Description
APU seeks employees who desire to contribute to our thriving culture by cultivating community through professional interactions, demonstrating a posture of lifelong learning, and modeling Christ-like character. Working together, employees at APU commit to establishing a university atmosphere that is edifying to God and one another. The Assistant Director for the Nurturing Children through Worship and Prayer Initiative will be part of the core leadership team of the CVM overall and will work closely with the Executive Director and the Director of Mentoring and Formation in leading the Lilly-grant funded “Sowing Seeds for God’s Harvest: Cultivating Worship, Faith and Calling in Children” in the Nurturing Children through Worship and Prayer Initiative. This is an exciting extension of CVM’s ongoing work with youth and congregations. Through this project, we will engage with 30 congregations in three regions within the Southern California area to reimagine and ignite children’s spiritual formation as we develop digital discipleship resources, establish congregational cohorts, and foster collaborative learning communities. This project will facilitate and offer an annual immersive experience for families to inspire caregivers, parents, and children to deepen their faith journey together. These events will integrate the arts, theology, psychology, and education, to provide a holistic approach to intergenerational spiritual formation. Required Education Masters of divinity preferred. Familiarity with the Wesleyan theological heritage of Azusa Pacific University. Required Experience Five years of professional church and/or parachurch ministry experience in children/family ministry. Experience in preaching and pastoral ministry. Experience in congregational leadership. Experience with planning and leading large ministry events. Primary Duties/Essential Functions Strategic Program Development. Lead the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Nurturing Children through Worship and Prayer initiative, ensuring alignment with the program’s mission to support faith development in children, families, and congregations. Team Collaboration and Supervision . Work collaboratively with project leaders, including the CVM executive director and director, and supervise staff, consultants, and volunteers contributing to the initiative. Congregational Cohort Formation. Oversee the recruitment and engagement of congregational cohorts across Southern California counties, fostering collaboration among participating churches. Resource Development and Dissemination. Guide the creation of digital and print resources, including Living Room Liturgies, webinars, and research-based monographs, ensuring materials are practical, engaging, and rooted in theological and developmental insights. Event Planning and Management. Lead the planning and execution of regional cohort gatherings, annual collaborative conferences, and immersive family experiences, coordinating logistics, speakers, and participant engagement. Partnership Building. Strengthen partnerships with churches, community leaders, academic faculty, and ministry organizations to enhance the initiative’s reach and effectiveness. Program Assessment and Reporting. Implement and oversee program evaluation measures, including participant surveys and assessments, to ensure continuous improvement and alignment with project goals. Coordinate the progress reporting. Grant Management. Manage project budgets, including the administration of subgrants to cohort churches and regional hubs, ensuring compliance with funding guidelines and strategic use of resources. Certificate Program Development . Collaborate with APU faculty to develop and launch a certificate program in Children’s Spiritual Formation, including course design, participant engagement, and program assessment. Building Learning Communities. Facilitate the establishment of collaborative learning communities for ministry leaders, promoting mutual support, resource sharing, and innovative practices. Advancing Initiative Goals. Advocate for the importance of intergenerational faith formation within congregations, championing strategies to integrate children fully into the life of the Church while nurturing their faith at home. Exploring Innovative Practices. Encourage the use of arts, technology, and human-centered design in the initiative, helping congregations adapt strategies to their specific cultural, denominational, and community contexts. Readiness to present on and/or represent CVM to internal and external partners. Participate in Faculty/Staff Training Workshops and APU Community Gatherings. Collaborate with other university departments, staff, and faculty. Develop and manage an integrated marketing plan for the program. Working with the vision outlined by the strategic team, plan, direct, and implement marketing operations, strategies, and communications. Provide oversight to various CVM projects as assigned by supervisor. Skills Strategic Leadership and Strong pastoral, relational, networking, and mentoring/coaching skills in various venues and formats. Collaboration and Relationship Building. Project and Program Management. Creativity and innovation. Teaching, influencing gifts. Self-starter. Some management and administrative skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to manage details and follow through. Must be collaborative and an effective team member and team builder. High capacity for theological and pastoral reflection. Mental Demands Ability to work under pressure, exuding a mature demeanor while multi-tasking in a deadline-oriented environment with accuracy and consistency. Ability to work independently and meet deadlines. Ability to work collaboratively with a team, as well as an independent contributor. Ability to exercise good judgment and discretionary skills in determining when to act independently and when to consult management prior to taking action. Self-starter with a positive attitude. In agreement with the purpose and goals of Azusa Pacific University in providing a Christian-based higher education for its students. Physical Demands Requires repetitive motions and sitting at a computer keyboard. Hearing and speaking on the telephone. Able to conduct business at other offices on campus. Able to lift, bend, grasp, reach, lift up to 20 lbs. occasionally. Able to travel (car, air, etc) for grant-related purposes Visual Demands Reading, writing notes, and computer monitor. Environment Pleasant office, comfortable temperature also many meetings with students around the APU campus. Technologies Proficient in Google Apps., Microsoft Office, Word and Excel, and Social Media. Compensation Grade 11: $28.53 to $32.81 is the hourly compensation for this role and reflects what Azusa Pacific University reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on the qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In addition to compensation, APU offers a competitive benefits package. Azusa Pacific University is a Christ-centered, multicultural community that values and seeks faculty and staff who are committed to diversity, work effectively with diverse populations, and engage others in ways that honor our rich cultural mosaic and biblical foundation. Please click the links to learn more about ‘what we believe’, our ‘mission statement’, and our ‘statement of faith’. You can learn more about APU by watching the stories of faculty, staff, and alumni as they carry out our mission here: http://www.apu.edu/stories/ Azusa Pacific University will conduct a background check on all final candidates. Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled unless otherwise stated. Azusa Pacific University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Azusa Pacific University is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.