High School Ministry Director/Pastor - Anaheim

Saddleback Student Ministries (SSM) at Saddleback Church has a clear goal to urgently lead students to say yes to Jesus and His purposes for their lives! Saddleback’s Anaheim campus is looking for a full-time High School Ministry Director/Pastor, to lead & shepherd our HS students, and to partner with our Junior High Pastor. We are looking for an energetic and extroverted leader, who has a heart for the lost and loves students! Saddleback Anaheim has about 100 students on Sundays, with room for growth.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

LEADERSHIP

• Playbook & Safety Alignment: Ensures all ministry operations strictly align with the SSM Playbook, enforcing core purpose, vision, values, and safety/security protocols.
• Cross-Ministry Unity: Champions strong collaboration and strategic alignment between Junior High (JHM) and High School (HSM) teams to build a seamless student ministry culture.

WEEKEND SERVICES

• Service Execution & Teaching: Directs the execution of HSM weekend programming, including message planning and delivery, worship, and connection time to create a welcoming, fun environment for students.
• Discipleship & Follow-Up: Creates clear next-step pathways for spiritual growth, designing guest-friendly entry points and completing timely weekend follow-up with students, families, and new visitors.
• Leadership Development: Recruits, equips, and empowers both student and adult leaders to collaborate in building and running the weekend service.

SMALL GROUPS

• Small Group Strategy: Oversees the strategy and execution of midweek HSM small groups throughout the school year, managing curriculum preparation, meeting spaces, and host home logistics.
• Leader Development: Enlists and equips small group leaders to foster meaningful community in their small groups and disciple High School students.
• Pastoral Care: Provides spiritual guidance, support, and ongoing pastoral care for students and their families.

VOLUNTEERS

• Recruitment & Onboarding: Actively recruits, screens, and onboards adult volunteers to build a strong, sustainable team dedicated to the High School Ministry.
• Training & Alignment: Collaborates with Junior high Ministry Ministry (JHM) staff to facilitate ongoing leadership training, strategic alignment, and team-building opportunities.
• Shepherding & Retention: Pastorally cares for, encourages, and shepherds volunteer leaders. Fosters a healthy and long-term team culture.

EVENTS

• Strategic Event Planning: Designs and executes a year-round HSM event calendar (including centrally run Summer Camps/Retreats) to encourage student engagement and spiritual growth.
• Spiritual Milestones: Coordinates and celebrates student baptisms, guiding students and their families through the baptism process and next-step decisions.

COMMUNICATION

• Parent Communication: Drafts and sends high-value monthly communications to partner with parents and keep families informed and equipped.
• Leader Communication: Drafts and sends high-value weekly communications to keep leaders informed and equipped for the weekend and/or small groups.
• Ministry Promotion: Oversees the creation and distribution of promotional materials to drive awareness and participation across all HSM programs and events.
• Campus & Platform Alignment: Maintains consistent communication with the SSM Campus Development team and articulates the vision of HSM to the adult congregation as needed.

ADMINISTRATIVE

• Database & Metrics Tracking: Inputs and maintains accurate weekly attendance, salvations, and baptism records in church database to track ministry health and engagement.
• Financial Stewardship: Manages and reconciles the HSM operating budget.
• Systems Administration: Oversees HSM group structures, volunteer rosters, and administrative workflows within the church database.

MEETINGS/MISC.

• Team Participation: Actively engages in weekly campus staff meetings, weekly Student Ministry (SSM) team meetings, and monthly SSM campus team gatherings to maintain strategic alignment.
• Campus Support: Collaborates with broader campus staff to assist with all-hands initiatives, campus-wide events, and operational needs as assigned.

DECISION MAKING

This position has a full range of decision making for this ministry as long as the decisions are based within the Saddleback guidelines for student ministry.

UNIQUE WORKING CONDITIONS

Weekend and evening hours required and at times working outside in seasonal weather.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Passionate follower of Jesus
• Values collaboration
• Team player
• Proficient in Google Suite
• Passionate about working with students and families
• Able to multitask and handle shifting priorities
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Able to lead, direct, coordinate, organize and follow through
• Team development

WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

• Current or past Student Ministry experience, Junior High Ministry experience preferred
• Supervisor experience

EDUCATION

• College or equivalent ministry experience preferred
• Pastoral Licensing Process preferred

WHAT WE OFFER

• Highly competitive benefits plans. Health plans with employee low deductible medical (EPO and PPO), dental, and vision coverage.
• 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution.
• Generous holiday and paid time off plans, including a paid week off between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Saddleback Church’s pay philosophy is based on internal and external data for pay equity and budgetary considerations for effective stewardship. The estimated pay rate for this position is $29-30 hourly, depending on experience. We will provide a pay rate within our salary structure that fits a candidate’s qualifications and experience for the job. The posted wage range does not guarantee a specific job offer.

Saddleback Church is both an equal opportunity employer and a faith-based religious organization. We conduct hiring without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, marital status, membership in any labor organization, political ideology, or disability of an otherwise qualified individual. The status of Saddleback Church as an equal opportunity employer does not prevent us from hiring staff based on their religious beliefs so that all employees share the same religious commitment, which is central to our mission.