On a sports team, every player has a position. In the army, every soldier has an assignment and a specialty. In business, a written description is given for every position. Why? In order for people to be accountable to the work assigned to them, they need to know what the job entails.
When we expect volunteers, who have perhaps no training, to do a job well, it’s important to have a written job description. To create an excellent program, volunteers need to know what to do and then how to do it. The goal is to have a person for every job and a clearly defined job for every person so that an effective and mutually supportive team can be built.
When we expect volunteers, who have perhaps no training, to do a job well, it’s important to have a written job description.
Here are a series of basic sample job descriptions of traditional children’s ministry positions. Customize and use them to help organize the positions that you need to fill in your ministry—from a digital communication manager to virtual volunteer positions! You can get some creative ideas for volunteer roles here.
Children’s Ministry Director or Coordinator
Role: To guide planning and development of a program of Bible learning for all age levels in Children’s Ministry
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Pray regularly for each member of the Children’s Ministry staff and each child in your ministry.
- Recruit leaders, teachers, and leaders for all Children’s Ministry positions.
- Plan and coordinate a regular training program for all Children’s Ministry staff.
- Give practical tips for solving problems.
- Observe, evaluate, and affirm leaders, teachers, and leaders in order to help them understand their strengths and to encourage them in areas where improvement is possible.
- Coordinate regular planning meetings for team members that include teacher training and opportunities for spiritual growth.
- Oversee the purchase, distribution, and use of all equipment and supplies (curriculum, snacks, art supplies, etc.).
- Communicate the church’s approved safety policy to all Children’s Ministry staff, regularly evaluate its use and take necessary steps to put the policy into practice.
- Lead in planning a Children’s Ministry staff get-together at least twice a year in order to build a sense of teamwork among all team members.
- Express appreciation to the Children’s Ministry staff, including an end-of-the-year event.
- Communicate with church leaders and the congregation regarding the purpose, value, and procedures of Children’s Ministry.
Note: This position may be held by a volunteer or paid staff person. In a small church, one or more of these tasks may be the responsibility of the pastor, Christian education committee member, children’s ministries elder, etc. A church with one or more age-level coordinators may assign some of these responsibilities to those leaders. This leadership role then becomes a role of coordination, encouragement, and support.
Children’s Ministry Team Leader
Role: To prayerfully support and build relationships with both teachers and children in order to ensure effective Bible learning
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Coordinate teacher tasks, including use of supplies and room setup.
- Greet children as they arrive and guide them to an activity.
- Assist teachers as needed (discipline, activity completion, etc.), maintaining the time schedule for the session.
- Observe, evaluate, and affirm teachers in order to note strengths to encourage any areas where improvement is possible.
- Lead the large group time (Bible study and/or worship), involving other teachers as appropriate.
- Pray regularly for others on the teaching team.
- Work with your supervisor to identify and enlist qualified people to join your teaching team.
- Lead regular session planning meetings, including training and opportunities for spiritual growth.
- Plan a team get-together in order to build friendships among the team once a quarter.
- Communicate regularly with your supervisor.
Note: In a class with just two teachers, the leader responsibilities may be informally shared. When three or more people are on the team, one person should be designated as the Team Leader.
Children’s Ministry Teacher or Small Group Leader
Role: To prayerfully build relationships with children and guide them in life-changing Bible learning
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Individual Responsibilities:
- Maintain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
- Desire to grow in faith and commitment to God and participate in personal Bible study and prayer.
- Worship regularly with the church family.
Team Responsibilities:
- Pray regularly for each child and others on your teaching team.
- Participate in scheduled meetings.
- Participate in at least one training event during the year to improve teaching skills.
- Express needs as a teacher to your supervisor.
Teaching Session Responsibilities:
- Arrive at least 15 minutes before each session begins.
- Arrange materials and room to create an effective learning environment.
- Greet each child upon arrival and involve him or her in conversation and meaningful activity.
- Model the love of Christ by getting to know children and sharing their concerns, needs, and joys.
- Guide Bible learning by
- Being well prepared to use Bible stories, verses/passages, questions, and comments appropriate to the age level in order to accomplish the lesson aims;
- Selecting a variety of Bible learning activities and encouraging each student to actively participate in each lesson;
- Participating with children in learning activities and in large-group times.
Student Follow-Up Responsibilities:
- Follow up on visitors and absentees with messages, phone calls, and/or personal visits.
- Care for each class member with prayer, calls, birthday cards, etc.
- Communicate individual student needs to parents.
Children’s Ministry Greeter
Role: To welcome families and check in children as they arrive and leave
Term: Six months, September through February or March through August
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Be present from 9:30 AM until 10:00 AM each Sunday morning.
- Set up the check-in area so students are safely checked-in and out.
- Assist parent(s) as needed with check in.
- Offer a friendly greeting to each family, alerting families to any special announcements or procedural changes.
- Pay special attention to visitors. Get names and addresses, give name tags, direct children and parents to appropriate rooms, etc.
- Communicate regularly with supervisor.
Supply Room Coordinator
Role: To keep the supply room organized and ready for teacher use
Term: Six months, September through February or March through August
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Once a week, check the supply room to clean up and sort donated materials and pick-up supply requests from teachers.
- Purchase supplies or run a supply drive as needed. Consult with the Children’s Ministry Coordinator as needed. Turn in receipts to (name).
- Place supply requests for donated items in newsletter, on the web (website or social media), and/or bulletin as needed.
- Keep a current copy of appropriate supply and equipment catalogs or websites.
- Update supply list twice a year, post list in supply room and distribute to teachers.
- At least twice a year, thoroughly clean and reorganize the supply room.
- Communicate regularly with supervisor.
Children’s Ministry Publicity Coordinator
Role: To communicate all children’s programs and events
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Determine the ongoing publicity needs for children’s programs, including websites, social media, displays at church, bulletin, and/or newsletter inserts.
- Oversee the production and distribution of all children and parent letters, flyers, posters, etc., working with others as needed (office staff, children’s leaders, etc.).
Children’s Ministry Food Coordinator
Role: To be aware of food-related medical concerns of attending children and to oversee the provision of food—snacks or meals—as needed at children’s ministry programs
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Determine the food needs for all children’s programs, working with children’s ministry teachers.
- Provide food through purchases and donations of money or food. If parents are asked to provide food, set up and oversee a schedule of donations.
- Keep an up-to-date file of all food-related medical concerns (allergies, diabetes, etc.) of attending children and keep teachers aware of these concerns as needed.
- Store unused food properly or discard.
- Follow safe food-handling practices.
Children’s Ministry Camp Coordinator
Role: To plan and reserve summer and/or winter camp reservations, publicize the camp program, and oversee all details (counselors, registration, transportation, etc.)
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- In coordination with supervisor, reserve date and number of campers at (name of camp). Coordinate camp dates with schedules.
- Request and display camp brochures in the appropriate classrooms and in other well-traveled areas of the church facility.
- Write bulletin notices for camps and send publicity materials with parent letters well in advance of registration due dates.
- Set up and oversee procedures for accepting registrations and fees.
- Mail all checks and registration to the camp registrar or pay online.
- Plan and coordinate scholarships and fund-raisers as needed.
- Two weeks prior to camp, send an information letter to each camper. Include information about final payment of all camp fees, transportation arrangements, luggage, address at camp, medical release forms, etc.
- After camp, ask several campers to write an article for the website, church newsletter, and/or arrange for several campers to be interviewed in church service.
- Communicate regularly with supervisor.
Note: We mention camp as our example, but this could be a position for an events coordinator for any type of event that would happen once or a few times a year.
Family Outreach Coordinator
Role: To plan, organize and direct the family ministry efforts of the Children’s Ministry
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Provide up-to-date student/family rosters for all teachers.
- Encourage leaders to get to know, pray for, and communicate with family members of students.
- Coordinate family education efforts of the Children’s Ministry.
- Evaluate the manner in which families are cared for through the Children’s Ministry.
- Plan special events or programs for families.
- Recruit, meet with, and supervise age-level family ministry coordinators as needed.
- Communicate regularly with supervisor.
Children’s Ministry Security Coordinator
Role: To provide security for children during the times programs are meeting
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Check children in and out of classroom and/or facility if greeter is not available to do so.
- Help keep attendance records complete and up to date.
- Prevent unauthorized people (adults or children) from entering a classroom and/or facility.
- Oversee “restroom return” for elementary children who go to and return from the restroom.
- Communicate immediate security concerns to supervisor.
- Consider ways to improve children’s and/or classroom security and communicate these ideas to appropriate personnel.
- Make sure the handbook is updated with all security measures so that parents are aware of your policies.
Children’s Ministry Weeknight Program Coordinator
Role: To oversee planning and development of a program of Bible learning for weeknight (midweek, Saturday night) children’s ministries
Term: One year, beginning in September
Supervisor: (List who this person should report activity to)
Responsibilities:
- Recruit teachers and helpers for weeknight-program positions.
- Pray regularly for each member of weeknight-program staff.
- Answer questions and give practical tips for solving problems.
- Observe, evaluate, and affirm teachers and helpers to help them understand their strengths and to encourage them in areas where improvement is possible.
- Coordinate regular planning and training meetings for team members that include both teacher training and opportunities for spiritual growth.
- Oversee the purchase, distribution, and use of all equipment and supplies (curriculum, snacks, art supplies, etc.).
- Communicate the church’s approved safety policy to weeknight-program staff, regularly evaluate its use, and take necessary steps to put the policy into practice.
- Lead in planning a weeknight-program staff get-together at least twice a year in order to build a sense of teamwork.
- Express appreciation to weeknight-program staff with an end-of-the-year event.
- Communicate with church leaders and the congregation regarding the purpose, value, and procedures of weeknight ministries.
Note: This position may be held by a volunteer or paid staff person. In a small church, one or more of these tasks may be the responsibility of the pastor, Christian education committee member, children’s ministries elder, etc.
Growing Volunteers: Building the Body of Christ in Ministry to Kids and Families
Growing Volunteers: Building the Body of Christ in Ministry to Kids and Families
