Associate Director of Parish Life

Description

Reports To: Director of Parish Life

Schedule: Varied (generally 8:30-5pm, M-F; some evenings and weekends)

FLSA Status: Exempt

Summary: The Associate Director of Parish Life plays a pivotal role in shaping vibrant, mission-driven parish communities across the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Serving as a trusted partner to pastors and parish leaders, this position empowers them with the tools, formation, and support needed to foster organizational health and dynamic leadership. By guiding parishes toward greater vitality and collaboration, the Associate Director helps advance the Archdiocese’s Sacred Purpose: to form missionary disciples who transform the world.

This is a highly relational and impactful role, one that combines strategic vision with hands-on ministry. From leading workshops and trainings to accompanying pastors and councils in discerning and implementing pastoral plans, the Associate Director is at the forefront of initiatives that strengthen parish life. If you are passionate about leadership development, organizational health, and walking alongside parish leaders in their mission, this position offers an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the life of the Church.

Requirements

Position Responsibilities:

• *Design and deliver transformative formation experiences that bring the Archdiocesan Pastoral Vision to life, equipping parish leaders to meet organizational health needs and adapt to emerging trends through engaging workshops, trainings, and resources.
• *Empower pastors and parish teams by providing personalized coaching and consulting, helping them implement effective leadership practices and achieve their pastoral vision.
• *Lead strategic conversations with pastors and parish leaders by facilitating dialogue that fosters collaboration, clarity, and shared mission at parish and deanery levels.
• *Champion organizational health by identifying best practices and adapting proven models to the unique context of parish life.
• *Update and implement Parish Pastoral Council Guidelines, ensuring alignment with Archdiocesan vision and fostering synodality and co-responsibility.
• Create engaging content for digital platforms and ministerial communications, collaborating with internal teams to amplify outreach and formation opportunities.
• *Build strong partnerships with lay movements, Church organizations, and Archdiocesan offices to advance leadership development and parish vitality.
• *Assess and support pastoral plans by evaluating parish strategies and providing actionable recommendations that lead to measurable growth and mission effectiveness.
• *Model pastoral accompaniment by walking alongside parish leaders in moments of transition, challenge, and opportunity.
• *Document and report insights to influence Archdiocesan initiatives, using tools like Asana to track progress and outcomes.
• Regularly engage in ongoing formation: professionally in areas related to pastoral councils, organizational health, leadership, facilitating parish small groups, and individual coaching, especially as they relate to pastors and parishes; personally, in theological study, prayer, charity and justice work, and spiritual formation
• Identify pastoral needs of parish leaders and respond appropriately. This includes the awareness of when parish leaders need referral for guidance or services with other offices; including situations that need referral beyond the scope of pastoral and ministerial support
• Act with diplomacy and tact, seeking to build and maintain relationships even in difficult or tense situations, relating comfortably with pastors and parish leaders across levels, functions, culture, and geography
• Communicate effectively so that messages are received and understood with clarity and purpose in a variety of settings: one-on-one, small and large groups, or among diverse styles and position levels
• Collaborate with others across the organization and in parishes in a model of pastoral de con junto and Synodality to achieve the Archdiocesan Vision, developing initiatives and opportunities for parish support
• Balance the interests of multiple stakeholders across Archdiocesan offices and parishes (for instance, in promoting Archdiocesan events/initiatives and discerning with the pastor the best way to implement it with his parish community)
• Follow through on commitments, gaining the confidence and trust of others easily
• Adhering to safety training and protocols on a daily basis and taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of self and others.
• Responsible for protecting the confidentiality of any information or material obtained in the service with the organization to include, but not limited to, client names and information, services rendered to clients, donors names and gifts, internal and external investigations or results of any investigations, and financial information
• Adherence to the Code of Conduct and the Faith and Moral Policy is mandatory
• Every employee is required to take a solution-oriented approach in their interactions and undertakings, as well as being a team member that promotes collaboration and commitment to the Mission and Vision of the organization
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Education/Experience:

• Master’s degree in organizational health and leadership or
• Bachelor’s degree in business related field with a certification in related fields (leadership, organizational development and change, strategic planning, etc.) and additional experience in lieu of a master’s degree

Experience:

• 6 years’ pastoral ministry experience at either a parish or diocesan level in any of the following pastoral ministry areas: evangelization & catechesis, youth & young adults, peace & social justice, liturgy & worship, or marriage & family life
• 3 years’ professional or ministerial leadership experience in team building, pastoral/strategic planning, project management, transition management
• Previous experience in coaching, consulting, and developing workshops/trainings

License and Credentials:

• Reliable transportation
• Valid driver license
• Valid vehicle insurance
• Roman Catholic in Good Standing with the Church

Minimum Knowledge and Skills:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish
• Working knowledge of Catholic Church teachings, especially the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Church documents (Co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, Directory for Catechesis, Co-Responsibility of the Laity, etc.)
• Experience with computer and management software (i.e., Microsoft Office 365 suite, Canva, Asana preferred)
• Must be detail-oriented, organized, self-motivated, work well independently and on a team
• Must have good written and verbal skills with the ability to effectively write reports, correspondence, and procedures; must be able to effectively present information to groups
• Must be able to process information from pastoral situations, perform analysis, and provide solution-oriented recommendations
• An advanced understanding and ability to apply knowledge of interpersonal, leadership, organizational health, and strategic planning methods, models, and skills in a parish context
• Experience working and communicating with diverse cultures and levels of leadership, education and experience

Travel Requirements: Travel requirements for the position include up to 20% local and 5% overnight.