Area Director/Staff Associate at Fort Riley, Manhattan, Kansas

Young Life requires all employees to sign a Statement of Faith. We recommend you read this statement before applying for any position.

Mission & Authority

To directly oversee the operations of several departments which provide mission services and facilitate effective functioning of the entire operations segment of Young Life.

Mission/Authority
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
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.
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.

Job Specific Working Conditions:

There are nearly 300,000 teenagers of active-duty U.S. military parents who are stationed all over the world. These teens move an average of seven times during their school-aged years. The questions of identity and belonging that all teens face grow even more challenging to answer amid starting over and meeting new friends at each location.

We provide incarnational ministry at many military installations around the world. You will have the opportunity to lead and/or oversee the overall Young Life Military program, known as Club Beyond, which is ecumenically focused and outreach oriented.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Actively develop healthy relationships with adults, as well as kids, and build vibrant relationships with the local community, the military installation, and the chapel community.
• Be a role model (incarnational) and assist with developing community outreach to "unchurched" teens, discipleship to Christian teens, and leading and equipping volunteers to do "hands-on" middle and high school Christian youth programs.
• Work well in an environment that sees (due to high military operational tempo) a high degree of turnover among teens, families, chaplains and volunteers.
• Be respectful of and embrace a community that is deeply influenced by a military culture.
• In this ministry, you will need to live out the Club Beyond Core Value Statement:

Club Beyond is a Christ-centered community of leaders with an exclusively military focus. Our methods are incarnational, and our perspective is ecumenical. We leverage strategic partnerships for the greatest results. We value professionalism from our staff and excellence in our stewardship.

---