The Front Desk Coordinator is a vital member of the staff of Foundry United Methodist Church, a large downtown Washington DC church whose diverse, ecumenical congregation and tradition of leadership in the community date to 1814. The Front Desk Coordinator shares Foundry’s core values, among them a belief in Christ and His teachings, the commandment to serve others and to act and speak for the powerless, a compelling desire for diversity and full inclusion of all God’s children in the life of the church, and the critical nature of curiosity and intellectual honesty as we discern God’s path for us.
The Front Desk Coordinator is the primary face and voice of Foundry for both the general public and Foundry membership Tuesday through Friday and is an integral member of the staff team. The Front Desk Coordinator provides front-of-house reception directly with onsite guests, phone coverage, support for community programming, and referrals/resources for the vulnerable persons who seek out an urban church community.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Hospitality/Communication
- Stay informed of current Foundry resources and programs and communicate such information to public audiences and the Foundry community.
- Remain current of the community resources Foundry recommends and outsources in order to field common public inquiries from individuals seeking social services (including, but not limited to: meal services; emergency housing; utility/rental/mortgage assistance for Washington, DC residents; pro bono legal needs).
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the social services Foundry provides in-house
- Exercise relational intelligence when guiding individuals through the process of securing an appointment with Foundry’s ID Ministry; employ diplomacy and best practices when adapting communication to the needs of the individual requesting assistance.
- Serve as core administrative facilitator for Foundry church members through their congregational life stages, as needed (as example: communicating requests for pastoral care; connecting with the pastoral team about deaths, births, illnesses, baptisms).
- Assist Operations staff with vendors and service technicians as needed.
- Support the Sr. Operations Manager in planning partnership details and logistical
requirements of hosting a diverse scope of ministry/special hospitality events (including,
but not limited to: church partnerships; social justice community events involving
regional and national church leaders, and local city leadership; hosting of out of town
guests; facilitating guided tours of Foundry)
- Assert event-checklist mentality and relational skill when executing coordination of
Foundry and partner events; demonstrate excellent event time management and ability to
engage key support staff to successfully host and manage events from setup to teardown.
- Relay feedback from Foundry community and the public to the appropriate ministry
leaders and staff members.
- Exercise strong relational intelligence that translates well to representing Foundry’s local,
national, and international leadership and hospitality standard.
Administrative/Clerical
- Handle receipt and distribution of delivery packages/expedited mail and out-going mail
- Maintain professional, organized, and hospitable appearance of the Welcome Desk; monitor Welcome Desk supplies and communicate inventory needs to Sr. Operations Manager.
- Work within the church management software to input data; create and pull reports and member information.
Other Responsibilities
- Occasionally work on Saturdays or Sundays to serve in hospitality roles as directed by your supervisor.
- Occasionally assist other staff members with event/ministry scheduling and setup, as directed by the Sr. Operations Manager.
- Participate in administrative and full staff team meetings, staff trainings/retreats, and team-building opportunities.
Qualifications
- Minimum 3 – 5 years experience in relevant field, college degree preferred.
- Experience in social work, hospitality, restaurant services, and/or mental health preferred.
- Keen knowledge of a hospitality ethos, customer service principles, and practices
- Knowledge of computers and relevant software applications (Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Slack)
- Comfortable working with vulnerable populations; willingness to learn and employ deescalation skills
Physical Requirements
- Frequently required to stand, walk quickly, and climb stairs.
- Frequently lift and/or move up to 10 lbs and occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 lbs.
Core Competencies
- Mission Ownership: Demonstrates understanding and full support of the ministry, mission, goals and Statement of Call of Foundry United Methodist Church.
- Interpersonal Skills:
- Display a level of maturity which will ensure that appropriate boundaries are in place and that he/she will adhere to principles of staff covenant with specific attention to honoring privacy, and confidentiality of both staff and congregation, and abiding by Safe Sanctuary policies as applicable and necessary.
- Recognizes the importance of, and practices, maintaining healthy personal and professional boundaries, accepting full responsibility for one’s own work, understanding its limits, and avoiding interference in the work of others.
- Exemplify a commitment to diversity and inclusion in all areas of the workplace.
- Demonstrate a positive, engaging, and respectful attitude at all times.
- Demonstrate a willingness to accept additional responsibilities and duties.
- Team Building Skills: Participate in staff meetings and team planning activities.
- Organization Skills: Demonstrate the ability to:
- Focus, prioritize, schedule and manage multiple projects and tasks.
- Honor commitments and meet deliverables on time.
- Communicates effectively in written and spoken communication.
- Develop and implement checklists when appropriate.
- Technical Skills: Possess the ability and willingness to:
- Operate common office equipment.
- Understand, implement, and convey essential computer programs.
- Learn new programs/equipment and recommend appropriate processes.
- Spiritual Maturity: Attentive to personal spiritual development, discipline, and growth.
Interested applicants should email cover letter and resume
to employment@foundryumc.org.
