Associate Director of Congregational Relations

Associate Director of Congregational Relations

Department: The Center for the Arc of Ministry

Reports To: Executive Director, The Center for the Arc of Ministry

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Congregational Relations serves as the primary liaison between The Center for the Arc of Ministry and congregations, denominational bodies, presbyteries, ministry organizations, and faith-based partners. The position is responsible for cultivating strategic partnerships that advance vocational discernment, leadership development, congregational engagement, experiential learning, and ministry placement opportunities for participants throughout the Arc of Ministry.

The Associate Director develops and sustains a diverse network of congregational partners that provide mentoring, internships, supervised ministry experiences, contextual education, service-learning opportunities, and post-graduate placement. The position collaborates closely with Seminary faculty, Admissions, Institutional Advancement, and Center staff to strengthen the Seminary's mission of preparing faithful leaders for the Church and the world while building sustainable partnerships that benefit congregations and future church leaders alike.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Congregational Partnership Development

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for congregational engagement across local, regional, and national church communities.
• Build and maintain relationships with pastors, sessions, church staff, denominational leaders, presbyteries, synods, and ecumenical organizations.
• Identify and recruit congregations interested in becoming official Arc of Ministry partners.
• Establish partnership agreements outlining expectations, opportunities, and mutual commitments.
• Develop long-term partnership plans that strengthen engagement between congregations and the Seminary.
• Expand the Seminary's network of churches participating in leadership development initiatives.

Vocational Discernment & Ministry Formation

• Collaborate with congregations to develop opportunities that encourage vocational discernment among youth, college students, young adults, and emerging ministry leaders.
• Coordinate church-based discernment experiences, leadership cohorts, retreats, and educational programming.
• Assist congregations in identifying individuals who demonstrate gifts for ministry and theological education.

Internship, Mentorship & Field Education Coordination

• Develop and coordinate supervised ministry placements within partner congregations.
• Recruit pastors, elders, chaplains, and ministry leaders to serve as mentors for cohort participants.
• Match participants with appropriate ministry sites based on vocational interests and developmental goals.
• Coordinate orientation and ongoing support for mentors and supervising pastors.

Congregational Leadership Development

• Design and coordinate leadership development initiatives that strengthen congregational capacity to support Center’s participants.
• Resource congregations to strengthen and develop opportunities to support Arc of Ministry participants.  
• Identify emerging needs within congregations and collaborate with Seminary faculty to develop responsive programming related to Center’s goals.
• Promote lifelong learning opportunities available through Austin Seminary.

Relationship Management & Community Engagement

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for all congregational partners participating in the Center.
• Conduct regular visits to partner congregations throughout Texas and other strategic regions.
• Respond to partner needs while ensuring alignment with Seminary priorities.

Communications & Storytelling

• Develop communication strategies that strengthen engagement with congregational partners.
• Collect stories demonstrating the impact of the Arc of Ministry within churches and communities.
• Collaborate with the Seminary's Communications Office to promote Center initiatives.
• Prepare newsletters, partnership updates, and congregational resource materials.
• Assist with donor stewardship by documenting congregational impact and participant success stories.

Grant Administration & Assessment

• Maintain records of congregational partnerships, mentor participation, internships, and ministry placements.
• Collect and analyze partnership data to measure program effectiveness.
• Prepare reports supporting grant compliance and institutional assessment.
• Track key performance indicators related to congregational engagement and participant

Institutional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Admissions to develop pathways connecting congregations to prospective students.
• Partner with Academic Affairs to integrate experiential learning with theological education.
• Work with Institutional Advancement to cultivate relationships with church leaders and donors.
• Coordinate with the Associate Director of Institutional Relations to ensure seamless movement between educational institutions and congregational partnerships.
• Participate in strategic planning and Center leadership initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

• Master's degree in Divinity (M.Div.), Theology, Ministry, Higher Education, Nonprofit Leadership, or a closely related field required.
• Knowledge of the Presbyterian tradition preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in congregational ministry, denominational leadership, theological education, nonprofit leadership, or church relations.
• Demonstrated success building strategic partnerships.
• Experience supervising ministry internships, mentoring programs, or leadership development initiatives preferred.
• Experience working within Presbyterian or ecumenical church settings preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough understanding of congregational life, church governance, and denominational structures.
• Strong knowledge of vocational discernment, theological education, and Christian leadership development.
• Exceptional relationship-building and networking skills.
• Ability to cultivate partnerships with diverse congregations and ministry organizations.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking abilities.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills.
• Experience coordinating large-scale projects and multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to analyze data and prepare strategic reports.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, CRM/database systems, and project management software.
• Ability to travel extensively, including evenings and weekends, as necessary.