March 2015  Originally part of the Online Leadership Conference notes.

There are so many questions that new women’s ministry leaders have. The biggest question – “What do I do now?” I have found that most new women’s ministry leaders are not given a job description from their church. Usually this is because there has never been one in place.

There isn't a set role for all leaders

I can’t provide a job description for you because all churches are different and require different things from their leaders. They require different checks and balances, different qualifications, and have different needs for their individual congregations.

What I will do for you is give you some general things that women’s ministry leaders encounter within their duties. You may be in a large congregation where every ministry and department have a leader already in place.

For instance, you may have someone in charge of your church kitchen and food preparation or have a church nursery supervisor, so you won’t have those duties. However, in some churches every ministry in the church where women are involved is under the management of the women’s ministry leader.

Not getting a job description is not unusual

If you didn’t get a job description or a list of responsibilities, ask for one from your pastor or church leadership. Talk to whoever was in charge before. See if there ever was a manual or job description for your position. You need to know what is expected of you.

The more you know your job, the better you will do it

If you need to start from scratch, take this list and see if there are things you haven’t thought of that maybe are your responsibility and you just don’t know it yet. Use this list to ask questions before you take on the job (or after if you’ve already taken a position). The better you know your job description, the better you will perform your tasks.

This list that follows just includes some things that you may end up having “under your umbrella” of responsibilities. Not all women’s ministry directors will be in charge of all these things, these are just things you might end up facing in your role.

Possible Responsibilities for a Women's Leader

1. Oversee and Supervise Overall Women’s Ministry
2. Overall planning
3. Yearly themes
4. Plan yearly budget
5. Oversee any mini programs under the women's ministry umbrella
6. Encourage Women.
7. Equip Women to Have a Biblical Foundation
8. Mentor and Disciple Women
• Provide events and activities to encourage mentoring
• Disciple women converts
• Teach women to be altar workers and how to lead others to Christ
9. Provide a Vision and Direction for Women’s Ministry
• Should be in alignment with the local church vision and goals.
10. Track Meeting and Event Statistics
• attendance
• salvation
• rededication
• Make up year-end report
11. Represent Your Church.
• at women’s conferences and meetings
• any community women's meetings
12. Attend any Leadership Training that Your Church Requires
13. Manage Overall Women’s Ministry Budget
• Establish budget if one doesn’t exist
• Track incoming and outgoing funds
• Make up yearly budget report
14. Be a Liaison and Report
• to pastor (pastor’s wife) and staff leaders.
Keep church staff informed of activities, meetings, and general information of your women’s ministry Attend required staff meetings
15. Provide Bible Studies for Women
• weekly
• monthly
• support groups
• Coordinate classes and studies
• Get church approval for desired studies
• Manage budget for any purchased studies
16. Provide Prayer Emphasis for Women
• ladies prayer meetings
• ladies prayer breakfast
• prayer focused meetings
• prayer chain management
17. Plan and Organize Women’s Special Events
• special meetings
• fellowships
• special activities
• retreats
• conferences
• workshops
• monthly meetings
• budget
18. Oversee Community and Mission Outreach
• Supervise women’s outreach projects
• Encourage missionary wives of missionaries supported through the church
19. Develop Leadership Teams
• task teams (preforming certain tasks that need completed)
• ministry teams (specific such as Hospitality, Prayer, Mission, etc.)
• long term leadership training
• work with volunteers
20. Manage Communication.
• Create a women’s ministry brochure
• Supervise advertisement for events, etc
• Place all event dates on church calendar through the proper channels
• Turn in announcements for church bulletin relating to women’s ministry
21. Supervise Food Management
• church fellowships
• food prep
• table and function set up and dismantling
• clean up schedules
• meals for the sick
• meals for the bereaved
• meals for visiting speakers and singing groups
• church kitchen management
• budget
22. Manage Church Nursery
• worker schedules
• cleaning schedules
• budget
23. Organize Housing. – Accommodations
• for special speakers and missionaries
• for special singing groups
• fruit or hospitality baskets for guest rooms
• budget
24. Manage Missionary Closet (or Cupboard)
• management of Items collected
• management of items dispersed
25. Emphasize Mother’s and Father’s Day
• selection of small gifts to give out from your church
• budget
26. Manage Showers
• bridal
• baby
• management and scheduling
• budget
27. Prepare or Order Floral and Basket Gifts
• hospitalized
• bereaved – funerals
• new births
• manage and schedule deliveries
• budget
28. Manage Church Decorating
• holiday decorating
• arrangements for church auditorium
• displays for special events
• budget

©2015 Julia Bettencourt.

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