Provides administrative support to the Canon Vicar and Canon Missioner/Minister of Equity and Inclusion and their respective ministries and programs. The Administrative Specialist is a vital part of the Vicar’s and Canon Missioner’s offices and often the first person a potential new member, baptismal family, or neighbor seeking solace or care will meet. This role leads a collaborative approach that translates the purposes of the Cathedral Congregation’s mission into effective ministry to reach the unique goals and purposes of the Congregation and Cathedral. Effective administrative work is collaborative, requiring a self-starter and entrepreneurial/creative mindset to effectively support the whole team within a large system. Supervises volunteers who work in their areas of responsibility.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Administration
Manages Congregation (Vicar) processes:
- Sunday Morning Services
- Be present on Sunday mornings to greet Congregation members, newcomers, visitors, and to answer queries/questions during Coffee Hour.
- Assist in providing resources and support to volunteers, including Coffee Hour hosts and other congregational ministry volunteers and coordinators.
- Attend and facilitate Sunday scheduled meetings (New Member Coffees, Outreach/Social Justice, Now & Forever Racial Justice Initiative, or the Annual Congregation Meeting).
- Assist in general management of Congregation activities and needs, virtual and in-person.
- Assist in the hosting of the annual Congregation Picnic and Pentecost Ministry Fair.
- Assists with additional congregational events by coordinating vendors, room and calendar requests, catering, volunteer coordination, and other details as needed.
- Coordinate with worship to schedule weekly Lay Eucharistic Visitors (Hosptial, in home visitations) and provide updated information for pastoral needs to the clergy.
- Membership, Confirmation/Reception/Reaffirmation
- Responds to inquiries, registers new members, and facilitates membership transfers.
- With the Vicar, provides information to the Episcopal Diocese of Washington regarding members to be baptized, confirmed, received, or reaffirmed at Cathedral and Diocesan services.
- Requests information from new members and coordinates with the database manager to input information.
- Compiles new member information to send invitations to new member receptions/cocktail parties.
- Baptism Requests
- Receives on-line requests and prescreens each one to ensure families meet the Cathedral requirements for baptism via our membership database. Works closely with the priest associate who is responsible for all baptisms.
- Development/ Congregational Stewardship
- Coordinates with the Development Department to keep the database current with new and departing Congregation members.
- Supports the Vicar and the Stewardship Committee in their work with the annual giving campaign each fall.
- This work includes volunteer outreach, Ingathering Sunday logistics, and staffing the stewardship table on Sunday mornings.
- Scheduling, tech, and Theater Manager logistics for formation and community events.
- November Series dinners (including Thanksgiving Community Dinner), Advent Webinars, the five weeks of Take on Lent dinners, congregation picnic, and other Congregation events.
Manages Community (Canon Missioner) processes:
- Oversees all logistics, including coordination with the Guest and Event Management department, catering, volunteer support, set-up requests and program registration via Theater Manager.
- Coordinates logistics for events
- Catering for events.
- Volunteer teams (take tickets, serve food, etc.).
- Coordinates with Marketing and Communications and other departments for Cathedral Cares Initiatives.
- Back-to-School Backpack Drive, Thanksgiving Baskets, Advent gifts, and Easter gifts.
- Provides on-site support and oversight during events.
- Assists with scheduling, calendar management (Vicar/Canon Missioner events in the context of the Cathedral) and correspondence as requested.
- Attends monthly “Calendar” meetings with pertinent Cathedral staff.
- Prepares and reconciles accounts payable and expense reports; follows up as needed to resolve discrepancies.
- Monitors and orders supplies as needed for Vicar and Canon Missioner’s office activities and programs, including for Sunday Coffee Hour and supplies for the Cathedral Nursery.
Communication
- Acts as point of contact for calls, emails, visitors and Congregation members related to the Vicar, Canon Missioner, Congregation Priest Associate, and Cathedral Congregation.
- Act as primary point of contact internally amongst Cathedral colleagues and departments, facilitating information sharing and collaboration.
- Facilitates the communication and support of the Vicar and Canon Missioner with other Cathedral Congregation committees including the Racial Justice Initiative/Sacred Ground, the LGBTQIA+ Alliance, Via Media (40s-50s), Christian Formation, 20s-30s, Creation Care Ministry, Fiction Fun, Sanctuary/Neighbor to Neighbor and others.
- Arranges for monthly meetings including room set-up and reservations, Zoom usage and facilitation.
- Connects Congregation members with existing ministries and programs by providing information on descriptions and program leaders.
- Oversees Ministry Guide and works with the Vicar and Canon Missioner to review programming requests.
- Prepares the monthly meeting documents for the Cathedral Congregation Committee, assists with the tech for those members who attend the meetings on Zoom.
- Compiles news and articles for the monthly Congregation newsletter the Congregation Connection. Works closely with the Marketing and Communications Department on editing and sending the newsletter.
- Coordinates event/programing communications with the Marketing and Communications Department.
- Ensures ministry programming is communicated on the appropriate channels (website calendar, weekly e-blasts, newsletter, etc.).
Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in administration or communications or applicable fields; or experience commensurate to a degree.
- At least three years of administrative experience or equivalent education and experience.
- Ability to communicate effectively with people from a variety of backgrounds and with high expectations orally and through writing.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with the Episcopal Church and Episcopal terminology is preferred.
- Volunteer supervision experience is a plus.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Ability to support the mission, vision, and programming of the Cathedral.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including written and verbal communication, with an orientation toward customer service.
- Strong writing and editing skills; ability to write and format correspondence, support documentation, and other documents.
- Team focus; hospitable and professional manner when dealing with visitors, congregants, staff, vendors, and volunteers at all levels.
- Strong computer skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office/ SharePoint and Teams, including Word and Excel; must know how to host a Zoom meeting and webinar; proficiency with social media administration, such as Facebook and Instagram.
- Excellent organizational and planning skills; must have an attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to function graciously under pressure.
- Ability to focus amid frequent interruptions.
- Ability to handle change productively.
- Must be comfortable working in a religious setting with people of diverse faiths and cultural backgrounds.
Working Conditions:
- This position requires work outside of regular business hours, including evenings and weekends. Must be able to work on Sundays with some flexibility.
- The position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending and stooping in the performance of daily activities.
- The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in preparing reports using a computer keyboard.
- The position also requires near and far vision for reading and preparing written reports and other required documents.
- Acute hearing is also required when providing phone assistance.
- The need to lift, drag, push and pull files, reports and other materials weighing up to 25 pounds is also required.
Washington National Cathedral is an equal opportunity employer and strives to create a more diverse and inclusive atmosphere for all. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
We support an inclusive workplace where associates excel based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance.
Washington National Cathedral seeks individuals who are committed to our mission. We appreciate interest from those who will contribute to an atmosphere in which diversity is valued and supported.
Expected salary range: $65,000 - $68,000 commensurate to experience
