What does an Executive Pastor do?

Executive Pastors work in churches representing a wide range of Christian denominations. You typically find the role in larger churches where one Pastor isn’t enough to manage all operations. Executive Pastors assist the Senior Pastor by taking on administrative tasks such as budgeting and managing staff members. The role also involves spiritual guidance for the congregation, such as preparing sermons. Within the greater community, the Executive Pastor develops partnerships with other organizations to help those in need and promotes the church at various events.

Executive Pastor skills and qualifications

To be a successful Executive Pastor, a candidate needs several prerequisite skills and qualifications. Examples to list in your job description for Executive Pastor roles include:

• Commitment to their faith
• Understanding of theological principles
• Organizational skills, decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Managerial and supervisory skills
• Verbal and written presentation skills
• Interpersonal skills and the ability to foster positive relationships

Executive Pastor experience requirements

Because the Executive Pastor position is a leadership role, it typically requires previous ministry experience. You might list a minimum of three to five years of experience in your Executive Pastor job description. It’s common to start in an Assistant or Associate Pastor role. Some candidates might have experience as specialty Pastors, such as Youth Pastors or Missions Pastors.

Beyond work in ministry, experience in management or supervisory roles can benefit candidates for an Executive Pastor position. You might look for previous jobs that involved project management, supervision and planning, human resources duties and administrative tasks.

Executive Pastor education and training requirements

While not a hard requirement, a job description for Executive Pastor openings may list a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a ministry-related field like theology, religious studies or ministry. Some organizations prefer candidates with master’s degrees, such as a master of divinity or a master of ministry. Others may require formal seminary training. Becoming ordained is also usually a requirement to become a Pastor. This process can vary from denomination to denomination.

Job description samples for similar positions

If your organization doesn’t need an Executive Pastor, it might need a similar position. Check out these related job descriptions:

• Pastor
• Youth Pastor

Executive Pastor job description FAQs

Who reports to an Executive Pastor?

Associate Pastors, Assistant Pastors and Youth Pastors may report to the Executive Pastor. Other church staff members, including ministry teams, Volunteer Coordinators and Administrative Assistants might also report to this person. The Executive Pastor handles many HR functions for those staff members. They might recruit, train and supervise church team members.

What is the difference between an Executive Pastor and a Senior Pastor?

An Executive Pastor typically sits just under a Senior Pastor in the church hierarchy. The Executive Pastor’s goal is to handle the operational side of the church, allowing the Senior Pastor to focus more on spiritual leadership. Executive Pastors typically take on a support role in pastoral care. The church’s vision and direction often come from the Senior Pastor, and the Executive Pastor handles the administrative work to make those ideas come to life.

What qualities make a good Executive Pastor?

A great candidate has a strong faith and compassion for others. Continuing to strengthen that relationship can also make the applicant better in the role. Compassion allows the Executive Pastor to help the congregation. It’s also useful to be organized and business-oriented as the role has some administrative duties. The candidate should also have strong people skills to work with both church staff and church members.

How can you make your Executive Pastor job description stand out?

When writing your Executive Pastor job description, detail the specifics of the role and information about the church, such as the size. You might mention distinctive ministries, community partnerships or other programs that make your church unique. Include resources available to the candidate and software programs you use regularly. Use language in the job ad that reflects your church, whether it’s more traditional or more modern.