Parish Life - Cleveland, Ohio
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND
PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Secretariat for Parish Life & Special Ministries - Lay Ecclesial Ministry | Young Adult Ministry | Interfaith/Ecumenical Affairs
Full-time position, non-exempt
The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland was founded on April 23, 1847. Under the leadership of Bishop Edward C. Malesic, it is the twenty-third largest diocese in the United States. The diocese encompasses the counties of Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain, Lake, Geauga, Medina, Wayne and Ashland. There are more than 692,000 Catholics in the Diocese, and Catholic Charities- Diocese of Cleveland is one of the largest diocesan systems of social services in the world. There are 185 parishes, 107 Catholic schools, 1 pastoral center and 1 mission office within the diocese. The cathedral is the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in downtown Cleveland.
PRIMARY FUNCTION:
Under the leadership of the Assistant Secretary for Parish Life and Special Ministries, the Program Assistant will assist with carrying out the mission of the Secretariat for Parish Life and Special Ministries and provide primary support to the offices of Lay Ecclesial Ministry, Young Adult Ministry and Interfaith/Ecumenical Affairs. Daily operational direction and assignments will come from the two directors who oversee these three ministries. It is anticipated that the Program Assistant will be at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe 4 days per week to support Lay Ecclesial Ministry, and at the Cathedral Square offices in downtown Cleveland 1 day per week to support Young Adult Ministry and Interfaith/Ecumenical Affairs.
The ideal candidate is someone who wants to joyfully build the Kingdom of God and provide excellent service to the parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. This position requires that the person can work with minimal supervision, exercise initiative and good judgment, handle multiple projects and prioritize special assignments. Some nights and weekends are required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Maintain knowledge of relevant ministries, programs and resources, and serve as a point of contact for clergy, parish staff, lay organizations and general inquiries.
- Support day-to-day functioning of the offices by providing overall administrative support including phone calls, correspondence, maintaining files, ordering supplies, and financial processing such as invoicing, payables/receivables, and reimbursements.
- Provide coordination and manage hospitality for all events, such as: LEM monthly formation meetings, diocesan young adult conferences, continuing education workshops, days of reflection, retreats, and other meetings, conferences and trainings.
- Coordinate registration; caterers and venues, speaker and vendor contracts; order supplies.
- Design promotional materials, including flyers and social media graphics.
- Serve as onsite hospitality minister; oversee set-up and cleanup.
- Maintains office calendar, databases, and mailing lists. Ensures VIRTUS compliance.
- Facilitates communication with stakeholders, advisory boards and committees, coordinates meetings and records minutes; create newsletters.
- Perform other job-related duties and tasks as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Strong Commitment to the teachings, traditions, and missionary impulse of the Catholic Church.
- Post-secondary education or certification in office management and administration or related field.
- Associate's degree or the equivalent, and at least 2-3 years administrative and/or parish ministry experience. Paid or volunteer experience in young adult ministry or adult formation strongly preferred.
- Intermediate level proficiency in Canva, Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.) Knowledge of Parish Data Systems (PDS) Church Management software a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to work with confidential and sensitive information.
- Demonstrated experience and skills in successful event management.
- Strong customer service and hospitality expertise.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in Spanish is a plus.
- Self-motivated, outstanding organizational and multi-tasking skills.
- Team player, enthusiasm for taking on assignments for a variety of offices as needed.
- Available to work some evenings and weekends.
TO APPLY: Please submit cover letter, resume, and completed Diocese of Cleveland Employment Application to phudak@dioceseofcleveland.org. In the subject line please enter “Program Assistant – Lay Ecclesial Ministry” Alternately, requested files may be uploaded below. Position will remain open until filled. Formal review process of all complete submitted materials to identify candidates for interview will begin on June 7, 2024.
