Guest Experience Pastor at Willow Creek Community Church Inc

Description

Willow Creek Community Church is an egalitarian non-denominational, multi-site church in and across Chicagoland passionate about our vision of helping people take next steps to love God, love people, and change the world. Our desire is to see, value, and serve every person who takes a step towards us as a church. This means we work really hard to create physical environments that are not only welcoming, but are inviting. We want everyone to be seen and free from being distracted as they encounter Jesus and others. To us, it is totally unacceptable for anyone to slip through the cracks as they seek to interact and connect with us. 

As the Guest Experience Director you are a relational and detail-oriented leader who is passionate about people and creating exceptional guest experiences. Serving at our Crystal Lake campus, you will play a key role in shaping a warm, welcoming environment for weekend services and special events—with a particular focus on first-time guests. Your strength lies in equipping, developing, and releasing volunteers to carry out the ministry and you are skilled at identifying and empowering leaders, building healthy teams, and creating systems that allow volunteers to thrive in their roles. In addition, you also understand that the most lasting impact comes through multiplying others—leading through others to ensure hospitality is consistent, intentional, and aligned with the mission of Willow Creek. As part of a multi-site team, you will collaborate across campuses to maintain a unified approach to guest experience while adapting to the unique needs of the Willow Crystal Lake campus.

The salary range for this position is $54,000 - $73,000 and is dependent upon levels of experience and/or education. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, retirement savings with company match, maternity and paternity leave, generous paid time off, mental health counseling reimbursement, and more.

Job Responsibilities

• Oversee the communication and implementation of Teams' vision, strategy, and initiatives at your campus while maintaining quality and execution standards in support of the aligned ministry model.
• Cultivate a healthy, unified volunteer culture where team members are known, connected, encouraged, and discipled in their relationship with Jesus.
• Grow volunteer teams by actively recruiting, onboarding, and engaging new volunteers and identify, equip, and coach high-capacity volunteer leaders to take ownership and lead volunteer teams effectively.
• Provide volunteers with the vision, training, and resources needed to consistently execute GEX strategy and hospitality best practices with excellence.
• Lead out on project management & planning of large Campus Wide events (Christmas, Easter, World Food Fair, etc)
• Address customer service related challenges & issues in a timely, professional manner, follow up with guests via email and phone, and meet with those who want to get connected and coach them on next steps (i.e. Discover Willow, Baptism, etc) Walk with new Christ-followers as they start their journey.
• Maintain updated supplies (ex. First-time guest gifts, communion, volunteer apparel, lanyards, coffee shop/spot supplies) and ensure weekend environments are guest-ready, including: Lobbies, Auditoriums, Coffee Shop/Spot, Next Steps environment and Parking Lot
• Oversee the communication and implementation of Volunteer Teams' vision, strategy, and initiatives at your campus while maintaining quality and execution standards in support of the aligned ministry model.
• Support and promote the use of all technological platforms (i.e.Rock, ServeFinder, etc.) as the primary tool for volunteer recruitment, tracking, and data collection/analysis. Serve as a coach & problem-solver on the capabilities and workflow processes at your campus.
• Lead the planning and execution of DiscoverWillow classes and Volunteer Centrals at your campus, while enlisting and empowering volunteer teams for roles such as set-up/tear down, registrations/check-in, table facilitators/coaches, and follow-up connection teams.
• Serve as a champion for Willow's volunteer engagement process at your campus, and ensure individuals have a personalized connection to have a meaningful volunteer experience.

Success is Defined As…

• Developing People: Volunteers are equipped, empowered, and growing spiritually and as leaders. High-capacity volunteer leaders are identified and released to lead others.
• Multiplying Teams: Volunteer teams are healthy, growing, and structured for scale. New volunteers are regularly onboarded, and existing volunteers are retained and engaged.
• Creating Exceptional Guest Experiences: Weekend services and events are marked by intentional hospitality and seamless execution, especially for first-time guests.
• Executing with Excellence: Environments are consistently guest-ready, systems are in place, and metrics (attendance, engagement, etc.) are tracked and used to improve effectiveness.
• Modeling Team Collaboration: The GEX Pastor actively contributes to the Central GEX strategy, collaborates across ministries, and fosters unity between staff and volunteers.

Requirements

Preferred Skills and Experience

Skills/Competencies:

• Leads with vision & values in decision making over personal preference
• Leadership & Volunteer Development: Proven ability to recruit, equip, and empower volunteers and leaders to serve effectively and grow in their roles.
• Relational & Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal skills to build meaningful relationships with guests, volunteers, and staff; able to clearly communicate vision and expectations.
• Hospitality & Customer Service: Deep understanding of hospitality principles and a passion for creating welcoming, guest-focused environments.
• Project Management: Skilled in planning, organizing, and executing events and weekend services with attention to detail and excellence.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to proactively address challenges and respond to guest or volunteer concerns in a timely, professional manner.
• Team Collaboration: Experience working within multi-site or multi-department teams to align efforts and foster unity.
• Adaptability & Flexibility: Comfortable navigating a fast-paced, dynamic environment with changing priorities.
• Data-Driven: Capable of tracking, interpreting, and using attendance and engagement metrics to improve ministry impact.

Personal Characteristics:

• Spiritually Mature: Deep relationship with God and sees the vision of hospitality and service as an integral part of the gospel
• Self-Aware: Knows where they have weaknesses, and finds others to fill in those gaps
• High Emotional and Cultural Intelligence: Self-awareness and the ability to quickly read and respond healthfully to people who are different than you
• Action-oriented: Thrives in high-challenge situations, highly responsible, and able to make progress in multiple areas at the same time
• Team-oriented: Strong team player who can bring their absolute best to staff and volunteer teams
• Galvanizer: Confident to engage people in conversation so that they can invite people into the bigger vision
• Culture-builder: Passion for serving people well and understands what it takes to create a culture of connection and spiritual growth.
• Aligned with Willow Creek’s beliefs and values and willing to regularly attend services at a Willow Creek campus

Education and Experience:

• Pastoral, ministry and/or shepherding experience required, (preferably in a multi-site church model)
• Experience with recruiting, developing and leading volunteers and volunteer teams
• Competency with the Google suite and project management systems (ex. Rock, Hive, etc.)
• Experience in hospitality, customer service, and event planning/management preferred