Elementary Director

Princeton Alliance Church • Plainsboro, NJ

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Elementary Director leads PAC’s ministry serving elementary-age children and their families. The role oversees weekend programming, volunteer recruitment and development, curriculum preparation, worship and technology teams, child safety and check-in procedures, and the planning and delivery of Elementary events and PACKids Summer Camp. The director partners with parents to support children’s faith development, coordinates with other family-ministry leaders to provide continuity across age groups, and works with the Buddies Specialist to include children with special needs. The role also manages Planning Center Online for Elementary ministry and stewards the ministry budget.

The position is primarily on-site, with planning, curriculum preparation, and administrative work permitted remotely up to one day per week with supervisor approval. It includes weekend services, office hours, weekly and biweekly meetings, church-wide events, and evening or weekend work as ministry needs arise. Required attendance includes all Sunday services, Good Friday, Easter services, Christmas Eve services, and the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s. Planned retreats, workshops, and training outside standard business hours are also part of normal ministry rhythms.

Requirements

• Personal, growing Christian faith and alignment with PAC’s mission and beliefs.
• At least 3 years of experience in children’s ministry, elementary education, or a closely related field, including direct experience leading volunteers.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, and retain a volunteer team.
• Working understanding of how elementary-age children learn and of age-appropriate classroom and behavior management.
• Strong organization and follow-through across weekly activities and large seasonal events.
• Consistent, detail-oriented implementation of child-safety and check-in procedures.
• Strong communication with parents, volunteers, and staff peers.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, and comfort learning church management software.
• Successful completion of a background check and PAC child-safety training.
• Growing Christian faith and character; commitment to the mission of the church; and a call to ministry within a diverse congregation.
• Lifestyle congruent with the biblical requirements for leaders cited in 1 Timothy 3:1–13, 2 Timothy 2, and Titus 1:5–9.
• Become a PAC member within 6 months of the start date.
• Commitment to give faithfully to the Local and Global Ministry Funds.
• Participation in a Community Group and one-on-one discipleship.
• Attend weekend services and church-wide events as assigned, and promptly communicate schedule changes to staff and direct reports.
• Attend all Sunday services, Good Friday, all Easter services, all Christmas Eve services, and the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s; attend weekly and biweekly department and staff meetings.
• Work evenings and weekends as ministry needs arise, including Elementary programming, Family Life events, and PACKids Summer Camp; participate in planned retreats, workshops, and training outside standard business hours.

Nice To Haves

• Associate’s degree or higher in education, child development, or a related field.
• Experience with Planning Center Online, particularly Services, Check-Ins, and Registrations.
• Experience planning large children’s events or a day camp.
• Experience serving children with special needs or disabilities.
• Experience leading or developing children’s worship.

Responsibilities

• Lead weekend Elementary ministry, including large- and small-group programming, worship, classroom readiness, and consistent child-safety and check-in procedures.
• Recruit, approve, train, and develop Elementary volunteers, develop assistants into teachers, and build a sufficiently deep volunteer team.
• Disciple and care for volunteers; lead Sunday huddles, kickoff training, and regular meetings for teachers, assistants, and greeters; and make improvements in response to volunteer feedback.
• Lead the Elementary worship and technology team, develop volunteers in those roles, and prepare alternate worship when a team is unavailable.
• Prepare and distribute weekly curriculum, lessons, supplies, and information ahead of Sunday, and teach large group when needed.
• Schedule and cover Sundays through Planning Center, follow up with volunteers who decline or do not show, and schedule guest speakers for large group.
• Plan and run PACKids Summer Camp with the Family Life Team Leader, including registration, volunteer placement and training, check-in and safety teams, rosters, vendors, and supplies.
• Plan and execute Elementary ministry events, including Good Friday, Easter, Christmas, and summer large-group programming; share leadership of Family Life events with the Family Life Team Leader and Early Childhood Director.
• Manage Elementary ministry use of Planning Center Online, including check-in stations and labels, registrations, lists, and reports for Sundays, events, and camp.
• Partner with parents through registration and check-in, classroom behavior conversations, and parent development; collaborate on the Parent Handbook and monthly parent updates.
• Meet with families about baptism for elementary-age children in collaboration with the Family Life Team Leader.
• Coordinate with the Early Childhood Director and Youth Pastor on shared systems and transitions between ministries.
• Partner with the Buddies Specialist to include and serve children with special needs in Elementary environments.
• Manage the Elementary budget within approved limits, including curriculum, supplies, and event expenses, and reconcile receipts in Blackbaud.

Benefits

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick, personal, mission trips, parental leave, and personal solitude days.
• Health insurance, including medical, dental, vision, and HSA; PAC subsidizes 85% of employees’ insurance premiums.
• 403(b) retirement plan with up to 3% employer matching contribution after 6 months of service.
• Continuing education benefits.
• Sabbatical or extended rest after 5 years of service.
• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Relocation reimbursement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed