Associate Pastor | Union Church | Austin, Tx

Written By Sherry Gossman

Position Summary

Union Church is a multicultural, multigenerational, and inclusive church that pursues flourishing together.

The Associate Pastor serves as a community-minded pastor and ministry leader who helps people grow in Christ, belong in authentic community, and participate in God’s work for the common good. This role combines pastoral leadership, ministry operations, hospitality, and community development.

The ideal candidate is both highly relational and highly organized—someone who can build systems while building people; lead ministry while developing leaders; and provide pastoral presence while creating sustainable structures.

This position partners closely with the Senior Pastor to strengthen church-wide discipleship, provide pastoral support and leadership backup, develop ministries and volunteers, and create environments where people experience belonging and spiritual growth.

Core Responsibilities

  • Reports To: Senior Pastor

  • FLSA Status: Exempt, Full-Time

Pastoral Leadership & Operations

  • Serve as a pastoral partner to the Senior Pastor and provide leadership and support across ministry areas.

  • Provide pastoral care, coaching, and encouragement to members and attenders.

  • Preach approximately 4–6 Sundays per year (or as determined by Senior Pastor)

  • Support community development and partnerships

  • Manage ministry communications, systems, administration, and follow-up

  • Collaborate with staff to improve ministry effectiveness and sustainability

Spiritual Formation & Groups

  • Create systems that help people move from guest → belonging → engagement → leadership

  • Equip and coach group leaders to develop healthy discipleship environments

  • Develop annual ministry goals, rhythms, and outcomes

  • Partner with staff and leaders to develop pathways for spiritual growth

Next Generation

  • Develop, lead, and support next-generation mentorship model and family engagement

  • Partner across church ministries to strengthen connection and care

  • Create cross-generational opportunities for service, hospitality, and seeking the common good

Hospitality & Belonging

  • Oversee Hospitality and Guest Experience ministries

  • Build welcoming systems for first-time guests and ongoing engagement

  • Strengthen volunteer teams that create environments of belonging

  • Ensure Sunday and ministry environments reflect Union’s values and culture

Qualifications

Leadership Qualities

  • Strong interpersonal skills and a warm, positive presence

  • Demonstrates pastoral maturity and spiritual leadership

  • Strong administrative and organizational ability

  • Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to build and improve systems

  • Comfortable leading in multicultural and multigenerational environments

Congregational Abilities

  • Ability to lead and coach participants, volunteers, ministry leaders, and staff

  • Ability to identify and launch new community development opportunities

  • Ability to cultivate meaningful relationships across backgrounds and cultures

  • Ability to speak and teach in various ministry settings

Overall Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication

  • Strong time management and follow-up

  • Problem-solving and adaptive leadership

  • Basic technical proficiency in Google Workspace and ministry data systems

  • Ability to maintain composure in stressful situations, manage competing priorities, and follow through effectively

Education & Experience

  • Minimum High School Diploma or GED

  • College degree and/or seminary or graduate education preferred

  • 3–5 years of related ministry or leadership experience preferred

Leadership Experience

  • Experience leading teams and volunteers

  • Experience leading community-building initiatives and care ministries

  • Experience organizing and equipping Christ followers for ministry

  • Experience developing leaders and making disciples who seek the common good

  • Experience with student, family, or next generation ministries preferred

Spiritual Criteria

  • Must have an intimate and growing relationship with Christ

  • Must demonstrate FAITH (faithful, available, invested, teachable, healthy, and Spirit-filled)

  • Model standards and expectations of Union Church leadership

  • Alignment and commitment to Union Church’s vision, mission, and distinctives. For more information about our church, visit unionaustin.com/about

Working Conditions and Other Information

  • A flexible weekly work schedule that includes mandatory Sunday hours, with added responsibilities for holidays and special events as assigned.

  • Requires at least 1–2 evenings each week.

  • Attend all functions and staff meetings as required for leadership and staff.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Equal Employment Opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at Union Church, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

As a religious institution, it is important that all employees of Union Church hold to the same beliefs and practices of the church. We therefore reserve the right to exercise this bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) in determining which applicants are best suited for positions at our church.

This policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and the related BFOQ applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

The Mission of Union Church

Our mission is to grow diverse communities and develop Christ followers who seek the common good.

The vision and mission above are not one person’s job on staff at Union; they are every person’s job. Every employee will assume responsibility for pursuing this vision and mission as an individual. The highest priority and expectation of every Union employee is to embody this vision and live out our mission personally.

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Helping people explore God through invitation and volunteer recruitment

  • Growing our community through team building and care

  • Developing leaders and followers of Jesus through training, coaching, delegation, and empowerment

Interested?

For more info, please go to unionaustin.com/staffopening

Any other relevant information or link to apply?: https://unionaustin.churchcenter.com/people/forms/1284646

Sherry Gossman
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