Administrative Assistant

Diocese of San Diego; Spring Valley (CA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Santa Sophia Catholic Church in Spring Valley, CA, seeks an Administrative Assistant to support the parish office and coordinate with the Pastor and Business Manager. The role handles daily clerical tasks, communications, and records, ensuring warm, discreet service to parishioners and staff.

The position requires proficiency with Microsoft 365, Skedda, and parish data tools, with strong organizational and interpersonal skills.

Qualifications

• Friendly, approachable and professional demeanor; practicing Catholic.
• Availability to work Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Demonstrates discretion and maintains confidentiality.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration preferred.
• Marketing experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications (Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Familiarity with Canva, Facebook, and Instagram.

Responsibilities

• Answer incoming calls and voicemails, and provide parish and diocesan information, especially regarding sacraments.
• Monitor and respond to parish email inboxes; ensure follow-up.
• Manage the Pastor’s calendar with Microsoft Bookings.
• Assist parishioners with registrations, donor accounts, Mass intentions, sacramental inquiries, and certificates.
• Maintain sacramental records and parish data in PDS and Flocknote.
• Coordinate with Pastor, sacristans, and families on weddings, funerals, and quinceañera prep.
• Coordinate facility-use requests and maintain reservations in Skedda.
• Support parish staff with bulletin/e-newsletter preparation and volunteer staffing.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Discretion

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration

Tools

Microsoft 365

Skedda

Parish Data System (PDS)

Canva

Facebook

Instagram

Job description

Description

Parish: Santa Sophia Catholic Church

Location: 9800 San Juan St, Spring Valley, CA 91977

Reports to: Business Manager

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt, Benefits eligible

Employment type: Full Time, 40 hours per week

Salary: $22-$25 per hour, based on experience

Position Summary

The Administrative Assistant plays a central role in the daily operations of the parish office, working in close collaboration with parish office staff and maintaining regular communication and correspondence with the Pastor and Business Manager. The position reports to the Business Manager and works under the direction of the Pastor, providing administrative and clerical support to facilitate the efficient day-to-day operation of the parish.

As a welcoming and resourceful presence, the Administrative Assistant serves as a point of connection for parishioners, visitors, and all members of the parish community who come to the office seeking assistance, information, or support. The position requires a professional, approachable, and resourceful individual who demonstrates discretion, sound judgment, and a genuine commitment to serving the parish community with warmth, respect, and care.

Primary Responsibilities

Parish Office Administration

• Answer incoming calls, respond to voicemails, and provide general parish and diocesan information, particularly regarding the sacraments.
• Monitor and respond promptly to the Administrative Assistant and general parish email inboxes, ensuring appropriate follow-up.
• Manage the Pastor’s calendar and appointments through Microsoft Bookings.
• Assist parishioners, visitors, and community members with registrations, donor accounts, Mass intentions, sacramental inquiries and certificates, church hours, events, and ministry resources; refer inquiries to the appropriate staff member as needed.
• Maintain sacramental records, including Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage, as well as the death register, Book of the Dead, and All Souls' contact list.
• Enter and maintain parish data in the Parish Data System (PDS) and Flocknote.
• Maintain wedding, funeral, and quinceañera preparation files; coordinate details with the Pastor, sacristans, and families.
• Distribute meeting notices, attend staff meetings, and follow up on action items.
• Collaborate with the Stewardship Coordinator to organize Sunday coffee and donuts, coordinating vendors and volunteers.
• Monitor office supplies and communicate purchasing needs to the Business Manager; monitor and purchase sacristy supplies as needed.
• Maintain organized parish files, office supplies, and the key log; coordinate key distribution and return with authorized ministry and event leaders.
• Open the parish office at the start of the day and ensure it is secured at closing.

Facilities Scheduling and Coordination

• Manage facility-use requests and coordinate with staff, volunteers, and requestors to ensure established procedures are followed from initial request through event completion.
• Maintain approved reservations in Skedda, ensuring schedules and contact information are accurately reflected on the parish website.
• Distribute event schedules and setup details to staff and coordinate arrangements with the appropriate staff members and requestors.

Staff and Volunteer Support

• Coordinate volunteer coverage for phones and reception during staff training, meetings, and other absences as needed.
• Provide back-up support to Communications staff in preparing and reviewing the weekly bulletin and e-newsletter.
• Prepare correspondence and provide administrative support to the Pastor and other staff members as requested.
• Work closely with the Stewardship Coordinator to stay informed of volunteer staffing needs for ministries, including sacristans, altar servers, lectors, and musicians.

Accounting and Financial Support

• Assist the Business Manager with recording donations in Parish Data System (PDS).
• Reconcile Square transactions monthly and work with the Business Manager to verify deposits against recorded transactions.
• Provide support to money counter volunteers with questions regarding parish collections and contributions.
• Attend quarterly finance meetings.
• Assist the Business Manager with additional duties as needed.

Requirements

• Friendly, approachable, and professional demeanor; enjoys working with people and is a practicing Catholic.
• Availability to work Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., based on current office hours.
• Ability to handle difficult situations, complaints, and unforeseen challenges with professionalism and sound judgment.
• Demonstrates discretion and maintains confidentiality.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration preferred.
• Marketing experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook, with the ability and willingness to learn new software independently.
• Excellent organizational, time management, written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently.
• Competence in computer operations, keyboarding, and standard office equipment, including printers, copiers, fax machines, and scanners.
• Familiarity with social media and digital tools, including Canva, Facebook, and Instagram.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to remain in an office at a computer workstation and access information from a computer and use a telephone. The employee is required to be mobile to, from, and within the office, as well as maneuver throughout the school facility to attend meetings, briefings, and other work-related events. The employee may be required to conduct trips to, from, and within various city and county-wide locations to attend meetings or events. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. This position requires frequent evening and weekend work.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Santa Sophia Catholic Church, as part of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego, is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status.