Snapshot

Denomination: PC (USA)

Weekly Attendance: 500

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

The Role: Executive Director 

Meet First Presbyterian Church of Nashville:

First Presbyterian Church of Nashville (FPC), born of grace in 1814, is Nashville’s first organized Church in the city. The history of FPC is rich, and its roots are deep. We’re here to bring glory to God, grow in grace together, and serve the larger community in Nashville and around the world. Compelled by the love of God in Christ, FPC has long existed for the common good of all Nashvillians.

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, orthodox and evangelical in our theology, FPC yearns to be faithful to the apostolic witness of the early Church, eager to deepen our understanding what is true, good, and beautiful, even as we seek to serve the common good in Jesus’ name.

In a culture that presents us with a tangled intersection of ethical and religious choices, we remember the Lord’s word through Jeremiah, “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your soul” (Jer. 6:16). We seek, in Peter’s words, to give faithful expression to “the hope that lies within us” (1 Peter 3:15).

Worship remains the engine room of all we do. We believe that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit desires to encounter us in worship, leading us to transformed lives that are passionate about living out his purposes in and for the world. We desire, by God’s grace, to be an outpost of Christ’s Kingdom.

We thank the Lord for our lively and large campus, 65 beautiful acres in the heart of the Oak Hill neighborhood of Nashville. Busy every day of the week, our campus is home to Oak Hill School (OHS), the Early Preschool, over 1200 kids playing soccer in the spring and fall, summer camps, horses for therapeutic riding, our annual singer-songwriter night, Live on the Lawn, and so much more.

As we have done for over 200 years, our deepest prayer is to be a colony of heaven, loving all people to Christ who alone is our hope in both life and death.

About the Executive Director:

Under the general supervision of the Pastor/Head of Staff, the Executive Director coordinates the implementation and execution of the Pastor’s vision for FPC and is responsible to coach, develop, and shepherd a highly professional team who embodies the vision/mission of FPC. The Director shall ensure excellence in stewardship of all human and financial resources, working closely with the Pastor/Head of Staff and ordained leadership to implement FPC’s overall strategic plan.

The Executive Director's Responsibilities Include:

With the Pastor/Head of Staff

• Cultivate a close, synergistic relationship with the Pastor/Head of Staff that enhances the ability of Pastor/Head of Staff to guide the overall direction of FPC.

• Meet regularly with the Pastor/Head of Staff for briefing and discussion of implementation actions that advance the vision for the church.

• Partner with the Pastor/Head of Staff and the Session/Diaconate in implementing and executing the mission, vision, and values of FPC, including but not limited to, Sunday worship and congregation-wide activities that are hospitable and inviting to lead to the creation of communities who are united around life together, common service and Christian witness in Nashville and beyond.

• Facilitate the annual strategic planning process, including evaluation of ministry performance, review of mission, vision, and core values; development of key objectives and tactics; and establishment of three-year goals.

• Establish and maintain a set of key performance measures that provide the Pastor/Head of Staff and FPC staff with ongoing visibility of the effectiveness of all functional areas of the church.

• Other related duties as assigned by Pastor/Head of Staff.

• Ensure that all generations in the FPC body are cared for. Understand the needs and nuances of ministries for the next generation of FPC while ensuring that the long-tenured generation of FPC is served well.

• Coordinate all ministry programming in collaboration with the Associate Pastors and ministry directors, facilitating regular program staff meetings.

• Lead the staff in all areas of ministry, in tandem with the vision of the church. As a team, as individuals within a team, in their area of specialty, and in collaboration with the staff team as a whole—build easily and at-all-times accessible on-ramps for both long-time and new FPC members/attendees to engage in the ministries and life of FPC.

• Aid the growth of existing ministries through training, administrative support, and information regarding best practices in other churches.
  
  
• Create an environment of collaboration and continuity among the various ministry teams and all FPC staff. Develop a staff culture of excellence, cultivating an esprit-de-corps and unity within the team through excellence in leadership principles.
  
  
• Coach and develop direct reports on overall personal career development as well as encourage and ensure career development of those on their staff.
  
  
• Coordinate among the staff opportunities for shared study and vocational enrichment.
  
  
• Support and assist ministry directors and program staff in their supervision of staff who report to them.
  
  
• Ensure staff is meeting or exceeding individual and ministry goals, including improvement or replacement strategies if needed. Additionally, ensure that proper processes and controls are in place for both the safety and security of those entrusted to FPC in ministry.

What You Bring:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university required; master’s degree or higher desired
  
  
• A minimum of 7 - 10 years’ experience in administration and management/leadership; prior large church leadership role is a plus

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expertise in change management and team building 
  
  
• Ability to collaborate, connect, lead, and build consensus within multiple governance and stakeholder groups
  
  
• Ability to develop team leadership, effectively supervising multiple staff with specifically assigned roles
  
  
• Possesses strong process skills
  
  
• Possesses strong communications skills; highly relational, outgoing personality
  
  
• Empathetic leader, capable of demonstrating compassion and understanding
  
  
• Leads with a servant’s heart
  
  
• Tenacious, self-starter, and self-motivated
  
  
• Analytical ability to align the budget of the church with the mission and vision of the church 
  
  
• Effectively prioritize, analyze, organize, and present information and respond to questions from FPC staff and members
  
  
• Comfortable in both large and small group settings
  
  
• Possesses a working knowledge of Christian and Reformed theology and PC(USA) polity

Personal Characteristics & Qualifications

• Evidence of a deepening walk with the Lord Jesus. Receive joyfully the biblical admonition to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
  
  
• A maturing shepherd of the flock, who loves the church and her people, must be committed to the gathering and perfecting of the saints.
  
  
• A trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, acknowledging him Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through him believing in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is also required that the employee accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be, by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the church universal and God’s word to you. The employee also promises to live in obedience to Jesus Christ under the authority of Scripture.
  
  
• A commitment to performing one’s duties in accordance with the stated mission and purpose of the church, FPC Policies and Procedures Manual, and the tenants of the Reformed Christian Tradition.

What It's Like to Live in Nashville, TN:

Known as the home of country music, Nashville is a city that inspires creativity and innovation in almost every area of its community. With a population of a little over 2 million people, Nashville is the largest city in Tennessee. Nashville is a model of the American "melting pot," with diversity being a key component of its past, present, and future. The city is ranked one of the Top 3 Most Affordable getaways for travel and leisure, which inevitably landed on #3 on Kiplinger's Top 10 Best Value Cities list. It consistently ranks among the lowest cost of living in comparable cities across the nation, ranking more cost-efficient than major nearby regions. What sets Nashville apart as a great place to live and raise a family are its outstanding quality of life, solid education, famous southern hospitality, and abundant leisure activities.

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