Children's Ministry Program Director - Edina

Wooddale Church; Edina (MN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Wooddale Church in Edina, MN is seeking a relational, proactive leader to serve as the Children’s Ministry Program Director, overseeing Woods Kids for ages six weeks through fourth grade. You will build teams, develop volunteers, align curriculum, and partner with campus staff to create safe, gospel-centered environments where children and families feel welcome and valued.

This role emphasizes leadership development, training, and scalable systems for onboarding, scheduling, and communication,

Responsibilities

• Recruit, onboard, equip, and retain volunteers for nursery, preschool, elementary, and ministry support teams.
• Identify and develop team captains and other volunteer leaders who can lead people, own ministry responsibilities, and equip others.
• Delegate meaningful responsibility with clear expectations, appropriate decision‑making authority, resources, and regular coaching.
• Establish consistent rhythms of training, prayer, encouragement, feedback, and appreciation that strengthen volunteers’ faith and effectiveness.
• Develop team depth and dependable coverage so ministry runs well across services, seasons, and leadership absences.
• Oversee Sunday morning and Wednesday evening Woods Kids programming, ensuring age‑appropriate biblical teaching, meaningful relationships, and engaging experiences.
• Equip teams to prepare and lead every part of the ministry experience, including check‑in, classrooms, teaching, worship, activities, and transitions.
• Maintain a visible, relational presence with children, families, and volunteers; model excellent ministry and coach others through hands‑on involvement.
• Plan and lead campus children’s and family ministry events, including VBS and outreach opportunities, in partnership with campus and Children’s Ministry staff.
• Build trusting relationships with parents and caregivers, equipping them with practical resources and encouragement to nurture faith at home.
• Create a welcoming experience for new families, with clear next steps and timely, personal follow‑up.
• Communicate proactively with families and volunteers about ministry plans, schedules, expectations, and opportunities.
• Respond thoughtfully to family needs and concerns, coordinating additional care and support with appropriate staff.
• Maintain clear, dependable processes for volunteer onboarding and scheduling, classroom preparation, attendance, communication,

Job description

Children's Ministry Program Director - Edina

Full Time Edina, MN, US

2 days ago Requisition ID: 1286

ABOUT WOODDALE CHURCH

Wooddale Church is a multigenerational, Bible-teaching church in Minnesota with campuses in Eden Prairie, Edina, and the University of Minnesota. With a mission to honor God by making more disciples for Jesus Christ, Wooddale has a rich history and a future of sharing the gospel locally and globally by planting churches, supporting global partners, and serving its local community.

OVERVIEW

The Children’s Ministry Program Director leads a thriving Woods Kids ministry at the Edina campus by building teams, developing leaders, and equipping volunteers to help children know and follow Jesus. Serving children ages six weeks through fourth grade and their families, this leader creates safe, welcoming, gospel-centered environments where children experience God’s love, families find belonging, and volunteers serve with confidence and joy. We’re looking for a relational, proactive leader with the initiative to grow ministry and the discipline to follow through. Leading with joy and generosity, this person sees potential in people, invites them into meaningful ministry, and provides them the training, encouragement, and ownership they need to lead well. They bring both a heart for people and an appreciation for clear systems, strengthening established practices and helping develop better ones where needed. As an active member of both the Edina campus staff and Wooddale’s broader Children’s Ministry team, the director contributes to shared planning, learning, and ministry alignment. The director implements shared curriculum, ministry strategy, and safety standards while adapting delivery to the Edina campus.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Build teams and develop leaders

• Recruit, onboard, equip, and retain volunteers for nursery, preschool, elementary, and ministry support teams.
• Identify and develop team captains and other volunteer leaders who can lead people, own ministry responsibilities, and equip others.
• Delegate meaningful responsibility with clear expectations, appropriate decision‑making authority, resources, and regular coaching.
• Establish consistent rhythms of training, prayer, encouragement, feedback, and appreciation that strengthen volunteers’ faith and effectiveness.
• Develop team depth and dependable coverage so ministry runs well across services, seasons, and leadership absences.

Lead an excellent children’s ministry

• Oversee Sunday morning and Wednesday evening Woods Kids programming, ensuring age‑appropriate biblical teaching, meaningful relationships, and engaging experiences.
• Equip teams to prepare and lead every part of the ministry experience, including check‑in, classrooms, teaching, worship, activities, and transitions.
• Maintain a visible, relational presence with children, families, and volunteers; model excellent ministry and coach others through hands‑on involvement.
• Plan and lead campus children’s and family ministry events, including VBS and outreach opportunities, in partnership with campus and Children’s Ministry staff.

Partner with parents and welcome families

• Build trusting relationships with parents and caregivers, equipping them with practical resources and encouragement to nurture faith at home.
• Create a welcoming experience for new families, with clear next steps and timely, personal follow‑up.
• Communicate proactively with families and volunteers about ministry plans, schedules, expectations, and opportunities.
• Respond thoughtfully to family needs and concerns, coordinating additional care and support with appropriate staff.

Strengthen systems and steward resources

• Maintain clear, dependable processes for volunteer onboarding and scheduling, classroom preparation, attendance, communication,