Description:

We are seeking a full-time Young Life area director to oversee all USD 501 ministries. This person will also build and lead the team that reaches the students at Topeka High School.

This mission of Young Life is to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. The person we are looking for to fill this role will have a critical role in developing a culture of outreach (introducing adolescents to Jesus) and discipleship (helping them grow in their faith) within the USD 501 community.

The ideal candidate meets these criteria:

• Deep love for Jesus.
• Heart for those who aren’t following Jesus.
• Emotional maturity.
• Ability to build and lead a team.

Job functions, in addition to direct-ministry work with students, will include raising financial support; recruiting and training volunteer leaders; interacting with the USD 501 Young Life committee; leading the USD 501 Young Life staff toward a unified vision of ministry in the district; communicating with staff, donors, volunteers, and students; and completing various administrative tasks.

501 Young Life, led by the USD 501 staff person and committee, is one of eight areas that make up the Greater Topeka Young Life Metro, encompassing 17 total staff members and 80+ volunteers (leaders and committee members) who serve more than 1,200 students known across nine campuses.

The city of Topeka has been the beneficiary of considerable investments made by local entrepreneurs who want the town to be a place where people are happy to live. Located an hour away from the Kansas City International Airport, Topekans appreciate a low cost of living, a small-town feel with all of the amenities you need, and generous hospitality by folks all across town.

Responsibilities:

Spiritual Development —​ The job of Young Life staff is to pursue not only their own spiritual development, which is crucial, but also to help those on their teams grow spiritually. This looks like:

• Developing 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.
• Seeking and maintaining relationships and disciplines in the context of active participation in a church community.
• Actively participate in the spiritual life of the Young Life community.
• Leading teams and individuals in spiritual development.
• Keeping prayer as our first strategy and maturity in Christ as our end goal for everyone involved in ministry.

Leadership Development — The job of Young Life staff is not only to do the ministry work with students, but to build teams that are also doing that work, multiplying our impact. This looks like:

• Meeting with volunteer leaders and area leadership on a regular basis.
• Learning to recruit and train new leaders to build a leadership team that reflects the community.
• Modeling excellence in contact work, club, Campaigners, and camping to other leaders.
• Assisting in training leaders, team leaders, and committee members in how to work effectively in teams.
• Developing a yearly ministry strategy.

Resource Development —​ Ministry demands resources, making resource development one element of life on Young Life staff. This includes:

• Fundraising an agreed upon dollar amount within a specific timeframe.
• Keeping donors up to date and invested in the ministry.
• Participating in city-wide fundraising events.
• Engaging the Young Life committee as they work to develop resources.
• Remembering that ministry resources include time, talent, and treasure, all of which need to be developed.

Direct Ministry — This is the work Young Life staff do with students, which include:

• Contact Work: Young Life staff lead the charge as they build a team that goes where kids are, earning the right to be heard.
• Campaigners: Young Life staff not only lead their own Campaigners group (small group) but also set up volunteers to do the same.
• Club: Leading the team that plans and executes a regularly held Young Life club with excellence.
• Camp: Young Life camp is the best week of a student’s life. The USD 501 area director will be responsible for getting students to outreach camp, while also developing adventure experiences geared toward discipleship.

Ministry Support — Young Life staff includes much more than hanging out with kids. It includes taking care of business like internal accounting/cash flow, administration, communication (internal), data management, and strategic planning.

• 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 yearly strategic ministry plans 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.

Training — We want to invest in our staff! Young Life staff are lifelong learners, so we offer and require different trainings to ensure continued development. This includes:

• Local Training: Leadership I, Leadership II, Biblical Interpretation, and others as assigned by your supervisor.
• Winter Training: New Staff Training, New Testament Survey, Systematic Theology, Christology, Old Testament Survey, Ministry as a Person, Area Director School, etc.

Qualifications:

Education

• College degree preferred.

Qualifications Required for the Job

• Paid or unpaid experience in student ministry.
• Proven relational skills with both kids and adults.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to serve as part of a team and lead a team.

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.