Area Director I
Summary: Through spiritual leadership and proper management, lead in developing a team in the area to carry out Young Life’s mission of introducing kids to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.
Desired Qualities
- Passion for direct kid work, especially with high school students
- Proven ability to build vibrant ministry with students
- Experience raising fundraising and engaging donors well
- Strong relational skills with adults, volunteers, and committee members
- Experience building healthy teams and developing leaders
- Someone who can build on an existing strong foundation and move it forward
- Previous Young Life experience preferred, or comparable leadership experience outside of Young Life
Spiritual Development
- Develop a yearly personal growth plan that fosters a vibrant spiritual life including time for solitude, retreat, reflection, prayer and a sincere commitment to understanding God’s Word.
- Seek and maintain relationships and disciplines, in the context of active participation in a church community.
- Actively participate in the spiritual life of the Young Life community.
- Lead teams and individuals in spiritual development.
- Ensure that all Young Life ministry in the area is designed and carried out with a dependence on prayer that takes place out of the overflow of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Leadership Development
- Partner with Regional director and Committee to cast vision for reaching every kid within the defined area.
- Develop consistent gatherings with committee, leaders and staff to build unity and provide vision and direction.
- Create a spiritual leadership plan for volunteer leaders, staff and committee members in the area.
- Recruit and train new staff and leaders to build leadership teams that reflect the community.
- Supervise, develop and evaluate area staff, providing resources and experiences needed to implement the vision.
- Provide quality summer staff, work crew and adult guests for summer camps.
- Model excellence in contact work, club, Campaigners and camping to other leaders.
- Train leaders, team leaders and committee how to work effectively in teams and develop a yearly ministry strategy.
Resource Development
- Provide leadership to the TDS team and committee in finding partners to own the area vision and budget.
- Develop and lead the area’s fundraising strategy and ensure excellence in communication to donors.
- Raise the necessary funds to carry out the ministry vision for the local area, keeping the area consistently in surplus (goal is a one-month cash reserve minimum).
- Build the Young Life brand via public relations as an excellent tool for working with youth in the area.
- Coordinate and conduct quality events which reflect Young Life’s capacity to impact kids and warrant the investment of a participant’s personal and corporate resources.
Direct Ministry
- Actively engage in all three levels of contact work.
- Lead or co‑lead a model Young Life club; lead or supervise an effective Campaigner ministry with excellence.
- Observe and evaluate each of the schools/ministries in the local area on a yearly basis.
- Develop and implement ongoing plans to maximize Gospel proclamation through camping opportunities.
- Serve on a summer assignment at a Young Life property, other Young Life camp or in another position each summer.
Ministry Support
- Adhere to all Young Life policies and procedures and maintain professionalism concerning office hours, dress, conduct and time management.
- Manage finances with stewardship, accountability and transparency using the mission‑wide applications.
- Maintain accurate information on kids, leaders and donors for area records.
- Provide clear, prompt, appropriate and professional communication to everyone involved in ministry.
- Set yearly strategic ministry plan and initiatives to reach every kid; review them on a regular basis.
- Perform other duties as assigned and congruent with gifts, experience and area needs.
- Accept both short and long‑term assignments of projects.
Training
- Participation in mission‑wide staff conference every four years.
- Participation in additional training or experiences if deemed necessary (for example, more urban exposure; Taking Donors Seriously training).
- Attend regional training as directed by the regional director.
- Pursue continuing educational opportunities including graduate degrees.
- Participate in programs designed for personal spiritual maturity or personal enrichment.
- Pursue seminars designed to enhance professional skills.
Education
- College degree preferred.
Qualifications
- Must have completed Core Training — Phase One.
- Proven leadership skills.
- Proven relational skills with both kids and adults.
- A call to reach kids with the Gospel.
- Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- All employees must sign a Statement of Faith.
- Candidates must profess belief in Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
- Candidates must subscribe to the Young Life Statement of Faith.
Working Conditions
- Will include the extremes of a camp assignment, e.g., heat/cold, dirt, long hours and the physical demands of hiking, horseback riding, boating, etc. Staff person must be able to handle these conditions.