Church Administration Job Description: Key Roles ( + Hiring Tips)
Church administrators keep operations organized: They manage schedules, communication, and daily logistics to ensure smooth church functioning.
Hiring requires a mix of skills: Look for candidates with administrative expertise, financial knowledge, and strong interpersonal abilities.
Effective communication is as crucial skill: From newsletters to event coordination, administrators ensure clear, consistent communication across the community.
Financial management is a core responsibility: Administrators handle budgets, payroll, donations, and compliance to maintain the church’s financial health.
If you’ve ever had to write a church administration job description, you know how challenging it can be to figure out what should (and shouldn’t) go in it. Without a clear job description:
- You might end up with mismatched expectations between the administrator and leadership.
- Important tasks could fall through the cracks, leaving your church disorganized.
- The administrator may feel overworked or undervalued, leading to burnout or turnover.
These struggles happen because the role of a church administrator often covers so much ground—and without clear guidelines (or strong church administration software), it’s easy for things to get messy.
That’s why I’ve put together this list of key elements every church administrator job description should include. With these, you’ll create a clear, helpful guide that sets the administrator (and your church) up for success!
A Typical Church Administrator Job Description
Typical church administration tasks can vary widely from church to church. Very large churches might have these roles spread into several different jobs with a church administrative assistant overseeing them. Smaller churches might lean on volunteers before hiring someone to do these tasks.
What makes a church admin role so important isn’t just the tasks they perform—it’s the way they keep the church functioning like a well-oiled machine.
Joshua gordon
Sample Church Administration Job Description
Job Title: Church Administrator
Reports To: Senior Pastor
Position Type: Full-Time/Part-Time (Specify Hours)
The Church Administrator ensures smooth and efficient daily operations of the church by overseeing administrative, financial, and communication functions. This individual plays a crucial role in supporting the church’s mission by managing resources, coordinating schedules, and maintaining clear communication with staff, volunteers, and the congregation
Key Responsibilities
1. Administrative Management
- Oversee the church calendar, scheduling meetings, events, and facility usage.
- Maintain church records, including membership, baptism, and marriage records.
- Manage office supplies and ensure church equipment is functioning properly.
2. Financial Management
- Assist in preparing and monitoring the church budget.
- Process payroll, manage accounts payable/receivable, and handle tax documentation.
- Track donations and prepare contribution statements for members.
3. Communication Management
- Coordinate weekly newsletters, bulletin content, and website updates.
- Facilitate communication between church leadership, staff, and congregation.
- Handle incoming calls, emails, and visitor inquiries professionally.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, ministry, or related field (preferred).
- Proven experience in administrative, financial, or organizational roles.
- Proficiency in office software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Workspace).
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- High level of organizational and time-management abilities
- Experience with church management software(e.g., Planning Center, Church Community Builder).
- Familiarity with payroll software and/or bookkeeping software
- Knowledge of nonprofit or church operations.
Personal Qualities
- Strong commitment to the church’s mission and values.
- Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and integrity.A team player with a servant-hearted attitude.
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications.
- Benefits (if applicable): health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, etc.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit their resume, cover letter, and references to [contact email]. Applications will be accepted until [deadline].
Church Administration Tasks
A church administrator wears many hats. If they're your first hire, then setting up church administration might be their first tasks. A great church administrator is the backbone of an organized and well-run church.
Their first priority is keeping everything on track, whether it’s through a calendar, an app, or a scheduling system. Their attention to detail ensures no meeting, conversation, or task slips through the cracks.
What kind of things does a church administrator do?
- Maintain the church calendar, scheduling events, meetings, and facility usage.
- Prepare and distribute weekly bulletins, newsletters, and other church communications.
- Manage church records, including membership, baptisms, and weddings.
- Assist in creating and monitoring the church’s annual budget.
- Process payroll for church staff and handle tax-related documentation.
- Track donations and generate contribution statements for members.
- Oversee accounts payable and receivable, ensuring timely payments and deposits.
- Coordinate with ministry leaders to plan and organize events and activities.
- Serve as the point of contact for vendors and service providers.
- Ensure the church facility is clean, safe, and well-maintained.
- Manage office supplies and maintain church equipment like copiers and computers.
- Answer phone calls, emails, and inquiries from members and visitors.
- Update the church website and social media platforms with relevant information.
- Train and supervise volunteers or part-time staff as needed.
- Prepare reports for the church leadership team or board meetings.
Church Administration and Management
In all the churches I've been part of, the church administrator's duties went far beyond simple administrative support. Often, the admin support also ends up acting as:
- Church Secretary
- HR contact
- Bookkeeper
- Staff point person
Let's dig deeper into two of the primary roles that church administrators provide support in:
Financial Management
Church administrators play a key role in supporting the church’s financial management, ensuring that everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. They often assist with creating and monitoring budgets, helping the leadership allocate resources wisely to support ministry goals. From processing payroll to managing tax documentation, their attention to detail ensures compliance with legal requirements and keeps financial operations transparent and accountable.
When hiring a church administrator to handle financial management, look for someone with strong organizational abilities and attention to detail. These skills are critical, as even small errors in financial records can have significant consequences for the church's operations.
Communication Management
Church administrators are key to maintaining clear and consistent communication within the church community. They often manage newsletters, coordinate phone calls, and ensure that details about events, services, and ministry opportunities are shared effectively. By keeping everyone informed and engaged, they help foster a sense of connection and unity among congregants.
When hiring for this role, look for someone with strong interpersonal and organizational skills, as well as experience in communication tools like email platforms and scheduling software.
Key Skills For Church Administrators
Organization is key.
Without a doubt, it's the number one skill for any administrator. Churches are high-intensity pressure cookers behind the scenes, especially as they grow larger. Without competent organizers, churches beyond the smallest size will start to fall apart at the seams.
Adaptability is huge.
Our world is in the middle of many changes that are coming in rapid succession. An administrator who is stuck in the past will cause your church to be left behind, too.
The best administrators are strong communicators.
A well-trained, certified church admin is the link between the different departments and ministries and even the link between the church and the rest of the world. The ability to effectively and efficiently communicate the needs, the goals, and the plans of the lead pastor and the board to the rest of the church and the world is invaluable to any organization, but especially churches.
Educational Pathways for Church Administration
When you're hiring a church administrator, one of the first things to consider is their educational background.
Many prospective administrators start by earning an undergraduate degree in a field like business or ministry. Some candidates go a step further and pursue a graduate degree, which can demonstrate a higher level of expertise—something that might set them apart as you’re making hiring decisions.
A ministry degree, such as a Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministries or a Master of Ministry, can equip candidates with skills in both critical thinking and communication, while also emphasizing servant leadership. These qualities are essential for someone who will help your church thrive both spiritually and organizationally.
On the other hand, a business degree—like a Bachelor of Business Administration or a Master of Arts in Leadership—can provide candidates with a strong foundation in business, leadership principles, and decision making.
These skills can be a huge asset when managing the day-to-day operations of your church (in a way that aligns with your mission and values.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Church administrators are one of your most important employees. A smaller church might have the responsibilities spread between the ministry and volunteers (since church volunteer management is such a crucial part of church health), but the requirements are the same. Keep in mind that churches are vision-based organizations. We exist for a purpose beyond ourselves, and our administrative goals should reflect that.