Staff Chaplain

Maricopa County

1d • $57,000 - $74,500

About The Position

Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of others? Do you have a passion for ministry, a strong sense of empathy, and the desire to inspire others? If so, we invite you to join our team as a Staff Chaplain. The MCSO Staff Chaplain provides full-time, professional emotional, spiritual, and moral support to all MCSO employees—sworn, detention, and civilian—and their immediate families. This position is exclusively staff-facing and does not involve services to inmates. The chaplain promotes individual resilience, team morale, and workplace wellness. This role also supervises the Volunteer Chaplain Program and participates in formal agency ceremonies and crisis response activities. The Chaplain serves as a trusted, confidential resource available to support personnel during routine operations and critical incidents. Apply now and embark on an incredible journey of compassion, healing, and growth as a Staff Chaplain with MCSO. About the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office: Do you possess integrity, strong interpersonal skills, and do you have a desire to serve your community? We are seeking passionate individuals to join our team with a variety of openings for Civilian, Detention and Sworn personnel. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) invites you to become part of Arizona's leading law enforcement agency where we come together as a team to support and provide public safety.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Divinity, Theology, Comparative Religion, Scripture or related field and completion of a seminary program.
• Three (3) years of experience in active ministry.
• OR Must be ordained, licensed, commissioned, endorsed, or sponsored by a denomination/religion; must be in good standing with the denomination/religion for three (3) years; Letter of Certification from a regional/local leader of the denomination/religion is required. (The Letter of Certification must state at a minimum: The applicant is in good standing with the denomination/religion for at least three (3) years. Reference to ordinations, licensing, commissioning, or sponsorship may also be included).
• Other combinations of education or experience may substitute for the minimum qualifications on a year for year basis.
• In order to be considered for employment with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, successful candidates must not have a revoked or suspended driver’s license.
• OR Must possess a valid Arizona driver’s license or have the ability to obtain by the time of hire.
• Training that may be provided on-the-job: FEMA NIMS – IS100 and 700; Safety; Payroll; PREA.
• Prior to hiring, the Sheriff's Office requires that all candidates pass a background review.

Nice To Haves

• Two (2) years supporting uniformed personnel (e.g., law enforcement, detention staff, fire, EMS, military).
• Certification in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) or equivalent, or ability to obtain within six (6) months of hire.

Responsibilities

• Provide confidential, non-denominational emotional and spiritual support to MCSO employees and their immediate families.
• Respond to critical incidents, line-of-duty deaths, suicides, and other traumatic events to support employees and their units on-scene and during follow-up.
• Conduct or assist in delivering death notifications to employee families with compassion and professionalism.
• Make regular, visible rounds at MCSO worksites—such as substations, dispatch centers, training facilities, and administrative offices—to maintain approachability and trust.
• Provide ongoing support services to staff members in a secure high stress detention environment.
• Participate in employee wellness programs, health fairs, peer support training events, and team-building initiatives.
• Provide invocations or inspirational messages at formal MCSO events including academy graduations, promotional ceremonies, memorials, command staff meetings, and during National Police Week.
• Perform religious rites and ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and baptisms upon request and in accordance with applicable laws and agency policy.
• Recruits, trains, and supervises volunteer chaplains; schedules volunteer chaplains.
• Acts as the liaison between the department and religious leaders; makes presentations to religious groups and other law enforcement institutions.
• Supervise, mentor, and coordinate the MCSO Volunteer Chaplain Corps, including recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, and ongoing quality assurance.
• Ensure Volunteer Chaplains rotate through scheduled on-call coverage and participate in ride-alongs, dispatch sit-ins, wellness walk-throughs, and relevant staff support activities.
• Maintain detailed, confidential documentation of services provided in accordance with departmental policy and privacy standards.
• Provide training, guidance, and educational workshops on topics such as moral injury, grief, spirituality in crisis, and first responder stress.
• Collaborate closely with Peer Support and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams to provide integrated emotional support during and after significant events.
• Maintains good attendance to perform assigned duties as scheduled and/or assigned by supervisor.
• Conducts religious worship services of own faith tradition as directed by designee or command staff.
• Provides direction to Chaplain volunteers.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Growth and stability since 1871
• Choice of three medical plans – starting as low as $70/month
• Holidays – 10/year + 1 personal day
• Enrollment in Arizona State Retirement System
• Paid sick and parental leaves (birth/adoption)
• 10% discount at KinderCare facilities in the Valley and upcoming MCKids Club to serve County employees and their families exclusively
• MCSO Mentoring program to provide personal and professional growth opportunities for all employees
• Access to free County gyms

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level