Youth Development Leader

About the role

Do you love spending time with teenagers? Are you the kind of person who lights up in a room full of middle and high schoolers and genuinely wants to help them thrive? We might have your next job.

Dardenne Presbyterian Church is hiring a part-time Youth Development Coordinator to build authentic relationships with students and run a youth program they actually want to show up for. This is a relational, program-focused role — not a preaching or pastoral position. Our pastors handle teaching and theology. What we need is someone who can connect with young people, keep a program running smoothly, and make students feel like they belong.

What you'll do

• Show up to school events, games, and activities because you genuinely care about students
• Build one-on-one relationships with middle and high schoolers — coffee, lunch, real conversation
• Plan and run weekly youth gatherings, seasonal retreats, mission trips, and special events
• Recruit, organize, and support adult volunteers
• Communicate with parents and keep families connected
• Handle logistics, scheduling, registration, and follow-up so nothing falls through the cracks
• Pursue students on the fringe — the ones who haven't found their place yet

What this role is not

No preaching. No sermon prep. No seminary required. You will not be the primary theological instructor. Think of this more like a youth program director or camp coordinator role than a traditional church job.

Who we're looking for

• Personal faith in Jesus Christ — active and genuine
• A real gift for connecting with teenagers
• Strong organization and follow-through
• Experience in youth work, camp leadership, coaching, education, or social work
• Collaborative and team-oriented — you work well with staff and volunteers
• Bachelor's degree preferred (psychology, social work, education, and related fields are a great fit)

This role is a strong fit for

Recent graduates in psychology, social work, education, counseling, or recreation leadership who want meaningful, people-centered work experience before graduate school or a long-term career move. If you've worked at a summer camp, coached a team, or led student programs and want your day-to-day work to have real purpose — we'd love to hear from you. Please send resume and cover letter to susan.mcgowan@dpc4u.org

Location & hours

O'Fallon, Missouri · Part-time, up to 29 hours/week · Evenings and some weekends · This is an on-site role

Pay: $22.00 - $24.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement

Work Location: In person