Community Stewardship Coordinator (Shika)

OUR FOUNDATION & MISSION

The New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care is a non-profit 501(c)(3) transforming the culture of care. Since its inception in 2007, NYZC has been a trailblazer in pioneering the contemplative approach to care and medicine, developing innovative education, conducting groundbreaking research, and offering spiritual care for those facing suffering in all its many forms, including illness and end-of-life. The Zen Center holds a steadfast dedication to Soto Zen tradition with an expression of this practice through education and service in the community.

The integration of Zen practice, transformational education, intimate care, and supportive community sets the Zen Center apart. Today, our programs are internationally recognized and have reached tens of thousands of individuals.

Zen Practice
:
We offer opportunities for the practice and study of Soto Zen Buddhism for new and advanced practitioners alike through daily online meditation, free introductory courses, bi-annual 90-day online practice periods, retreats, graduate-level classes, and a Certificate in Soto Zen Buddhist Studies. For those wishing to become formal Zen students, we offer a complete path of practice under the guidance of an authorized teacher, as it has been for seekers of the Way since the beginning of Zen.

Education
:
Recognized as leaders in the field of contemplative care and contemplative medicine we offer a range of educational programs for professional healthcare providers, volunteer caregivers, and those seeking graduate-level education in spiritual care and Soto Zen Buddhism. We are also the only Zen Buddhist-based organization accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, to offer Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) for those pursuing professional chaplaincy.

Care and Support
:
We offer care and support to those facing grief, loss, illness, aging, and end-of-life—all of which are sacred journeys. We also offer communities of support and connection for professional and non-professional caregivers coping with the unique and challenges of caring for others.

The Community Stewardship Coordinator holds a relational and integrative role at the heart of the Zen Center. This position is responsible for cultivating, sustaining, and deepening connection across three interwoven communities:

This role is contemplative, organizational, and strategic
. The Coordinator ensures that people who have been touched by the Zen Center’s teachings remain connected to practice, to one another, and to the ethical and relational commitments of the Soto Zen lineage.

1. Sangha Nourishment & Community Care

• Support the vitality of the current sangha, including:
  • Regular practitioners
  • Newcomers entering practice
  • Participants in retreats and multi-week offerings
• Coordinate community touch points such as:
  • Orientation gatherings
  • Practice check-ins
  • Community listening spaces
• Work closely with teachers and staff to ensure that:
  • No one is lost at the margins of participation
  • Transitions (arrival, deepening, stepping back) are handled with respect and care
  • Help cultivate a sangha culture rooted in belonging, accountability, and mutual responsibility

2. Alumni Leadership & Program Oversight:
Contemplative Medicine Fellowship & Foundations in Contemplative Care

• Design, lead, and oversee a coherent alumni engagement strategy for CMF and FCC
• Curate and coordinate alumni offerings, including:
  • Ongoing practice opportunities
  • Alumni retreats and days of practice
  • Study groups, peer gatherings, and reflective forums
  • Cultivate and support mentors for these offerings.
• Serve as the primary relational bridge between alumni and the Zen Center
• Collaborate with faculty and guiding teachers to ensure offerings are:
  • Rooted in Soto Zen Practice
  • Clinically and ethically appropriate
  • Responsive to the evolving needs of alumni
• Track participation, engagement, and qualitative feedback to support program learning and…