Area Director (South Bay Palos Verdes, CA)

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Job Specific Working Conditions:

Young Life South Bay Los Angeles has a strong history of youth ministry dating back to the 1970s. Our ministry teams are honored to continue a legacy of excellent outreach and discipleship in the Palos Verdes area. Our dream is that every kid in our area would have the opportunity to be invited into life with Jesus. Presently, there are vibrant ministries available for high school students at Palos Verdes and Peninsula high schools. We are also blessed with an engaged committee, good community supportive churches, and generous donors.

We are currently looking to hire a Area Director to start before the Fall 2025 school year. To ensure success, it is important to focus on developing volunteer leaders and establishing strong connections with schools, teachers, principals, pastors, parents, and city business leaders. Resilience, tenacity, and a commitment to God’s Word and this ministry are essential for success. At the core of this role, we are looking for a leader of leaders. We are looking for someone who prioritizes recruiting and investing in volunteer leaders, but also models working with kids in an ongoing direct ministry capacity. This person would also be part of a dynamic region with like-minded staff, all pursuing kids in their areas with passion and hearts for collaboration.

In addition to their primary responsibilities, the Area Director is also expected to manage several key roles throughout the year. These include overseeing and caring for the staff of YLSBPV, actively participating in fundraising efforts such as the annual golf tournament and bingo events, and organizing and leading regular prayer meetings.

Note: Because of the missionary nature of this role, staff are expected to live in the community they are serving. Within 6 months to a year of starting, you must relocate to live within 5-10 miles of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. Remote work is not an option, and personal fundraising is a required part of the job. Additionally, personal fundraising is required as a part of the employment process.

Salary Range: $65,000-98,000 Annually. (Salary is determined by job title, ministry experience, education and COLA)

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.

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

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

• 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 — “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 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 — “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 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 missionwide staff conference every four years.

• Participation in additional training or experiences if deemed necessary (e.g., more urban exposure; Taking Donors Seriously (TDS) 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.

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.