring and Staffing: Identifies new talent; attracts and hires the best people to meet the needs of the church and fit the organizational culture; clearly defines the essential functions and core competencies of a role before hiring; does not discriminate in hiring practices; seeks to strengthen the team through the addition of diversity.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods, with opportunities to change positions.
• Ability to operate a computer & other standard office equipment (keyboard, mouse, phone, copier, etc.).
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, over the phone, and through written communication.
• Ability to access and exchange information using a computer system and paper files.
• Ability to move about the office environment (with or without mobility aids).
• Occasionally lift or move items up to a modest weight.

STANDARD SCHEDULE:

• General work schedule is Monday through Friday, 9a to 5p, with occasional evening or weekend responsibilities.
• Support for Christmas Eve services, our largest workday of the year, is required.
• This position may have up to 20% flexibility to work remotely on a weekly basis.

To apply, please email resume and cover letter with "Director of Administration Position" in the subject line to Rev. Jennifer Nordstrom at jennifer.nordstrom@uumilwaukee.org by Nov 7, 2025