Description:

Southwest Michigan Young Life has a deep history of impact in the community. For more than 40 years, our Young Life leaders have entered into the world of students to share Christ with them.

The area director for Southwest Michigan Young Life is an essential role to keep our ministry thriving. We hope this person brings a deep connectedness to Christ, passion for kids, and energetic leadership to our teams. Southwest Michigan Young Life has active ministries at Lakeshore High School, Lakeshore Middle School, Upton Middle School (St. Joseph school district), and a Capernaum ministry.

Southwest Michigan consists of small communities stretching from the state line in a spectacular arc along Lake Michigan. Southwest Michigan has a small-town feel but supports a bustling tourism industry, business community, and is located just 90 miles from downtown Chicago. Our community boasts fantastic public schools, quality healthcare, amazing beaches, a multitude of outdoor activities, and beautiful orchards and vineyards. Generation after generation of families stay or return to Southwest Michigan due to the love for this great community. Come check out Michigan's Great Southwest!

Responsibilities:

The responsibilities of directing and leading the ministry across Southwest Michigan will play themselves out in Young Life’s 5 Core Functions of Ministry: spiritual development, leadership development, resource development, direct ministry, and ministry support.

Spiritual Development —​ “Following Jesus” includes prayer and spiritual disciplines, fellowship, growth and health, and church relationships.

• 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 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 — “Equipping leaders, committee and staff” includes key volunteer care, recruiting, team building and training, supervision. and vision casting.

• Partner with the committee chair to cast vision for reaching “every kid."
• Develop consistent gatherings with committee, leaders, and staff to build unity and provide vision and direction.
• 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.
• Invite 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 committees how to work effectively in teams and develop a yearly ministry strategy.

Resource Development — “Fueling the ministry” includes events, major donor care, public relations (branding), and fundraising team.

• Provide leadership to the Fund Development team 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.
• Build partnerships with churches, organizations, community services, businesses, and families.
• 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 — “Proclaiming and modeling” includes contact work, club, Campaigners, and camp.

• Actively engage in all three levels of contact work.
• Lead or co-lead a model Young Life club; lead/supervise an effective Campaigners 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 —​ “Taking care of business” includes accounting, administration, communication (internal), data management and strategic plan.

• 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 missionwide 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 a yearly strategic ministry plan and initiatives to reach every kid; review 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.
• Reports to the committee chair and associate regional director.

Qualifications:

• Mature and active relationship with Jesus Christ, a part of a local church, and lives a God-fearing life in all areas in accordance with Young Life’s Faith and Conduct Policy.
• College degree and Young Life experience preferred but not required.
• Experience working with teens and a call to reach kids with the Gospel.
• Able to lead a team of people toward a common vision.
• Proven relational skills with kids and adults.
• Demonstrates a level of teachability, humility, and accountability to those who lead and follow.
• Demonstrates a desire to reach ALL KIDS and an ability to adapt ministry based on race, gender, identity, socio-economic, etc.
• Proficient in communication: verbal, written, and digital.

Benefits:

• ​Medical, dental, and vision coverage (at no cost to you).
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• 401(k) matching plan (up to four percent).​​
• Health club benefit.
• And more!

How to Apply:

​Please submit an online application, including resume and cover letter, via the button below.