Executive Assistant to the Senior Pastor - Head of Staff

Executive Assistant to the Senior Pastor/Head of Staff

Fourth Presbyterian Church

Classification: Exempt

Status: Regular, Full-time

Reports To: Senior Pastor and Head of Staff

Location: Downtown Chicago, IL

Position Overview

The Executive Assistant provides high-level, confidential, and proactive executive support to the Senior Pastor/Head of Staff of Fourth Presbyterian Church. The Executive Assistant also supports the Senior Associate Pastor and the Executive Director of Operational Ministries.

This is a highly trusted position that serves as an essential partner to the Senior Pastor in managing the complexity, pace, relationships, and priorities associated with leading a large, historic, urban congregation. The Executive Assistant ensures that the Senior Pastor is prepared to lead effectively across the many dimensions of her ministry—including worship and preaching, pastoral care, staff leadership, congregational life, Session leadership, stewardship and resource development, denominational relationships, community engagement, and the broader life of the city.

Responsibilities:

Executive Support and Partnership

• Serve as the primary administrative partner to the Senior Pastor, developing a highly effective working relationship built on trust, communication, discretion, and mutual respect. Manage the Senior Pastor’s complex and dynamic calendar, maintaining a forward-looking calendar that allows the Senior Pastor to prepare appropriately for significant meetings, worship services, presentations, sermons, public engagements, and pastoral responsibilities.
• Coordinate meetings for the Senior Associate Pastor and Executive Director of Operational Ministries and maintain their calendars.
• Proactively anticipate scheduling conflicts, competing priorities, preparation requirements, travel considerations, and other logistical needs.
• Prepare the Senior Pastor for meetings by gathering agendas, briefing materials, background information, participant information, previous correspondence, and other relevant materials. Monitor commitments and follow-up items arising from meetings and engagements and help ensure timely completion or delegation.
• Triage requests for the Senior Pastor’s time and attention, exercising sound judgment about urgency, importance, confidentiality, and appropriate routing.
• Serve as an effective gatekeeper while maintaining a welcoming and hospitable presence.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements, itineraries, accommodations, meeting schedules, and related logistics as needed.
• Maintain an organized system for tracking invitations, speaking engagements, appointments, deadlines, correspondence, and follow-up.
• Provide administrative support for special projects and emerging priorities identified by the Senior Pastor.

Staff Support to the Joint Finance Council, the Board of Trustees, and the Session.

• Coordinate the Senior Pastor’s responsibilities related to Session meetings and activities. Support the Senior Pastor in her role as Moderator of Session.
• Schedule, coordinate logistics and meals, and serve as hospitality for all meetings. Take and prepare minutes at all meetings. Maintain all Presbyterian Church USA requirements for the maintenance and archiving of Session and Board of Trustees minutes.
• Prepare and organize materials needed for meetings and communications. Proofread and review materials and assist with preparation of scripts, announcements, presentations, and other materials.
• Research past Board and Session decisions discussions and recorded as needed.
• Provide staff support for committees, task forces, councils, or special groups assigned.
• Support the transition and orientation of newly elected officers in partnership with appropriate pastoral and administrative staff.
• Coordinate officer committee assignments in partnership with the Senior Pastor, Senior Associate Pastor and appropriate staff.
• Assist with ordination, installation, commissioning, recognition, and other officer-related events in association with the Senior Associate Pastor.
• Maintain accurate and appropriately organized records and historical documentation in accordance with Fourth Church and Presbyterian Church (USA) practices.
• Support the Senior Pastor and church leadership with denominational reporting, surveys, and other required documentation, including completion of the PCUSA Annual Report.

**Support for Senior Pa…