Director of children’s ministries
gulf shores methodist church
The opportunity
Gulf Shores Methodist Church is at a pivotal moment in the life of its children’s ministry.
There is a genuine hunger to see kids discipled well, families supported, and volunteers empowered—but while what exists today has heart and momentum, but there is a lot of growth opportunity for the leadership, structure, and intentionality needed to truly flourish.
The next Director of Children’s Ministries will step into a ministry of approximately 60 kids (birth–4th grade) across Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights and will be entrusted with bringing clarity, systems, and vision to what is already a spiritually impactful—but underdeveloped—environment.
If you are energized by taking something that feels scattered and turning it into something strong, sustainable, and life-giving, this role is for you!
The right candidate is someone who
01
EXPERIENCED LEADER
You’ve spent significant time leading in children’s ministry and know what it takes to build healthy, sustainable environments. You’re not guessing—you’ve done this before.
02
HIGHLY ORGANIZED
You bring order to chaos. Systems, schedules, and structure don’t drain you—they energize you.
03
DEVELOPER OF PEOPLE
You don’t just fill volunteer spots—you recruit, train, and empower leaders. You know how to build teams that last.
04
STRONG RECRUITER
You are proactive and relational when it comes to building teams. You see potential in people and invite them into meaningful roles.
05
Relational and Engaging
You connect easily with kids, parents, and volunteers, creating environments where people feel known and valued.
06
Curriculum-Aligned
You’re comfortable working within an established curriculum (Orange) and know how to maximize it to create engaging, effective environments.
about the church
Gulf Shores Methodist Church is a welcoming, growing church community with a deep desire to invest in the next generation.
There is strong alignment among leadership around the importance of children’s ministry—not just as childcare, but as a central part of discipleship and church health. The staff team is collaborative, supportive, and ready for this role to bring leadership and forward momentum to an area that has needed focused attention.
This is a church that wants to do this right and is ready to support the leader who will help them get there.
POSITION PROFILE
Title: Director of Children’s Ministries
Work schedule for this position: 40 hours per week. Mon, Tues, Thurs 9am- 4pm, Wed 10am - 8pm, Sunday 7:15am - 12:30pm (varies weekly due to special programs and events)
Qualifications:
Has a strong personal faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord and a heart for serving God and others, ability to teach children of all ages and create age appropriate ministry environments, good communication and interpersonal skills, basic understanding of childhood development and education, experience leading and developing teams, high level of confidentiality and professional presence. 5+ years experience serving and/or leading children's ministry in a mid-size or larger church.
Occupational Summary:
Creates safe and engaging ministry environments for families and children from birth through 4th grade. Resources G56 ministry as required. Equips servant leaders to engage with children in ways that are safety conscious, biblical based, fun, and highly relational. Partners with parents to facilitate healthy church growth and discipleship for children while serving as a bridge between the community at large and the church.
General Responsibilities Include:
● Oversee all children's ministry volunteers, weekly programs, and annual special events
● Supervise paid nursery staff
● Lead the children's ministry team and serves as a liaison to Mother's Day Out
● Train acolytes and monitors safe sanctuary training for all children's ministry volunteers.
● Serve on Safe Sanctuaries committee, assisting in the development of and implementation of the church's policy
● Connect students and their families with the needs of the community and world
● Serve as the spiritual leader of the children's ministry, ministering to children, parents, and volunteers as needed
● Participate in all GSMC staff meetings, trainings, and spiritual growth or professional development days
● Participate in annual professional development for children's ministry leaders
● Oversee all administrative tasks with the help of support staff
Reports to: Associate Pastor of Discipleship and Senior Pastor
Supervises: Nursery Staff + Children's ministry support staff
What’s it like to live in
GULF SHORES, AL
Living in Gulf Shores feels like stepping into a slower, more intentional pace of life without losing access to what you need.
With its white-sand beaches, strong sense of community, and family friendly environment, it’s an ideal place to put down roots. Nearby Orange Beach and Pensacola offer additional dining, travel, and entertainment options, while Gulf Shores itself remains relaxed and relational.
It’s the kind of place where you can lead meaningful ministry and genuinely enjoy everyday life.
Ready to ride the wave?
Fill out our candidate form and someone will be in touch within 24 hours.