Children's Ministry Program Director - Edina

Wooddale Church•Edina, MN

1d•$55,000 - $65,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Children’s Ministry Program Director leads a thriving Woods Kids ministry at the Edina campus by building teams, developing leaders, and equipping volunteers to help children know and follow Jesus. Serving children ages six weeks through fourth grade and their families, this leader creates safe, welcoming, gospel-centered environments where children experience God’s love, families find belonging, and volunteers serve with confidence and joy. We’re looking for a relational, proactive leader with the initiative to grow ministry and the discipline to follow through. Leading with joy and generosity, this person sees potential in people, invites them into meaningful ministry, and provides them the training, encouragement, and ownership they need to lead well. They bring both a heart for people and an appreciation for clear systems, strengthening established practices and helping develop better ones where needed. As an active member of both the Edina campus staff and Wooddale’s broader Children’s Ministry team, the director contributes to shared planning, learning, and ministry alignment. The director implements shared curriculum, ministry strategy, and safety standards while adapting delivery to the Edina campus.

Requirements

Spiritual maturity: A growing relationship with Jesus, a heart for children and families, and a life marked by integrity, prayer, humility, and service.
Proven team leadership: Demonstrated success recruiting, developing, and retaining volunteers or leading comparable teams, with evidence of equipping others to own responsibilities.
Relational strength: Warmth, emotional maturity, sound judgment, and the ability to build trust with children, parents, volunteers, and colleagues from varied backgrounds.
Initiative and execution: A self-directed approach, healthy ambition for ministry growth, and the ability to turn ideas into realistic plans and completed work.
Organizational ability: Strong planning, communication, delegation, and follow-through; comfort using ministry technology and maintaining clear, repeatable processes.
Collaborative leadership: Ability to contribute to multiple teams, receive feedback, navigate shared expectations, and remain accountable to campus leadership.
Ministry understanding: Experience in children’s ministry or a related setting, with an understanding of age-appropriate discipleship, child development, and safe ministry practices.
Church commitment: Affirm Wooddale’s Statement of Faith and Covenant; support its mission, vision, values, and leadership; participate regularly in worship and become or remain a member in good standing.

Responsibilities

Recruit, onboard, equip, and retain volunteers for nursery, preschool, elementary, and ministry support teams.
Identify and develop team captains and other volunteer leaders who can lead people, own ministry responsibilities, and equip others.
Delegate meaningful responsibility with clear expectations, appropriate decision-making authority, resources, and regular coaching.
Establish consistent rhythms of training, prayer, encouragement, feedback, and appreciation that strengthen volunteers’ faith and effectiveness.
Develop team depth and dependable coverage so ministry runs well across services, seasons, and leadership absences.
Oversee Sunday morning and Wednesday evening Woods Kids programming, ensuring age-appropriate biblical teaching, meaningful relationships, and engaging experiences.
Equip teams to prepare and lead every part of the ministry experience, including check-in, classrooms, teaching, worship, activities, and transitions.
Maintain a visible, relational presence with children, families, and volunteers; model excellent ministry and coach others through hands-on involvement.
Plan and lead campus children’s and family ministry events, including VBS and outreach opportunities, in partnership with campus and Children’s Ministry staff.
Build trusting relationships with parents and caregivers, equipping them with practical resources and encouragement to nurture faith at home.
Create a welcoming experience for new families, with clear next steps and timely, personal follow-up.
Communicate proactively with families and volunteers about ministry plans, schedules, expectations, and opportunities.
Respond thoughtfully to family needs and concerns, coordinating additional care and support with appropriate staff.
Maintain clear, dependable processes for volunteer onboarding and scheduling, classroom preparation, attendance, communication, and guest follow-up.
Implement Wooddale’s child safety policies and procedures, including volunteer screening, check-in and release, supervision, and incident reporting; ensure teams understand and follow them.
Use established church tools and shared processes consistently. Identify gaps, recommend improvements, and help document and implement approved changes.
Plan ahead for staffing, space, supplies, and ministry growth; steward assigned resources and spending within approved budgets.
Review participation, volunteer engagement, family feedback, and ministry effectiveness with the Campus Pastor, translating observations into practical improvements.
Translate campus vision and shared Children’s Ministry direction into clear goals, plans, and team responsibilities.
Participate actively in campus, Children’s Ministry, and churchwide staff rhythms, contributing ideas and following through on commitments.
Work constructively across teams, communicate capacity and priorities early, and address differences with humility, clarity, and respect.
Pursue opportunities to reach new families and expand ministry capacity while sustaining healthy teams and dependable execution.