Chaplain I

State of North Carolina•Wake, VA

3d•$43,267 - $75,718•Onsite

About The Position

The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction is seeking professional clergy from a variety of religious traditions to provide spiritual care and religious programming at Browns Creek Correctional Facility in Polkton, North Carolina. Candidates ordained or endorsed by Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Humanist, American Indian Traditionalist, or other religious groups are encouraged to apply. The Chaplain communicates with interdisciplinary staff, officers, community clergy, mental health providers, volunteers, incarcerated people, and their families. The role involves conducting and coordinating religious education, worship, pastoral care, grief support, and related activities for incarcerated participants. The Chaplain must be comfortable supervising offenders and serving people from diverse backgrounds. The role also advises facility leaders on religious and theological matters and, when appropriate, staff and offender morale, and participates in research and data collection on pastoral, programmatic, and interfaith issues. The position requires applying constitutional principles, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), and relevant court decisions to support equal treatment of religious practices across faiths. The Chaplain must understand and follow departmental and facility policies, procedures, memoranda, legal documents, and other directives. This is a full-time position, 40 hours per week, including one late-night shift and monthly weekend duty. The advertised salary range is $43,267 to $75,718. Minimum qualifications include a Master of Divinity degree from an ATS-accredited school of theology or seminary, or a related-field master’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution; one year of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) residency or equivalent professional chaplaincy/clergy experience; and ordination or membership in a recognized religious governing body. An equivalent combination of education and experience may also qualify. The posting describes an equivalency for a one-year CPE residency: Level One, Unit One of CPE plus one year of supervised ministerial experience, or two years of professional prison chaplaincy experience. Applicants must submit a completed state application and the specified supporting documents, including education and work history, relevant certificates or licenses, and required ministerial credentials. Applicants may be subject to a criminal background check and drug screen.

Requirements

Master of Divinity degree from an ATS-accredited school of theology or seminary, or a master’s degree in a related field from an appropriately accredited institution, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
One year of residency in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) or equivalent professional chaplaincy/clergy experience.
Ordination or membership in a recognized religious governing body.
To establish the stated equivalency to a one-year CPE residency, completion of Level One, Unit One of CPE plus one year of supervised ministerial experience, or two years of professional prison chaplaincy experience.
Ability to communicate effectively with interdisciplinary staff, officers, community clergy, mental health providers, volunteers, offenders, and their families.
Comfort supervising offenders and working with a broad diversity of people.
Basic knowledge of constitutional principles, RLUIPA, and key court decisions concerning religious practices and equal treatment on an interfaith basis.
Ability to understand and comply with policies, standard operating procedures, memoranda, legal documents, and other directives.
Submit a completed state application with full education and work history and required ministerial information and documents.
Current Letter of Good Standing from the endorsing faith group or ecclesiastical endorsement.
Copy of Master of Divinity degree or equivalent master’s degree or transcript.
Copy of CPE certificates or transcript.
Copy of ordination certificate or equivalent.
Current resume.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of clinical pastoral/spiritual care and the role of the chaplain in a correctional or institutional setting.
Proven ability to plan, organize, and develop a comprehensive pastoral/spiritual care program.
Proven experience establishing rapport with patients, residents, offenders, congregants, and their families.
Ordained or endorsed candidates from Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Humanist, American Indian Traditionalist, or other religious traditions are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Plan, conduct, coordinate, or facilitate interfaith religious programs, including worship services, faith-group and Bible studies, and individual or group pastoral/spiritual care or counseling.
Assess patients or inmates upon admission or transfer to identify pastoral or spiritual care needs.
Supervise religious or spiritual services provided by volunteers and inmate faith helpers, as applicable.
Recruit and coordinate religious or spiritual volunteers and services on an ongoing basis.
Visit patients in community hospitals, as applicable.
Lead or arrange approved religious rites and sacraments, such as communion, baptism, or observances on holy days.
Coordinate pastoral volunteers.
Communicate and collaborate with interdisciplinary staff, officers, community clergy, mental health providers, volunteers, offenders, and their families.
Provide advice and counsel to facility leaders on religious and theological matters and, when appropriate, staff and offender morale.
Participate in research and data collection on pastoral, programmatic, and interfaith issues.
Apply constitutional principles, RLUIPA, and relevant court decisions to religious practices and equal treatment across faiths.
Comprehend and abide by departmental and facility policies, procedures, memoranda, legal documents, and other directives.