Job description

Position: Director of Wednesday Night Dinner

Purpose: The Director of Wednesday Night Dinner is responsible for the on-site operations of the Wednesday Night Dinner (WND) Ministry at Bethany Presbyterian Church.

Wednesday Night Dinner is an open-door community of Bethany Presbyterian Church which includes folks from the Sunday congregation and the local area. We gather Wednesday evenings to enjoy a meal and fellowship, to encourage one another in life and the Christian faith, and to be a blessing to our neighborhood and city.

Relationships and Accountability:

The WND Director is accountable to the Director of Formation and Outreach in the performance of the WND Director responsibilities. The WND Director supervises the WND Kitchen Supervisor and other part-time WND staff. The WND Director relates closely with the WND Elder, WND Leadership Team, WND volunteers, the Facilities Administrator, other Elders, and all staff - particularly to address shared facility use issues and shared ministry opportunities.

Hours:

The job is 20-25 hours per week, including a minimum of approximately 6 hours of on-site work Wednesday afternoons and evenings, and from around 10:15 – 11:15 a.m. at least 2 Sundays per month. There are no required hours in August when the dinners are not held.

Responsibilities for Managing Volunteers

The WND is built and sustained by the presence and work of many volunteers. The WND Director is primarily responsible for the recruitment, orienting, training, supervision, scheduling, and affirmation of the volunteers, with an eye towards delegation of appropriate tasks. [With respect to kitchen volunteers, these responsibilities are shared with the Kitchen Supervisor.] These responsibilities will be carried out both on Wednesdays and other times during the week.

Responsibilities on Wednesday Nights:

• Lead Wednesday nights: pray with volunteers before each dinner and bless the meal; set out welcome notices and supplies and make announcements before the dinner; provide a caring presence to all community participants and volunteers; assist with the dinner setup and cleanup; open and secure the Fellowship Hall before and after the dinner.
• Attend to the needs of community participants during the dinner, foster relationships and resolve conflicts and on occasion, when appropriate, offer care beyond Wednesday evening, which can include hospital visits and memorials and referrals for professional help and services.
• Supervise the WND Kitchen Supervisor and security staff, meeting regularly with WND Kitchen Supervisor and offering support at the dinner and during the week. Hire and supervise other part-time WND staff, subject to guidance of WND Leadership Team, Director of Formation and Outreach and Bethany Personnel Committee.
• Maintain a safe and welcoming environment, including guidance for staff and volunteers regarding safe physical practices when there are potentially disruptive guests, and practices regarding sharing of private or confidential information among guests or staff or volunteers.
• Document community service volunteer hours.

Responsibilities at Other Times During the Week:

• Be present on the Bethany campus at least 2 Sundays a month from around 10:15 to 11:15am. The goal is to help WND participants who do not regularly attend Sunday mornings to feel they belong.
• Periodic communication with the Congregation regarding the WND ministry.
• Manage, together with the WND Elder and Leadership Team, the WND Fund. Oversee budgeting, monitor food purchasing with Kitchen Supervisor, purchase supplies [such as sleeping bags, temporary shelters, coats, hats, gloves, and other items recommended by the Leadership Team], and maintain inventory of supplies and gift cards.
• Provide acknowledgement to donors and volunteers.
• Create and maintain the social services reference/resource folder for volunteers, staff, and Sunday ushers.
• Maintain flexible hours for occasional evening meetings with Bethany community members or to perform related duties as requested by the Director of Outreach and Formation, including presenting a brief update to Session once a year.
• Meet regularly with the supervisor, Director of Outreach and Formation.
• Attend staff meetings a minimum of once per month and provide updates on WND, including prayer requests.
• Attend Bethany Session meetings as invited (approximately 1-2 times per year).
• With the WND Elder, coordinate regular meetings of the WND Leadership Team to solicit feedback, plan future dinners and related events, and respond to needs as they arise.
• With the WND Leadership Team, establish goals to implement some of the recommendations of Bethany’s Roadmap to Reconciliation Working Group.
• Act as a lead consultant with staff regarding issues concerning WND community participants involved in other areas of church life.
• Lead WND special events: e.g., Giving Tree, gift card distribution and holiday celebrations.
• With the Kitchen Supervisor, assure that kitchen and other volunteers and staff follow health department regulations (including COVID protocols if reinstituted in the future).
• Assist with providing resources (e.g., clothing, food, medical services, and referrals to shelters, agencies that help with long-term housing and substance abuse recovery) to community participants.

Qualifications:

• A personal commitment to Jesus Christ and openness to the direction of the Holy Spirit.
• Skills in problem solving, setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, conflict resolution, and de-escalation.
• An appreciation for people of differing ethnic backgrounds, economic status, abilities and disabilities, and faith.
• Ability to encourage and train volunteers.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to provide vision for the program.
• Ability to engage in, and a commitment to, a collaborative approach to the program.
• Experience in social work desirable, and demonstrated experience with social service resources, including substance abuse, physical and mental health disabilities, and homelessness within King County.
• Ability to speak Spanish and/or American Sign Language is desirable.
• College degree preferred. Substantial relevant professional and/or lived experience will be considered as an alternative to a degree.

Evaluation:

• The Director of Formation and Outreach will conduct performance reviews annually.
• The Personnel Committee and Session will annually review the adequacy of compensation.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $28.00 - $32.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

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