The Interreligious Communities Project, Program Associate

Sharing Sacred Spaces, Inc. is an award-winning non-profit with a strong track record of success in increasing religious and interreligious literacy, depolarizing on tough issues, undoing bias, and creating caring and trusting relationships across religious and other aspects of difference.

The success of our hallmark program- The Interreligious Communities Project (or "ICP")-- means we have scaled the program to run multiple iterations across the country at once. The primary role of the ICP Associate is to support the success of the growing network of ICP communities. This includes providing them with important materials, training, coaching, promotional, and networking opportunities.

The ICP Program Associate should be someone who is, at their core, passionate about creating interreligious understanding, who can hold opposing viewpoints without judgment, and who is truly able to build community across differences, establishing a context of warmth and trust. The Associate must also be highly organized, meticulous in fact, about dates, schedules, and keeping in communication.

Sharing Sacred Spaces is a true beacon of light, optimism, and hope that all people can live with dignity, and in harmony and peace. We make it happen everyday, and you will find working for us a rewarding experience. We hope you will join our good work and apply.

Roles and Responsibilities

Support for ICP Communities:

With guidance and support from ICP Director, develop content for toolkits for each phase of an ICP, including but not limited to:

• Overview of steps for each phase
• ICP Core Leadership Training schedule
• Coordinator training and group coaching schedule
• Participating congregation agreements
• Board packet for participating congregations
• Photo/video waivers
• Leadership team agreements
• Forms for gathering text and images for flyers and customizable promotional text for promoting sacred space visits
• Online information and registration for sacred space visits
• Evaluation forms for sacred space visits
• Distribute registered guest lists to local coordinators when registration is closed
• Provide 1:1 coaching support for local coordinators as needed - with support from ICP Director until ready to handle independently
• Join local coordinators in Zoom meetings with local congregations or partners when needed

Training:

• Provide facilitation and other support for live ICP Core Leadership Training sessions
• Maintain current and accurate materials for each session on Thinkific
• Provide facilitation and other support for ICP coordinator trainings
• Support monthly group coaching sessions for local coordinators until ready to lead them
• Remind all training participants about upcoming trainings and other important information as appropriate

Virtual Network Development and Support:

• Create sub-communities for each new ICP community and provide needed resources and information to local coordinators to help them coordinate with the congregations/ other groups participating in their communities
• Engage the full network to encourage and support a lively, well-connected network of people interested in healthy interreligious relations

Evaluation and Communications Support:

• Work with local coordinators to make sure program surveys are completed by leadership team members and sacred space visit evaluations are administered in a timely manner for each visit
• Conduct leadership team member interviews at the end of each program year
• Identify great stories to share on social media and produce content as needed

Other:

• Special projects as needed

Required Experience and Skills

• Strong critical thinker
• Ability to learn and adapt quickly to new challenges and situations
• Demonstrated ability to work with and build relationships among diverse populations
• Strong and clear written and verbal communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Some experience facilitating group discussion
• Basic materials development using Google Docs
• Basic project management experience with demonstrated ability to be organized and persistent in helping teams to complete tasks on time
• Experience working with a variety of technology/software platforms and adept at learning new technology, e.g. Zoom, Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, Thinkific, WhatsApp, etc.
• Bachelor’s Degree or commensurate professional experience

Desired Experience and Skills

• Bachelor's of higher in religious, theological studies, or similar discipline
• Interfaith/interreligious knowledge and experience
• Community organizing experience, especially in a virtual environment
• Experience providing training and group facilitation on Zoom or in a similar virtual environment
• Basic data analysis

Evening and weekend hours will be required approximately 3 to 4 times monthly.

The position begins as soon as it is filled. Deadline for applications is April 18th.

This position pays $25/hr. We estimate the position will require about 20 hours per week.

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for two references, to the Executive Director, Dr. Vanessa Avery, at vanessa@sharingsacredspaces.org.

We will not respond to incomplete applications. Nor will we respond to auto-generated applications that are not tailored to this job posting.

Job Type: Contract

Pay: $25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 15 – 25 per week

Schedule:

• Evenings as needed
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• community outreach or organizing: 1 year (Required)
• facilitation or mediation: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: Remote