Strategic Mission Engagement & Communications Manager

Description

Location: Winter Park, Florida, US

Status/FLSA: Full-Time/Exempt

Availability: Sunday mornings and occasional on-call hours are required

Salary: $60,000 to $75,000 yearly, based on experience 

FUMCWP offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support the health, well-being, and financial future of our employees, including: medical, dental, vision, HSA, employer-paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability, 403(b) retirement plan with a 3% employer match, generous paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, and professional development opportunities.

Position Summary:  

The Strategic Mission Engagement & Communications Manager is a ministry leader who advances the church’s mission by helping people connect with Christ, grow in community, discover and use their God-given gifts, and participate in God’s work in the world. Rooted in the belief that the Church exists both to nurture the body of Christ and to love and serve its neighbors, this role develops and implements communication and engagement strategies that strengthen discipleship, foster meaningful relationships, equip leaders and volunteers, and extend the church’s impact beyond its walls.

Serving as both a strategic communications leader and ministry partner, this position translates vision into action through storytelling, integrated communications, volunteer engagement, and mission-focused initiatives. Working collaboratively with pastors, ministry leaders, staff, and volunteers, the Strategic Mission Engagement & Communications Manager creates pathways that move people from awareness to engagement, engagement to discipleship, and discipleship to active service and leadership.

This role provides strategic counsel to senior leadership while overseeing branding, messaging, digital communications, and integrated marketing efforts across all channels. As a highly collaborative and hands-on leader, the Strategic Mission Engagement & Communications Manager continuously improves communication systems, processes, and tools to strengthen ministry effectiveness, organizational alignment, and community impact. The ideal candidate demonstrates a deep commitment to Christ-centered transformation, active participation in the local church, and a passion for equipping others to grow in faith, serve others, and live out their calling. 

Key Responsibilities:

Core Ministry Convictions: 

We are seeking a leader who not only possesses strong communications expertise but also embraces the theological and ministry values that shape our mission and vision.  

• Inward & Outward Mission: We believe the Church exists both to nurture the body of Christ and to love and serve our neighbors. The ideal candidate understands the needs of our church community while actively seeking opportunities to connect ministries with the needs of our local neighborhood. This leader helps ensure that communications and ministry initiatives inspire both spiritual growth and community impact.
• Community-Centered: We believe spiritual growth happens in community, not isolation. The ideal candidate understands that active participation in the life of the local church is an essential part of Christian discipleship. This leader develops strategies, communications, and ministry initiatives that encourage people to move from passive attendance to meaningful relationships, shared life, and mutual accountability.
• Christlike Transformation: We believe discipleship is a lifelong journey of transformation through being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did. The ideal candidate models this commitment personally and helps create environments, communications, and ministry experiences that encourage spiritual growth and faithful living.
• Equipping the Saints: We believe ministry is the calling of the entire body of Christ, not solely church staff. The ideal candidate serves as a coach and catalyst who invites, equips, encourages, and supports volunteers and lay leaders. This leader recognizes that serving transforms the individual as much as it benefits the church and community and actively creates opportunities for people to discover and use their God-given gifts.

Discipleship, Engagement & Volunteer Development:  

• Collaborate with pastors and ministry leaders to communicate and strengthen pathways for discipleship, spiritual growth, connection, and service.
• Develop engagement strategies that encourage participation in worship, small groups, classes, serving opportunities, missions, and community outreach initiatives.
• Help identify, recruit, equip, recognize, and celebrate volunteers and lay leaders across ministries.
• Create communication strategies that support volunteer development, leadership cultivation, and ministry participation.
• Partner with ministry leaders to ensure church communications consistently invite people into deeper engagement and next steps in their faith journey.
• Use storytelling to highlight lives transformed through discipleship, service, mission, and community impact.

Leadership, Partnerships & Media Communications:

• Ability to lead changes and drive continuous improvement initiatives. Ensures continuous process improvement to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and ROI. Consolidate tools and databases used by the organization.
• Provide leadership and direction to communications staff, freelancers, contractors, and ministry communication volunteers as applicable, including goal setting, prioritization, coaching, and performance feedback to ensure high-quality, timely output. 
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, adaptability, and operational excellence within communications functions and cross-functional partnerships.
• Maintain current knowledge of communications best  practices and trends and pursue continuing education through professional groups, organizations, and conferences.

Strategic Communications & Brand Leadership:  

• Direct development of high-impact content across platforms (website, email, print, social, advertising, presentations,      stories/blogs), ensuring a coordinated approach to engagement, outreach, and marketing.
• Develop and maintain church-wide brand standards, messaging frameworks, and editorial guidelines.
• Establish communications priorities and annual goals aligned with organizational strategy.
• Ensure consistent messaging and coordinated campaign execution across campuses and ministries. Fosters collaboration across diverse groups. 
• Oversee the church’s digital presence (web and social)  and related tools; evaluate performance and user experience; and implement improvements that strengthen communication effectiveness and member  engagement.
• Develop and execute an integrated communications plan for the church’s new Welcome Center, including launch messaging,      signage/wayfinding content (as applicable), digital promotion, and ongoing storytelling that drives awareness and connection.
• Evaluate and improve communications workflows, intake processes, approval structures, editorial calendars, and project      management practices to support efficient, collaborative, and scalable operations across ministries. Strives to keep all activities and events centralized for streamline access.

Budget, Vendors & Performance Measurement:

• Develop and manage the communications budget; oversee vendor relationships (design, printing, web, advertising, media, photographers/videographers as applicable); and track results using reporting and analytics to inform decisions and improve outcomes.
• Assess communications systems, tools, and operational processes and implement improvements based on organizational needs, performance data, and user feedback.

Requirements

• Support FUMCWP’s vision, core values, and commitment to inclusion.
• Active participation in a Christian congregation is required. Familiarity with the United Methodist Church is strongly preferred. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to Christian discipleship, local church engagement, and servant leadership.
• Understanding of discipleship pathways, community engagement, and faith-based ministry environments.
• Demonstrated experience building relationships, mobilizing volunteers, leading teams, and fostering collaboration across diverse groups and ministries.
• Proven ability to translate organizational vision into meaningful engagement opportunities that inspire participation, discipleship, and service.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or related field; equivalent experience accepted.
• Five or more years of progressive communications experience with leadership responsibility; faith-based, nonprofit, education, or public service experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead communications strategy, manage multiple priorities, improve workflows, and execute high-quality, brand-consistent communications across channels.
• Excellent writing, editing, storytelling, and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Experience overseeing digital communications including websites, email, social media, content management, analytics, and communications processes. 
• Strong technology proficiency; Ability to effectively utilize Artificial Intelligence and other productivity tools to drive results. Experience with CMS, project management, analytics, and survey tools preferred. 
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence and build alignment across ministries.
• High level of discretion, emotional intelligence, and confidentiality.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, contracts, and performance outcomes.

Faith, Mission, & Ministry Alignment:

Because this role supports the ministries and spiritual mission of the church, the Strategic Mission Engagement & Communications Manager is expected to:

• Demonstrate a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and a lifestyle consistent with Christian values. Support and uphold the church’s Christian statement of faith while contributing to a culture that is welcoming, inclusive and respectful.
• Embrace the church's commitment to discipleship, community engagement, hospitality, and service. 
• Model integrity, humility, spiritual maturity, collaboration, and servant leadership.
• Recognize communications as a ministry tool that helps people connect with Christ, grow in faith, build authentic community, and serve others.
• Support the development and empowerment of volunteers and lay leaders, recognizing that ministry flourishes when the whole church participates in God's work.
• Demonstrates humility, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to both receive and provide constructive feedback with grace, while remaining adaptable and effective through organizational change and evolving ministry priorities.

Work Environment:

• Frequent operation of computer, telephonic and related office machines and equipment.
• Frequent walking, standing and driving.
• Occasional lifting, climbing, reaching, bending, twisting, pushing, pulling and grasping.
• Occasional travel (up to 15%).

Disclaimers:

• Information outlined is intended to provide a summary of job functions and does not demonstrate a comprehensive listing of all duties and responsibilities.
• The information provided is subject to amendment or other changes at any time, with or without prior notice.
• Employment at FUMCWP is at-will. This job description is not a contract of employment or agreement to provide ongoing employment.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• FUMCWP is an equal opportunity employer.