Parish Administrative Assistant

Bridgeport Diocese; Stamford (CT); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Bridgeport Diocese seeks a Parish Administrative Assistant to support the pastor with administrative duties, prepare the weekly bulletin, manage calendars, and maintain sacramental records. The role emphasizes hospitality, responding to inquiries, coordinating communications, and assisting Faith Formation and parish ministries; requires detail orientation and discretion.

Candidates should have a high school diploma and at least two years of office experience; bilingual English/French-Creole is a

Qualifications

• High school diploma and at least two years of related office experience.
• Tri-lingual: English and French-Creole required.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Publisher, Word, Excel) and calendars.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience with ParishSoft is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Answer phones, screen calls, and assist parishioners and visitors.
• Prepare and publish the parish bulletin and manage calendars.
• Maintain sacraments records and parish databases.
• Assist with liturgical scheduling and Faith Formation communications.
• Coordinate with ministries and arrange parish events.

Skills

English

French-Creole

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Time management

Multitasking

Leadership

Problem solving

Education

High school Diploma

Tools

ParishSoft

Publisher

Access

PowerPoint

Word

Excel

Job description

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY:

The Parish Administrative Assistant provides administrative support to the pastor related to his responsibilities to the parish. The primary focuses of this position are answering phone calls, managing calendars, creation of bulletin, record keeping of sacraments and Faith Formation, and other basic office duties. In addition, the Assistant will facilitate communications, and act as a minister of hospitality to the parish, welcoming and assisting visitors to the parish office.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Answer phones, screen calls, take messages, assist parishioners, and other visitors.
• Interact with parishioners in a positive friendly manner is crucial.
• Administrator of the voicemail system, creating greetings for the various holidays and holy days and maintaining general administrative greeting, ensuring it is accurate and up to date.
• Be able to work with people in a professional, positive, and compassionate manner.
• Respond to parish emails in a timely fashion, including but not limited to sacramental requests and billing.
• Provide administrative, secretarial and office support to the Moderator and Parish Staff, including but not limited to assisting with communication needs such as composition of signs, flyers, brochures and Parish mailings. Maintain rectory office calendar, including the regular office activities, appointments, special events, Mass and Holy Day times, all Parish ministries and Pastor’s appointments.
• Preparation and publishing of the bulletin, including the activities of the Parish, and all its ministries, faith formation information, activities from fellow Bridgeport Diocese parishes, the schedule of readers and Eucharistic Ministers, and the information on the Mass schedule and the dedications for each.
• Preparation of the Lector Book for all Sunday Masses and Holy Days of Obligation, including the intentions, and any information on second collections.
• In coordination with the moderator, Faith Formation Office and other parish entities (such as the Knights of Columbus, the Youth Group Meetings, etc.), maintain parish calendar, including assisting in scheduling appointments, special events and meetings.
• Manage Parish Master Calendar and Liturgical Calendar, ensuring all Masses, Baptisms, First Holy Communions and Funerals are appropriately recorded.
• Assist counting team with offertory with final tabulations and deposit in the bank.
• Maintain parish databases and volunteer lists using various software programs, such as ParishSoft and Virtus, to ensure they are up to date. Provide timely responses to report and audit requests.
• Gather pertinent information for baptism, funeral and marriage requests. Perform related clerical duties, including completion of “intake” forms, requesting sacramental records, preparing certificates and letters to Baptismal Church of record, recording in ParishSoft and Sacramental Register, and mailing when complete.
• Register new parishioners and update/maintain ParishSoft database, the parish census as well as official Sacramental records. Provide requested certificates.
• Prepare for weekend Masses: ensure liturgical supplies as well as all office supplies are adequately stocked; prepare tamper-evident offertory bags for each collection at each Mass; prepare weekend Mass announcements.
• Order office supplies and maintain postage meter and copy machine.
• Log all sacraments in the formal Parish records; notify Holy Spirit sacraments to Parish of Baptism as necessary; enter sacraments into ParishSoft.
• Records Mass intentions in the parish calendar and prepare Mass Cards for those intentions
• Coordinate Cantors and Organists for funeral services
• Enter new parishioner information into ParishSoft and Our Sunday Visitor and maintain Excel sheet of new parishioners and newly baptized for the Welcome Committee.
• Maintain paper records of Faith Formation for the Director of Faith Formation.
• Maintain address list and prepare labels for ROCK (Reaching Out to College Kids) mailings
• Understand moral and ethical standards and apply them to the job.
• Maintain confidentiality and discretion in all areas of responsibility.
• Maintain monthly parish change forms and email to diocese.
• Assist volunteers and other parishes employees as needed.
• Must be flexible and able to work well with fellow employees in a small office setting.
• Attend pastoral staff meetings, commission meetings and Parish Council meetings, as necessary when appropriate. Enters new parishioner information into ParishSoft and envelope company.
• Assists the pastor in coordinating funeral arrangements with funeral director and families.
• Locks and unlocks buildings as needed.
• Contacts vendors for repairs (for example, copy machine) and notifies Pastor when there is an issue.
• Collects information, prepares the Annual Statistical report and maintains monthly parish change forms and distributes appropriately to the Diocese.
• Perform all responsibilities in a friendly, professional, positive, and compassionate manner.
• Perform other duties, as assigned by the Priest Moderator

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

• High school Diploma and at least two years of related office experience
• Tri-lingual/ English, French-Creole speaking a must
• Proficient computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office – Publisher, Access, Power Point, Word, and Excel
• Knowledge of Parish Soft is a plus but will provide training for Parish Soft which is the parish database. Individual needs to successfully produce weekly bulletin in a timely manner and update website
• Great interpersonal skills, with strong decision-making and leadership capabilities
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Strong attention to detail with excellent organizational skills
• Solid problem solving and time management skills
• Able to multitask efficiently and effectively
• Highly organized with sharp attention to detail
• A strong work ethic and desire to exceed parishioner expectations
• Practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church preferred