Director of Youth Faith Formation

Job Description

St. John XXIII Parish
Director of Youth Faith Formation Job Description

Job Title: Director of Youth Faith Formation

Reports to: Pastor

Date: September 2025

Parish Profile
St. John XXIII is a parish with 3,600 registered members in Evanston, Illinois just north of Chicago. The parish offers Mass in English, Spanish, and French. Religious education is provided at Pope John XXIII school and a religious education program with 382 students. This is position is an outgrowth of a recently-adopted pastoral plan. More information on the parish is at https://www.stjohn23evanston.org/.

Job Summary
The Director of Youth Faith Formation is responsible for leading and directing vibrant programming that provides young people (ages 12-18) opportunities to encounter Jesus Christ, build community, and experience missionary discipleship. The director strengthens the parish's commitment to youth and facilitates the ongoing development of a personal and communal relationship between young people, the faith community, and God. The scope of this position is to discern, design, and implement ongoing formation opportunities for young people that integrate them into all components of the life of the parish. The director is responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation, and ongoing improvement of the formation initiatives, expanding youth involvement in parish ministries, including liturgical leadership, service, and prayer opportunities. The director must demonstrate strong leadership skills necessary to identify, develop, and retain strong teams of volunteer leaders critical to the success of parish ministry.

Essential job functions:
Inspire and facilitate belonging and community among all young people, their families, the parish, and broader Church community through a comprehensive vision of evangelization and research-based faith development in the 21st Century.
Work collaboratively with key St. John XXIII parish and school stakeholders in the construction of a research-based, age-appropriate, integrated, and scaffolded faith formation program guided by specific objectives that center and accompany young people toward their development as whole adult persons.
Coordinate, recruit, train, and support teams of adult mentors in the accompaniment of young people.
Support the development of small faith communities that celebrate the diversity of culture and lived experience within the Roman Catholic faith that include spirituality, sacramentality, works of mercy, and a faith committed to justice.
Develop a culture of encounter where young people are empowered to experience the joy of the Gospel, deepening their relationship with Jesus Christ through individual and communal prayer and participation in the liturgical, devotional, and ecumenical life of the Church.
Guide young people in experiencing, reflecting, and acting on the social mission of the Church in accordance with Catholic social teaching.
Engage the parish and broader Church community in dignifying (voicing and responding to) the joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties, as well as rights, responsibilities, and ongoing needs of young people. Facilitate synodal listening sessions, focus groups, and surveys to understand the youth's daily concerns, spiritual interests, data on religious disaffiliation, and questions.
Affirm and call forth the unique gifts of young people and the teams of adult mentors serving them by providing opportunities for leadership development within the life of the parish.
Coordinate with parish staff and ministry leaders to advocate for greater participation of young people in the life of the parish and ensure their inclusion in all available parish ministries.
Cultivate discernment skills in young people that assist in the exploration and realization of personal vocation and a commitment to the common good, reflective of a mature young adult life of faith.
Seek parishioners with grant writing expertise to pursue funding and endowments for faith formation initiatives, especially those that directly impact young people.
Provide regular updates in the parish bulletin and other communication channels to highlight faith formation activities and opportunities.
Systematize a 360 degree feedback loop with parish and school stakeholders that provides regular (seasonal and/or annual) evaluation and reflection on all programming, ensuring their efficacy, continuity, relevance, and responsiveness consistent with the comprehensive vision and objectives of the St. John XXIII faith formation program.
Ensure that all ministry programming complies with the guidelines for Protecting God's Children for those who minister with and to children in accordance with the Archdiocese of Chicago policies.

Job requirements
Practicing Catholic with understanding and support for Roman Catholic teaching, mission, and values.
Defined understanding of the mission, goals, and principles of Catholic youth faith formation & ministry.
Prior experience (2-5 years) with young people in a context of faith formation that includes a demonstrated understanding of the developmental needs of young people with popular, ethnic, and family subcultures, as appropriate to the faith community being served.
Proven ability to recruit, train, and form adult volunteers and mentors.
Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and possesses developed skills in leadership, organization, communication, and management that are pastoral, hope-filled, and reflect a strong commitment to collaboration and teamwork among parish leaders, clergy, staff, and volunteers.
Demonstrate a mature discipleship evidenced in the ability to meaningfully and authentically witness one's own faith.
Language skills as needed - English and Spanish
Proficiency with technology used for communicating and presenting.
Commitment to ongoing and regular spiritual direction for continued personal spiritual and leadership growth.
Master's degree in Catholic Pastoral Studies, Theology, Divinity, or equivalent preferred (candidates who do not possess a relevant Master's degree but are committed to working toward the successful completion of a program are encouraged to apply).
Flexible schedule to accommodate evening and weekend programming.

Preferred job skills and experience
Ability to deal with multiple projects, flexible, sound judgment, and comfortable with change.
Trained lay ministers, Catholic educators, as well as priests, deacons, or religious, are preferred for this position.

Salary structure and benefits
Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. The Archdiocese of Chicago offers a competitive package of benefits including medical insurance, a 403(b)-retirement plan, and paid family leave.

Application Process:
To apply for this position, please visit stjohn23evanston.org/careers and fill out the online application or send a resume and cover letter to Art Roggow (aroggow@archchicago.org) and Fr. Jean-Philippe Lokpo (kklokpo@archchicago.org).

About the Employer

At St. John XXIII Parish we make the Kingdom of God present in our world by loving God, welcoming all, serving humanity, and caring for creation.