Area Director - North Shore; Chicagoland

Job Overview

Young Life requires all employees to sign a Statement of Faith. The organization’s mission is to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in faith. Applicants must be committed to this purpose and the faith requirements outlined below.

Young Life North Shore is searching for an Area Director who is passionate about growing ministry and spending time with high school kids. This full‑time position includes salary and benefits, oversees one to three high schools (yet to be determined), and is also part of the college ministry at Northwestern University.

Execute Young Life’s mission to “introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith” through the power of relationships.

Lead all aspects of the high school ministry, including supervising a volunteer leader team of college students and young adults.

Spend significant time each week building relationships with high school students.

Plan and run weekly programmatic events for students such as Young Life club (large‑group outreach event) and Campaigners (Bible study).

Lead the ongoing recruiting and training of college and adult volunteer leaders.

Lead multiple summer and school‑season camping trips.

Assist with college ministry at Northwestern University.

Raise funds and awareness of Young Life in the area through relationships and large‑scale fundraising events.

• A deep love for Jesus and passion for outreach ministry.
• Ability and desire to relate to high school and college students.
• Strong Christian faith, knowledge of God's Word, and ability to lead others to Christ.
• Proven track record of self‑starting and taking initiative.
• Ability and desire to maintain a varying schedule that includes evenings and weekends.
• Willingness to live in the local area (Evanston and surrounding towns).
• Possess high capacity and high energy level.
• Comfortable relating to adults of all ages.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Young Life experience, professional ministry experience, or fundraising/development experience required.

• Develop a yearly personal growth plan that fosters a vibrant spiritual life including time for solitude, retreat, reflection, prayer and a sincere commitment to understanding God’s Word.
• Seek and maintain relationships and disciplines, in the context of active participation in a church community.
• Actively participate in the spiritual life of the Young Life community.
• Lead teams and individuals in spiritual development.
• Ensure that all Young Life ministry in the area, is designed and carried out with a dependence on prayer that takes place out of the overflow of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Partner with Regional director and Committee to cast vision for reaching “every kid” within the defined area.
• Develop consistent gatherings with committee, leaders and staff to build unity and provide vision and direction.
• Create a spiritual leadership plan for volunteer leaders, staff and committee members in the area.
• Recruit and train new staff and leaders to build leadership teams that reflect the community.
• Supervise, develop and evaluate area staff, providing resources and experiences needed to implement the vision.
• Provide quality summer staff, work crew and adult guests for summer camps.
• Model excellence in contact work, club, Campaigners and camping to other leaders.
• Train leaders, team leaders and committee how to work effectively in teams and develop a yearly ministry strategy.
• Provide leadership to the TDS team and committee in finding partners to own the area vision and budget.
• Develop and lead the area’s fundraising strategy and ensure excellence in communication to donors.
• Raise the necessary funds to carry out the ministry vision for the local area, keeping the area consistently in surplus (goal is a one‑month cash reserve minimum).
• Build the Young Life brand via public relations as an excellent tool for working with youth in the area.
• Coordinate and conduct quality events which reflect Young Life’s capacity to impact kids and warrant the investment of a participant’s personal and corporate resources.
• Actively engage…