JOB TITLE: Children’s & Families Pastor
RESPONSIBLE TO: Senior Pastor / Executive Pastor
CONTEXT: Soul Survivor Watford is a vibrant church in North Watford. Its purpose and vision is to Love God : Love One Another : Love those around us, to see lives transformed by the love of Jesus.
MAIN ROLE & PURPOSE: To lead, develop, grow and have pastoral oversight of the children’s and family ministries (0’s-11’s) at Soul Survivor Watford and create opportunities to reach into the local community.
LINE MANAGEMENT: Assistant Children’s and Families Pastor
This role is a Maternity Cover Fixed Term role to 31st January 2025
Church Activities
- Develop Vision & Strategy - Develop and implement the vision and strategy for family and children’s ministries – both inside and outside the church - learn/develop ideas for kids ministries from other churches & organisations
- Pastoral Care of children and families, supporting them to feel connected into the church life and settled in Soul Kids.
- Develop and Create Teaching Curriculum
- Develop the teaching curriculum for Soul Kids sessions on a Sunday morning (0-11’s) which will support and encourage children to grow in their faith, knowledge of the bible, and understanding of being a disciple of Jesus. Help children grow in their personal relationship with Jesus and awareness of living a Spirit-led life, and to become active members of the church family at Soul Survivor Watford.
- Develop the practical resources to support the delivery of engaging and dynamic teaching sessions
- Grow and Develop team - Recruit, train, equip & encourage the existing team of volunteers as well as identify new team members. Identify and develop future leaders
- Work closely with the worship pastor to develop kids worship as part of the Soulkids programme
- Model the DNA of SSW to our children and families:
Love God : Worship
Love One Another : Community
Love those Around us: Relevant Evangelism – Growing God’s Family
- Working with the Youth Pastors to support and transition Year 6 children into Younger Youth
Outreach Activities
- Oversight of monthly after school club (Friday Night Thing).
- Work with the Assistant Children’s & Families Pastor to develop initiatives that outreach to children & families in the wider community
- Supporting the Family Meal Box initiative with family and children’s activities.
- Identify, support, lead other outreach activities in conjunction with the wider pastoral team.
- Lead and develop one-off family outreach events such as Light Party, Easter Trail, Christmas events etc. Build team to support these events.
- Explore outreach initiatives to run alongside the No7 café, both during term time and holidays.
Administration & Leadership
- Safeguarding – the safety of children involved in all Soul Kids activities is our highest priority – Working with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the church administration team, ensure all safer recruitment policies are followed, safeguarding training of volunteers is completed and up to date, all DBS checks are completed and the implementation of the SSW Safeguarding Policy.
- Ensure all safeguarding concerns are reported to the DSL and if necessary, with the DSL liaise with the St Albans Diocese Safeguarding team
- Ensure all activities are appropriately risk assessed.
- Ensure Churchapp database of children and parents is up to date
- Oversight of the recruitment, training of volunteers and managing teams rotas.
- Liaise and communicate with team members on weeks that they are due to serve on team
- Line manage Assistant Children’s and Families Pastor.
PERSON SPECIFICATION:
- Ideally 2 years experience in a similar role
- Excellent organisational skills and able to work on own initiative
- Positive written and verbal communication skills
- Highly organised and able to juggle multiple priorities.
- Experience in leading large teams
- Budget management
- Good understanding of safeguarding procedures, DBS and child protection processes.
- Commitment to the vision of Soul Survivor Watford.
- Have a sense of calling and vocation to pastoral leadership and children’s ministry
- Be of sound personality, character, integrity and emotional intelligence
- To be able to hold confidentiality as a high priority
- Ability to maintain healthy relationships
- This role has an Occupational Requirement to be a Christian, as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. This will be demonstrated by a commitment to supporting and demonstrating the Church of England’s Statement of Faith https://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/what-we-believe
- Due to the core responsibility of the role the candidate must become, if not already, an active part of Soul Survivor Watford’s congregation.
- Soul Survivor Watford is committed to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive workforce which represents our community and context.
Terms and Conditions:
- 5 day week (37.5 hours) including Sundays, flexible working hours depending on job requirements. There is the potential for part-time (4 days / 30 hrs)
- 1 hour lunch break [unpaid]
- 28 days paid holiday per annum including Bank Holidays.
- Salary Band £25k - £40k depending on experience.
- Fixed term contract to 31st January 2025
- To be willing to be DBS checked
To apply visit https://www.soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk/job-opportunities for an application form and job description.
