Director of Service Development & Operations

Lakewood Church•Houston, TX

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Service Development & Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for Lakewood Church services, special services, ministry environments, and the Service Team Ministry. This position develops the systems, staffing strategies, training, resources, and operational standards necessary to support consistent, safe, and excellent service execution and a welcoming guest experience. The Director leads Service Team Ministry staff and volunteers while partnering across departments to strengthen operational readiness and continuously improve service practices. This role combines people leadership, ministry partnership, and operational strategy to help Lakewood services and ministry environments operate effectively at scale.

Requirements

Uncompromised commitment to Lakewood Church’s vision, values, and core beliefs
Demonstrated Christ-like character and spiritual maturity
Strong leadership and team-development skills with the ability to lead staff and volunteer teams in a complex ministry environment
Strong operational planning, organizational, and project management skills
Demonstrated ability to develop and implement effective systems, procedures, staffing models, and operational standards
Ability to coordinate effectively across multiple departments, ministry teams, staff members, and volunteers
Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to anticipate needs, respond to changing circumstances, and resolve operational challenges
Ability to recruit, train, coach, develop, and empower staff and volunteer leaders
Demonstrated ability to evaluate operations using observation, feedback, data, and measurable outcomes and translate findings into practical improvements
Strong interpersonal, communication, and guest service skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities and high-activity ministry environments while maintaining attention to detail and service excellence
Proficiency with Planning Center or similar church management and scheduling platforms
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and applicable digital communication and virtual meeting platforms
College degree preferred or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
Minimum five (5) years of related experience in ministry operations, service planning, event operations, organizational leadership, or a related field
Demonstrated experience leading staff and volunteer teams
Experience supporting large-scale church services, conferences, events, or similarly complex operations preferred
Experience developing operational systems, training programs, procedures, and service standards preferred

Responsibilities

Lead operational planning and readiness for weekend services, special services, conferences, and church-wide events in partnership with Events, ministry teams, and other responsible departments
Develop and maintain service plans, procedures, schedules, staffing models, and communication systems that ensure teams and resources are prepared and aligned
Coordinate Service Team Ministry staffing and volunteer coverage to support effective execution of services, events, and ministry environments
Anticipate operational needs, identify potential gaps, and coordinate solutions before and during services and events
Establish clear communication, escalation, and accountability practices among teams supporting service execution
Lead, develop, and empower Service Team Ministry staff and volunteer leaders to build healthy teams and cultivate a consistent culture of ministry, service, accountability, and excellence
Develop and implement strategies for Service Team volunteer recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, leadership development, engagement, and retention
Oversee Planning Center and other applicable systems used for Service Team scheduling, staffing, communication, and ministry coordination
Equip volunteer leaders to effectively lead teams, communicate expectations, resolve issues, and support the ministry needs of volunteers
Evaluate staffing models and volunteer deployment practices and recommend adjustments based on ministry needs, service activity, and available resources
Establish and maintain operational standards, processes, checklists, and best practices that promote consistency across services and ministry environments
Evaluate service execution, ministry protocols, staffing practices, and operational processes through observation, data, feedback, and measurable outcomes
Identify operational challenges and implement practical improvements that strengthen effectiveness, efficiency, consistency, and scalability
Develop and test new approaches to service operations, team deployment, communication, and ministry practices
Monitor operational performance and provide recommendations to ministry leadership regarding emerging needs, risks, and opportunities for improvement
Partner with Safety, Security, Facilities, Events, and ministry teams to support effective safety, emergency response, crowd-flow, and operational procedures
Develop and coordinate operational training that equips staff, ministry leaders, and volunteers for safe, consistent, and effective execution
Ensure Service Team leaders and volunteers understand applicable procedures, expectations, and emergency response responsibilities
Manage assigned budgets, equipment, supplies, and other ministry resources with responsible stewardship
Develop operational systems and service standards that contribute to a welcoming, organized, intentional, and consistent guest experience
Partner with ministry leaders to identify service-related barriers or operational challenges affecting guests, volunteers, or ministry effectiveness
Collaborate across departments to promote unity, consistency, and effectiveness throughout Lakewood services and ministry environments
Partner with Lakewood leadership and ministry teams to support initiatives that advance the vision and mission of the Church
Provide leadership, coaching, and development to Service Team Ministry staff, volunteer leaders, and assigned project teams
Support hiring, onboarding, performance management, and ongoing development of assigned staff
Foster a positive, respectful, accountable, and ministry-focused team environment
Other related duties as assigned
Regular attendance at Church services and classes
Serving as a Prayer Partner or as a volunteer in any ministry of the Church
Serving our community through local outreaches from time to time when needed by the Church