Youth Pastor

Princeton Alliance Church • Plainsboro, NJ

14h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Youth Pastor leads PAC Youth for middle school and high school students, owning the Sunday and Tuesday gatherings from planning through follow-up. The role casts vision for Youth within the Family Life strategy, teaches Scripture, provides pastoral care, and helps students move from attending to belonging, serving, and leading. It partners with parents in their students’ discipleship and recruits, trains, schedules, and disciples Youth volunteers.

The Youth Pastor oversees student worship teams and major events, including retreats, the LIFE youth conference, and summer mission trips. The position is responsible for child safety practices, clear communication, ministry administration, and the annual Youth budget. It also evaluates gatherings and events, maintains the Youth Ministry Playbook, and keeps the Family Life Team Leader informed about ministry developments and student and family situations.

This is a hybrid role requiring consistent in-person availability for gatherings, training, events, and time with students and parents. Up to one day per week may be worked remotely by arrangement with the Family Life Team Leader. The schedule includes weekend services, Tuesday evening Youth gatherings, meetings, church-wide events, ministry activities outside standard business hours, and participation in the pastoral on-call rotation.

Requirements

• Licensed with the C&MA and in good standing, or able to complete C&MA licensure within 90 days of hire.
• Personal, growing Christian faith and full alignment with PAC’s mission, beliefs, and C&MA doctrinal commitments.
• At least 3 years of ministry experience with middle school or high school students, vocationally or through substantial volunteer leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to teach and preach to students.
• Experience recruiting, training, and supporting volunteer leaders.
• Experience partnering with parents, including having difficult conversations about their student.
• Sound judgment in changing student and family situations, including knowing what to handle and what to escalate.
• Composure and sound judgment in urgent crises, including acting quickly on trips or retreats and escalating at the first safe moment.
• Strong communication and organizational skills, including ability to handle most of the ministry’s administration.
• Successful completion of a background check and PAC child safety training.
• Growing Christian faith and character; commitment to the church’s mission and a call to ministry within a diverse congregation.
• Lifestyle congruent with the biblical requirements for leaders (1 Tim. 3:1–13; 2 Tim. 2; 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.
• Availability for required weekend services, Tuesday evening Youth gatherings, meetings, church-wide events, and ministry activities outside standard business hours.

Nice To Haves

• Degree in ministry, theology, youth ministry, or a related field.
• Experience developing student or volunteer worship teams.
• Training in adolescent mental health or trauma-informed ministry.
• Experience leading in a multiethnic or multilingual congregation.
• Working knowledge of Planning Center Online.

Responsibilities

• Lead PAC Youth week to week for middle school and high school students, owning Sunday and Tuesday experiences from planning through follow-up.
• Cast vision for Youth within the Family Life strategy so students, parents, and volunteers understand the ministry’s purpose and direction.
• Recruit, train, schedule, and disciple Youth volunteers.
• Maintain a Youth Ministry Playbook covering vision, rhythms, security, conflict management, and leader qualifications, with security procedures based on Family Life child safety standards.
• Teach and preach Scripture at Youth gatherings within the approved calendar, connecting it to students’ contexts.
• Provide pastoral care to students, including follow-up with new and drifting students and first response in student crises alongside the Family Life Team Leader.
• Carry out child safety standards, including screening compliance, adult-to-student ratios, two-adult rules, and mandated reporting.
• Partner with parents in student discipleship and equip them to shepherd their students in a changing digital age.
• Own communication with students, parents, and volunteer leaders, keeping schedules, event details, and changes clear, consistent, and timely.
• Plan and lead Youth retreats, the LIFE youth conference, summer mission trips, and other major events, co-leading with the Family Life Team Leader.
• Oversee the middle school and high school worship team, develop student musicians, and ensure worship is led at every gathering.
• Identify and develop student leaders and provide meaningful opportunities for students to serve and lead.
• Evaluate gatherings, trainings, and events and adjust what is not working.
• Handle Youth ministry administration, including Planning Center Online, event registrations and logistics, and budget tracking, with shared support from the Discipleship & Development Ministry Assistant.
• Prepare and own the annual Youth budget and manage spending against it.
• Keep the Family Life Team Leader informed about victories, challenges, and student and family situations.
• Attend required weekend services, church-wide events, department and staff meetings, the Metro District Conference, and other ministry activities as assigned.
• Participate in the pastoral on-call rotation for funerals, weddings, hospital and emergency visits, and other pastoral care needs outside scheduled hours.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick, personal, mission trip, 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: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed