RELIGIOUS SERVICES COORDINATOR

The GEO Group•Big Spring, TX

About The Position

The Religious Services Coordinator provides spiritual and pastoral care to detainees and facilitates their ability to pursue individual religious beliefs and practices in accordance with current law, federal regulations, and CBDC Standards. The role provides religious worship, education, counseling, spiritual direction, support, and crisis intervention to address the diverse religious and spiritual needs of detainees. The coordinator serves as the facility’s subject matter expert on religious practices.

Requirements

Be ordained clergy or a member of an ecclesiastically recognized religious institute; alternatively, provide adequate documentation of recognized religious and ministerial roles in the applicant’s faith community.
Thorough knowledge of recognized religions, their basic tenets, and worship requirements.
Knowledge of basic security procedures in a detention setting and ability to implement and maintain them within the religious program.
Knowledge of facility policies, relevant American Correctional Association Policy and Procedure Standards, and other guidelines governing religious programming.
Ability to implement and monitor compliance with policy directives and guidelines.
Interpersonal communication skills for working with staff, detainees, volunteers, outside agencies, and organizations.
Knowledge of fiscal management procedures.
Demonstrated management ability to provide a religious services program that ensures fair and equitable services for all religions.
Interviewing and individual and group counseling skills.
Ability to use computers and software typically used by the department.

Responsibilities

Provide individual spiritual and personal support to detainees.
Assist with emergency notifications and resolution of crisis situations involving detainees, staff, or their families; respond to identified detainee needs; advocate for detainees’ religious rights; and administer requests concerning religious beliefs.
Provide regular religious leadership at worship and prayer gatherings; establish working relationships with local clergy and coordinate their contributions; assist clergy in understanding detainee-related problems; oversee religious services and meetings; and ensure fair and equitable management of resources.
Support institutional policies and needs, attend facility staff meetings and events, assist the compliance team in documenting compliance with religious-practices requirements, and collaborate with departments on detainee socialization.
Serve as a resource for staff; communicate information and requests clearly and promptly; provide training programs and materials on detainee religious beliefs and practices; train staff and volunteers on cultural, social, and religious diversity and sensitivity to different faiths; and represent the facility’s Religious Services Program in appropriate public forums.
Perform other duties as assigned.