Assistant Chaplain

Job Location: 0044 St. Louise Parish & School, Bellevue - Bellevue, WA 98007 Position Type: Full Time Salary Range: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 THE OPPORTUNITY St. Louise and St. Madeleine Sophie Catholic Parishes are seeking a faithful, energetic, and relational leader to develop a vibrant and sustainable ministry with young people in grades 6-12. This is an opportunity to help shape youth ministry across two active parish communities, accompany young people and their families, develop youth and adult leaders, and create experiences through which young people can encounter Christ, deepen their Catholic faith, build meaningful friendships, serve others, and discover their place in the life and mission of the Church. The Pastoral Assistant for Youth Ministry will collaborate with clergy, parish and school staff, parents, volunteers, and young people to provide engaging opportunities for discipleship, worship, formation, service, leadership, and community. The successful candidate will combine a strong Catholic faith with relational ministry, volunteer development, thoughtful planning, creative communication, and sound pastoral judgment. PURPOSE OF THE POSITION The Pastoral Assistant for Youth Ministry nurtures the faith development of middle-school and high-school youth through Christ-centered, engaging, and culturally responsive ministry. The position develops programs and relationships that foster discipleship, belonging, leadership, service, and active participation in parish life. The Pastoral Assistant for Youth Ministry also coordinates Confirmation preparation, mission and service experiences, youth gatherings, retreats, and opportunities for young people to participate in the liturgical and communal life of the parish family. WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE Build trusted relationships with young people, parents, volunteers, clergy, parish staff, and school personnel. Assess the strengths, needs, and opportunities for youth ministry. Establish a consistent rhythm of engaging middle-school and high-school gatherings. Recruit, train, and support sustainable adult and youth leadership teams. Provide a well-organized, faithful, and meaningful Confirmation preparation experience. Increase the visibility and participation of young people throughout parish life. Develop an annual ministry plan and a longer-term vision for sustainable youth ministry. Strengthen communication with youth, parents, volunteers, and the wider parish family. ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES Build Relationships and Foster Discipleship Develops trusted and appropriate ministerial relationships with young people and their families. Creates welcoming environments in which young people can encounter Christ, ask questions, deepen their Catholic faith, build friendships, and recognize their gifts. Maintains an appropriate and visible presence at selected parish, school, athletic, and community events as part of a thoughtful relational-ministry strategy. Provides opportunities for prayer, worship, catechesis, service, leadership development, fellowship, and spiritual growth. Encourages young people to participate actively in the sacramental, liturgical, social, and service life of the parish family. Recognizes parents and guardians as the primary educators of their children in the faith and seeks to support them in that role. Communicates concerns involving young people to parents or guardians when appropriate and, in consultation with the supervisor, makes referrals to qualified outside resources when needed. Maintains appropriate pastoral and professional boundaries in all interactions with minors and vulnerable adults. Lead Middle-School and High-School Ministry Develops and implements a Christ-centered, engaging, community-driven, service-oriented, and sustainable ministry for young people in grades 6-12. Plans, organizes, communicates, and leads recurring youth gatherings, retreats, service projects, social events, prayer experiences, and leadership opportunities. Evaluates and selects effective catechetical, pastoral, and digital resources that are consistent with Catholic teaching and responsive to the needs of young people. Collaborates with parish leaders and representatives of the parish family’s cultural communities to develop inclusive outreach and evangelization efforts. Creates opportunities for young people who are not currently involved in parish life to become connected to the faith community. Promotes intergenerational ministry by connecting young people with parishioners, ministries, service opportunities, and parish leadership. Collaborates with clergy, liturgy staff, music staff, and other appropriate personnel to involve young people in designated Youth and Family Masses and other liturgical celebrations. Invites and empowers young people to exercise meaningful leadership within the ministry and the wider parish family. Recruit, Form, and Support Ministry Leaders Recruits, screens, trains, accompanies, and retains adult volunteers, youth leaders, and core-team members. Establishes clear volunteer roles, responsibilities, expectations, and lines of accountability. Provides regular volunteer formation, training, team-building, prayer, fellowship, and spiritual-growth opportunities. Holds regular leadership-team meetings for planning, evaluation, formation, and community building. Identifies and provides appropriate resources to help volunteers and youth leaders serve effectively. Recognizes and celebrates the contributions, gifts, and accomplishments of volunteers and youth leaders. Develops emerging leaders and creates a sustainable leadership structure that does not depend solely on one staff member. Coordinate Confirmation Preparation Plans, organizes, communicates, and implements all aspects of Confirmation preparation for youth, including registration, catechesis, retreats, service, sponsor involvement, liturgical preparation, and the Confirmation Mass. Ensures that Confirmation preparation is faithful to Catholic teaching and archdiocesan sacramental guidelines. Collaborates with candidates, parents, sponsors, clergy, catechists, volunteers, parish staff, and liturgical ministers. Provides clear and timely communication regarding program requirements, schedules, expectations, and important dates. Creates opportunities for candidates to experience prayer, community, service, mentorship, and meaningful participation in parish life. Evaluates the program regularly and recommends improvements based on pastoral needs, participant feedback, and Church guidelines. Lead Mission, Service, and Social-Justice Experiences Plans, coordinates, and participates in annual summer mission or service experiences for youth. Integrates prayer, Catholic social teaching, spiritual preparation, reflection, and ongoing discipleship into mission-trip programming. Recruits and prepares youth participants, adult leaders, parents, and volunteers. Organizes team-building and formation opportunities during the preparation period. Schedules and leads regular planning meetings with the mission-trip leadership team. Serves as the primary parish liaison with service organizations and mission-trip providers. Coordinates transportation, lodging, registration, permissions, safety requirements, communications, schedules, and other travel logistics. Supports and empowers parents and volunteers in coordinating approved fundraising opportunities, including the Hire-a-Trekker program. Maintains accurate records of payments, fundraising proceeds, scholarships, expenses, forms, and participant documentation. Develops opportunities for participants to reflect upon their experience and remain engaged in service after the trip. Communicate and Promote the Ministry Develops a consistent communication strategy for young people, parents, volunteers, parishioners, school personnel, and parish staff. Promotes youth-ministry programs through parish communication channels, including bulletins, newsletters, email, websites, social media, printed materials, announcements, and multimedia presentations. Creates timely, engaging, age-appropriate, and mission-focused youth-ministry content. Maintains accurate ministry calendars, registration materials, permission forms, contact lists, and program information. Communicates schedules, expectations, program content, deadlines, and safety information clearly and in advance. Shares stories of ministry impact while protecting confidentiality and complying with parish and archdiocesan communication and media policies. Plan and Administer the Ministry Develops an annual ministry plan, program calendar, volunteer-development plan, and communication schedule. Assists in preparing the annual youth-ministry and Confirmation budgets. Operates within approved budgets and follows parish financial-control and purchasing procedures. Monitors and accurately accounts for ministry expenses, receipts, registrations, scholarships, payments, and fundraising activity. Maintains accurate sacramental, participant, volunteer, attendance, financial, and program records. Ensures that records and documents are protected and retained in accordance with Archdiocese of Seattle records-retention requirements. Evaluates programs regularly using participation data, feedback, pastoral observations, and ministry outcomes. Provides periodic ministry updates and reports to the supervisor, parish leadership, and appropriate consultative bodies. Participates in staff meetings, pastoral planning, parish-family events, liturgical celebrations, and collaborative ministry initiatives. Uses designated parish systems and technology, including Microsoft 365, ParishStaq, Paycom, PDS Facility Scheduler, MaintainX, and other approved platforms. Completes timecards, expense reports, purchasing documentation, and other administrative requirements accurately and on time. SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT Upholds the Safe Environment policies of the Archdiocese of Seattle in both letter and spirit. Ensures that volunteers who work with minors or vulnerable adults complete required background checks, training, documentation, and renewals before beginning ministry. Maintains appropriate professional and ministerial boundaries with young people, parents, volunteers, parishioners, and colleagues. Reads, signs, and follows the Archdiocese of Seattle Professional Code of Conduct and all applicable parish and archdiocesan policies. Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion when handling pastoral, personnel, sacramental, financial, and family information. Promptly reports safety, security, misconduct, abuse, boundary, or facility concerns through the appropriate supervisory and archdiocesan channels. Documents incidents when required and cooperates fully with established reporting and response procedures. Avoids conflicts of interest and refrains from using the position or ministry relationships for inappropriate personal benefit. Demonstrates ethical conduct, sound judgment, accountability, and respect for the dignity of every person. PARISH FAMILY COLLABORATION Collaborates with the canonically appointed leader, clergy, parish staff, school staff, consultative bodies, parents, volunteers, and parishioners in advancing the mission and vision of the parish family. Builds effective partnerships between St. Louise Parish, St. Madeleine Sophie Parish, and St. Louise Parish School. Works collaboratively with faith-formation, liturgy, music, communications, administration, facilities, school, and pastoral-care personnel. Supports the broader mission of the parish family and participates in major parish celebrations, events, liturgies, and service opportunities as appropriate. Contributes to a staff culture characterized by prayer, hospitality, collaboration, accountability, mutual support, and respectful communication. Recognizes that successful youth ministry is the responsibility of the entire faith community and works to engage the broader parish family in accompanying young people. THIS OPPORTUNITY MAY BE FOR YOU IF You are passionate about helping young people encounter Christ and grow as Catholic disciples. You build trust easily and communicate warmly with young people, parents, volunteers, and colleagues. You understand relational ministry and enjoy being present with young people in their parish, school, and community environments. You can create experiences that are faithful, welcoming, engaging, prayerful, and fun. You are comfortable speaking before groups, facilitating discussions, teaching the faith, and inviting others into participation. You can recruit, inspire, train, and support volunteers. You combine strategic leadership with a willingness to manage practical details. You are initiative-taking, organized, dependable, and attentive to follow-through. You can manage competing priorities while remaining calm and responsive in a dynamic ministry environment. You work effectively both independently and collaboratively. You exercise sound pastoral judgment and know when to consult clergy, supervisors, parents, or other professionals. You are creative and comfortable using digital media, social media, presentations, and printed communication. You welcome cultural diversity and are committed to making ministry accessible to young people and families from different backgrounds. You are committed to the success of the whole parish family, not solely to an individual program or ministry area. Qualifications REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Active, practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church who supports the teachings, mission, and sacramental life of the Catholic Church. At least 21 years of age. Demonstrated ability to accompany, engage, teach, and lead adolescents. Working knowledge of Catholic doctrine, Scripture, liturgy, sacramental theology, catechesis, and Catholic social teaching. Formal theological, catechetical, or pastoral-ministry formation. Experience recruiting, organizing, training, or leading volunteers. Strong relational, organizational, written, verbal, and public-speaking skills. Demonstrated understanding of appropriate ministerial boundaries and Safe Environment practices. Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive pastoral information with discretion. Ability to use or learn Microsoft 365, parish databases, registration systems, scheduling platforms, social-media tools, and other ministry technology. Ability to work regular evenings and weekends and to participate in retreats, mission trips, and occasional overnight ministry activities. Ability to travel regulary between parish locations and to off-site meetings, retreats, service projects, and ministry events. Ability to meet all Archdiocese of Seattle background-check, Safe Environment, and employment requirements. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s or master’s degree in theology, pastoral ministry, religious education, youth ministry, education, or a related field. Three or more years of relevant experience in parish youth ministry, campus ministry, Catholic education, pastoral ministry, nonprofit leadership, or a related field. Experience coordinating Confirmation preparation or another significant sacramental-formation program. Experience planning retreats, service projects, mission trips, or overnight youth events. Experience developing and supporting volunteer leadership teams. Experience working in a parish family, multi-parish, multicultural, or school-parish environment. Familiarity with Life Teen, Edge, Purpose, or other Catholic youth-ministry and Confirmation resources. An equivalent combination of theological formation, ministry experience, leadership ability, and demonstrated effectiveness may be considered. WORK SCHEDULE AND CONDITIONS This is a full-time position that requires a flexible ministry schedule. The typical schedule includes weekday office and planning hours as well as regular evening and weekend programs. The Pastoral Assistant for Youth Ministry will participate in designated Sunday liturgies, retreats, service projects, parish events, Confirmation activities, mission trips, and occasional overnight programs. In consultation with the supervisor, the employee may adjust weekday office hours following significant evening, weekend, retreat, or overnight ministry responsibilities, consistent with parish and archdiocesan employment policies. The position requires regular work at both St. Louise Parish and St. Madeleine Sophie Parish and occasional travel to off‑site ministry events. The position may involve prolonged periods of standing or sitting, local and overnight travel, and the transportation or movement of program materials and supplies. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position. Any offered salary is determined based on internal equity, internal salary ranges, market data, applicant’s skills and prior relevant experience, certain degrees and certifications. Benefits: Eligible positions receive a comprehensive package of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and disability, long term disability, pension, 403(b), HSA, FSA, and generous sick leave, vacation and holidays. #J-18808-Ljbffr