What's my (potential) job title?

October 5, 2009 12:09 PM

Another "what's my job title/description" question. Difficulty level: yet to be created, largely secular position within a religious community.

A local religious congregation with far more financial resources than actual congregants is looking to create a position to address its shrinking, aging membership. I imagine this would involve some marketing, some outreach, some "relational organizing"* (though not all members may be comfortable with the seemingly politically tinted term "organizer," at least without some sort of modifier).

Are there precedents for this kind of position in other congregations? What kinds of job descriptions are out there? What kind of job titles would be appropriate?

More personally, as a possible candidate for this position (who doesn't foresee a long-term career in religious/faith-based management, but would like to transition into non-profit management or academia after my education is complete), what kind of title do I want to make this position seem relevant to the unchurched?

If you yourself do this kind of work (either as a minister, lay leader, or staff), I'd welcome any ideas or resources as well on where one might start.


*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relational_meeting

posted by anonymous to work & money (5 comments total)

Membership Coordinator.
posted by torquemaniac at 12:22 PM on October 5

Community Outreach Liaison

Congregational Liaison

Congregational Ombudsman

Director of Community Outreach

Director of Congregational Outreach
posted by amyms at 12:38 PM on October 5

Director of Community Outreach or Membership Coordinator would get you the most future mileage. While Membership Coordinator might be more accurate, "Director of Anything" is a better bet for the future. Whenever you get the chance to put Director in front of your name, do it - you get better swag at conventions! (And better jobs, too.)
posted by DarlingBri at 1:25 PM on October 5

I was going to suggest "Community Liaison", but I think I like amyms' "Community Outreach Liaison" more.
posted by quin at 2:38 PM on October 5

It's hard to answer this question without knowing what the job is... you told us something about the situation and something about the methods, but not what you're supposed to do. Are you supposed to recruit new members? In that case it's not really a secular job is it? Membership Coordinator (or Director of Evangelism or Associate Pastor for Evangelism, might all be appropraiate [assuming a Christian community]). Something like outreach, would be more about using the organizations money to help people outside the organization without bringing them inside the organization. If your supposed to use the financial resources to help people who are already members, you might be Director of Inreach, Pastoral Care Coordinator, or similar titles.
posted by Jahaza at 3:14 PM on October 5