Director of Evangelization & Mission

Charleston Diocese; Greenville (SC); On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Anthony of Padua Parish seeks a dynamic Director of Evangelization & Mission to lead parish-wide efforts in evangelization, discipleship, and renewal.

Reporting to the Pastor and Parish Life Director, this full-time role focuses on strategic planning, staff leadership, and volunteer development to cultivate a Gospel-centered culture.

Qualifications

• Practicing Catholic in good standing, fully committed to Church teachings and mission.
• Bachelor’s in Theology required; Master’s degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of progressive parish ministry or evangelization experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, form leaders, and build sustainable ministry systems.
• Strong understanding of evangelization, discipleship, the kerygma, and Catholic pastoral practice.
• Ability to communicate Catholic faith with clarity, charity, and pastoral sensitivity.
• Experience with Alpha, small-group ministry, OCIA, retreats, or parish renewal is preferred.
• Strong organizational, relational, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive parish-wide vision for evangelization, discipleship, and renewal.
• Lead the Evangelization Team and align staff and volunteers with parish mission.
• Create welcoming pathways for new parishioners from first contact to active participation.
• Oversee OCIA, adult faith formation, and sacramental preparation.
• Foster a robust small-group ministry and family-based faith formation.
• Recruit, train, and mentor catechists, leaders, and volunteers.
• Collaborate across ministries and with diocesan offices to ensure fidelity to Church teaching.

Skills

Team Leadership

Evangelization

Discipleship

Strategic Planning

Communication

Volunteer Management

Catechesis

Public Speaking

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Theology

Master's degree preferred

Job description

St. Anthony of Padua Parish seeks a dynamic, faithful, and mission-driven Director of Evangelization & Mission to lead parish-wide efforts in evangelization, discipleship, and renewal. Working closely with the Pastor, Parish Life Director, School Principal, parish staff, and ministry leaders, this position will help cultivate a parish culture rooted in the Gospel, centered on the kerygma, and committed to forming missionary disciples.

St Anthony of Padua Church and School opened over 75 years ago as a historically African American Church with a mission to “transform our society so the lost are found, the hungry are fed, and the community flourishes in Christ – by being a wellspring of hope for all.”

The Director will provide strategic leadership for evangelization initiatives, oversee key formation and sacramental preparation efforts, support staff and volunteer leaders, and help create clear pathways for parishioners, seekers, families, and newcomers to encounter Christ and become fully engaged in the life and mission of the Church.

Reports To: Pastor and Parish Life Director

Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt. Evening and weekend availability required.

Salary & Benefits: $65,000 annually, plus full-time benefits

Strategic Leadership & Parish Renewal

• Collaborate with the Pastor, Parish Life Director, School Principal, and Senior Leadership Committee to develop, implement, and refine a comprehensive parish-wide vision for evangelization, discipleship, and missionary renewal.
• Serve as a core member of the Senior Leadership Committee, contributing to strategic planning, pastoral priorities, staff alignment, and long-term parish mission initiatives.
• Provide leadership and accountability for parish evangelization efforts, ensuring they are integrated, effective, and aligned with the parish’s mission and Catholic identity.
• Lead the implementation of evangelization and discipleship initiatives such as Alpha, ReachMore, parish missions, retreats, small groups, and other formation pathways.
• Organize and coordinate parish missions, including Advent and Lenten missions, in collaboration with the Pastor and appropriate ministry leaders.
• Equip staff, catechists, ministry leaders, and volunteers to embrace shared responsibility for evangelization and parish renewal.
• Regularly evaluate evangelization initiatives, identify opportunities for growth, and provide constructive feedback and recommendations to parish leadership.

Evangelization Team Leadership

• Lead the parish Evangelization Team, ensuring strong communication, coordination, and alignment across all evangelization and formation efforts.
• Provide oversight, support, and direction to key team members, including:
  • Associate Director of Digital Evangelization, responsible for social media, website content, digital outreach, and evangelizing communications.
  • Associate Director for Sacramental Awakening, responsible for OCIA, Baptism preparation, Marriage preparation, and related sacramental formation efforts.
• Mentor and form staff, volunteers, and lay leaders, helping them grow spiritually, pastorally, and professionally.
• Ensure all evangelization efforts are rooted in the kerygma, faithful to Church teaching, and responsive to the pastoral needs of the parish community.

Parish-Wide Evangelization

• In partnership with the Parish Life Director, create and sustain a clear, welcoming, and intentional pathway for new parishioners from first contact to active participation in parish life.
• Help foster a parish culture in which every parishioner understands and embraces their baptismal call to share the Gospel.
• Develop outreach strategies that engage committed Catholics, inactive Catholics, seekers, non-Catholics, families, and those on the margins.
• Promote hospitality, accompaniment, invitation, and missionary discipleship throughout parish ministries and community life.

Program Oversight & Discipleship Formation

• Oversee and support the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, adult faith formation, and sacramental preparation, ensuring each is welcoming, relational, and centered on conversion.
• Develop and sustain a robust small-group ministry that fosters prayer, community, accountability, ongoing formation, and missionary discipleship.
• Collaborate with the Discipleship Team, catechists, youth ministry, children’s faith formation, and school leadership to strengthen evangelization among parents, children, youth, and families.
• Support family-based catechesis that equips parents as the primary educators of their children in the faith.
• Ensure parish programs function as part of a unified discipleship pathway rather than as isolated ministries or events.

Volunteer & Leader Formation

• Recruit, train, mentor, and accompany catechists, small-group leaders, evangelization volunteers, and ministry team members.
• Build and support teams for OCIA, Alpha, small groups, parish missions, retreats, sacramental preparation, and faith formation programs.
• Identify, develop, and empower emerging leaders within the parish community.
• Encourage a spirit of prayer, hospitality, accompaniment, humility, collaboration, and missionary zeal among all ministry teams.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with parish ministries, including youth ministry, children’s faith formation, liturgy, school leadership, communications, pastoral care, and outreach ministries.
• Serve as a liaison with diocesan offices and external partners to ensure fidelity to Church teaching, diocesan expectations, and best practices in evangelization and formation.
• Provide regular updates to the Pastor, Parish Life Director, and Senior Leadership Committee regarding goals, progress, challenges, and opportunities.
• Promote collaboration among parish staff and ministry leaders to strengthen communication, avoid duplication, and maintain parish wide mission alignment.

Qualifications

• Practicing Catholic in good standing, fully committed to the teachings, sacramental life, and mission of the Catholic Church.
• Bachelor’s degree in Theology, Pastoral Ministry, Catechetics, Evangelization, Religious Studies, or a related field required. Master’s degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in parish ministry, evangelization, discipleship formation, sacramental preparation, or faith formation.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, form leaders, manage volunteers, and build sustainable ministry systems.
• Strong understanding of evangelization, discipleship, the kerygma, accompaniment, Catholic pastoral practice, and the Church’s missionary identity.
• Ability to communicate the Catholic faith with clarity, charity, conviction, and pastoral sensitivity.
• Experience with Alpha, small-group ministry, OCIA, retreat ministry, or parish renewal initiatives preferred.
• Strong organizational, relational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clergy, staff, school leadership, volunteers, families, and parishioners from diverse backgrounds.
• Understands evangelization not simply as a program, but as a parish wide culture and way of life.
• Ability to efficiently manage parttime consultants and volunteers to implement full faith formation (including curriculum development, etc.)

Work Authorization

• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire. The Diocese of Charleston does not provide vis sponsorship. Successful candidates will be required to complete Form I-9 and present acceptable documentation verifying identity and employment authorization.

Candidates must be willing to undergo a background check and take the required VIRTUS training.