Transitions Administrator

Purpose

To provide primary administrative support to the Transitions Office, which includes guidance and communication with congregations and ministers in transition. To provide administrative support to other Ministries and Faith Development (MFD) offices as needed.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Communications:

• Manages communication and correspondence in a confidential manner.
• Recommends, interprets, and implements Transitions Office policies and procedures. Provides nuanced advice in sensitive situations and, when appropriate, refers issues to the Transitions Director.
• Communicates with ministers and congregations throughout the cycles of the search processes via regular e‑mail newsletters.
• Designs, maintains, and updates the Transitions website and materials on the website.
• Revises Settlement and Transitional Ministry Handbook each summer and makes new versions available to consituents via the Transitions website and e‑mail lists.

1. Guidance:

• Guides ministers and congregations on the use of the online Ministry Search system for all types of ministerial searches.
• Serves as a list manager for various Transitions-related e-mail lists.
• Advises on the development of the Ministry Search system and MFD document management system (DocStar).

1. Administration:

• Advises on and administers the scheduling and reimbursement for the Beyond Categorical Thinking program.
• Maintains spreadsheet information of congregations and ministers in search.
• Administers evaluations for Beyond Categorical Thinking and other events of Transitions Office.
• Maintains detailed records of annual transitions activity in Raiser’s Edge, UU World Milestones, and other Transitions Office media.
• Assists the Transitions Director in the preparation of reports, statistics, and ministers’ interpretive file summaries.
• Administers the financial accounts and budget of the Transitions Office.

1. Events:

• Makes meeting arrangements for various virtual and in-person trainings and events, including the annual Transitions Minister Chapter Seminar, the annual Search Overview Workshop, the annual Transitional Ministry Orientation, and the monthly MFD Transitions staff meetings.
• Acts as registrar for Transitions Office events.
• Negotiates and reviews all contracts and invoices. 
• Coordinates and confirms all event details with event site staff.

1. Other duties:

• Provides technical support to the Review Team, as needed.
• Participates in the gatherings and activities of the MFD administrative staff group.
• Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor, the Co-Directors of Ministries and Faith Development, the Executive Vice President, or the President.

Qualifications

This is a Grade 9 position (expected hiring range $37,000-$45,700 depending on experience). Note that qualifications may be met as a result of lived experience, volunteer work, professional experience, and/or formal or informal training. Our ideal applicant is an experienced, highly-organized team player with a non-anxious presence who can multitask, demonstrate exceptional oral and written communication skills, a great attention to detail, and a strong service focus. An understanding of the UU ministerial settlement process and UU congregational life are very desirable. Candidates must show excellent judgment around sensitive and confidential issues. The successful candidate will be highly proficient in the Microsoft Office Suite (including Word, Excel, Access and Outlook). Raiser’s Edge experience is a plus. Work or lived experience with communities of color or indigenous peoples is of particular value. Eagerness to work in an organization in which the dismantling of white supremacy is a high priority. Some travel may be required.

* This is a remote, work-from-home position. Location is open in the continental United States. You should have easy access to a major airport due to the travel requirements of this position.

How to Apply

People with disabilities, people of color, indigenous people, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. The UUA is committed to developing a diverse and talented staff team. If you are excited about this role, but are unsure whether you meet 100% of the requirements, we encourage you to inquire and/or apply. Send cover letter and résumé—indicating “Transitions Administrator” in the subject line—via e‑mail to careers@uua.org, via fax to (617) 948-6467, or to Human Resources, UUA, 24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210. E‑mail submissions preferred.

About the UUA

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive religious denomination headquartered in Boston’s waterfront Fort Point Innovation District. Our faith community of more than 1,000 self-governing congregations brings to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance, and social justice. Our normal workweek is 35 hours, we pay 80% contribution towards health insurance premiums, 10% towards retirement (after one year), and have generous paid time-off policies. We are a great place to work and we value diversity. The UUA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all. As part of this commitment, the UUA will ensure that applicants and staff with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (617) 948-4648 or humanresources@uua.org. For more information on the UUA, visit us online at UUA.org and uuworld.org.

Support for the Mission and Values of the Association

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive and historic religious denomination. While it is not generally required or expected that an applicant/employee identify as a Unitarian Universalist (UU) or be a member of a UU congregation in order to work at the UUA, all UUA staff members are expected to perform their job duties in accordance with the UUA’s values, principles and mission. In particular the following points, drawn from the Seven UU Principles, are of particular importance for the UUA’s work environment and staff culture:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every human being: We affirm the need for a human-centered workplace that allows our diverse staff to flourish. We also understand that our wider culture and society oppresses and denies human dignity, and we seek to counter the effects of that oppression in our hiring and workplace culture so that each person feels whole and valued.
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations, and the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all: We speak openly and publicly of our support for social and political issues, including LGBTQ equity, racial justice, climate justice, gender equity, and reproductive justice.
• The interdependent web of existence: We recognize that the liberation of all people is interwoven, and we work to counter patriarchy, white supremacy, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, environmental exploitation, and other interrelated systems of marginalization.