Primary Function

The Youth Ministry Specialist is an enthusiastic champion of Catholic youth ministry who loves Jesus and teens. The role supports the Office of Youth Ministry (OYM) by promoting comprehensive youth ministry efforts for youth (adolescents in grades 6-12) in the diocese. Reporting to the Director of Youth Ministry, the Youth Ministry Specialist will advocate for, coordinate, and provide services related to formation, pastoral care, and networking for youth ministry leaders, as well as help plan and execute direct ministry events for youth.

Major Responsibilities:

• Build relationships with youth ministry leaders
• Mentor and coach new youth ministers
• Help plan, promote, and execute OYM events, including youth ministry formation opportunities and direct ministry events
• Provide creative Catholic content, in both images and video, for social media channels to an audience of youth and youth ministers designed to evangelize, inspire, and encourage, and to promote OYM events and diocesan initiatives
• Create marketing flyers, engaging screen content, and evangelizing images for swag for OYM events
• Maintain relationship between scouting organizations and the diocese

Position Qualifications:

• A practicing Catholic in full communion with the Church who is committed to the teachings, values and traditions of the Catholic Church
• In-depth familiarity with the Roman Catholic Church, its structure, teaching, beliefs and attitudes, with particular emphasis on the parish environment
• A bachelor’s degree in theology or related field is required. Post-secondary education, certification, training, or significant experience in youth ministry may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree
• At least two years of experience in youth ministry at the parish level
• Demonstrated ability to work with and support people with diverse ethnic, social, cultural and economic backgrounds
• Understanding of trends in Catholic youth ministry and the needs of youth ministers
• Understanding of trends in teen culture and social media
• Highly skilled in graphic design
• Ability to think creatively and take initiative to develop new areas of outreach and programs
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in MS Office, Canva and collaborative platforms such as OneDrive or Google Drive
• Availability and commitment to work weekdays, and 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 “Youth Ministry Specialist: Candidate Application Materials.” 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 in April 2024. Anticipated start date is June 17, 2024.