Youth Ministry Leader – Maybridge Community Church (Worthing)

Salary: £25,972 - £29,972 (depending on experience and qualifications)

Duration: Permanent

Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours/week, including evenings and Sundays)

Reporting to: Senior Minister

Direct reports: 30+ Volunteer Leaders

Holiday: 25 days per annum plus bank holidays

We’re looking for a passionate and committed follower of Jesus to shape and grow our youth ministry. Whether you’re an experienced youth pastor or at the start of your ministry journey, this role offers space to grow while playing a part in a vibrant church family who share a love of Jesus and a desire to follow Him and show His love to our community.

As the Youth Ministry Leader, you will be responsible for leading and organising groups and activities for young people aged 12-18 years old, alongside overseeing a team of volunteers that help lead Maybridge youth ministry.

If God’s given you a heart for introducing young people to Jesus and a passion for guiding young disciples, we’d love to hear from you and invite you to come and visit us. Come and experience a Sunday with us, meet the team and get a feel for whether your next chapter might be in Worthing.

Occupational Requirement: The post-holder must be a practicing Christian, in accordance with Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010. We are unable to accept applications from individuals who do not have the right to work in the UK.

Purpose of the Role: To lead and develop the youth ministry at Maybridge Community Church in a way that helps young people find and follow Jesus amid the realities of 21st-century life. The Youth Ministry Leader will shape and deliver vibrant, prayerful, and mission-minded youth work, playing a key role in fulfilling the church’s vision:

“To build a vibrant church community that resolutely follows Jesus and extravagantly shares the goodness of God.”

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, shape, and grow the church’s youth ministry, building momentum across the church and community.
• Oversee the Elevate and Amplify youth groups, delivering engaging and age-appropriate teaching, worship, prayer, and activities.
• Plan and coordinate youth camps, retreats, special events, and weekends away.
• Teach regularly within the youth programme and contribute to wider services, where appropriate.
• Encourage youth participation in the wider life and mission of the church.
• Provide appropriate pastoral support and 1:1 mentoring for young people.
• Ensure effective pastoral systems are in place and supported by a well-trained volunteer team.
• Promote holistic discipleship, helping young people grow spiritually, emotionally, and socially.
• Pray regularly for young people and model a Christ-centred life.
• Recruit, train, support, and inspire a team of committed youth volunteers.
• Provide supervision and development opportunities for volunteers, encouraging spiritual and leadership growth.
• Develop a succession plan to raise up future leaders from within the team and youth group.
• Foster a strong team culture rooted in service, discipleship, and unity.

Partnerships & Community Engagement:

• Build relationships with local schools, other churches, and youth organisations to extend the church’s impact.
• Explore new initiatives that respond to young people’s needs, such as mental health support or inter-church gatherings.
• Represent the youth ministry within the church and advocate for the needs of young people.

Communication & Administration:

• Ensure clear and timely communication with parents, carers, young people, and the wider church.
• Manage programme planning, rotas, records, finances, and safeguarding logs.
• Work with the Communications Leader to create and distribute promotional materials using ChurchSuite, social media, and other digital tools.
• Maintain safeguarding best practices and act as the Youth Safeguarding Lead (ages 12–18), working with the church’s Designated Safeguarding Leader and deputising for them during their absence, e.g. annual holiday.

Wider Church Involvement:

• Participate actively in church life, including Sunday services, prayer gatherings, and church-wide events.
• Occasionally lead or preach at services, including those not specifically aimed at young people.
• Support and contribute to the leadership and spiritual direction of the church alongside other staff and elders.

Person Specification:

• A committed Christian with a strong and growing faith in Jesus.
• Passionate about helping young people grow in their faith and navigate life.
• Relevant experience working with youth in a church, school, or community setting.
• Excellent relational and pastoral skills, able to connect meaningfully with young people and families.
• Ability to teach and communicate biblical truth in a relevant and engaging way.
• Organised, reliable, and able to manage events, rotas, and communication effectively.
• Willingness to grow through learning and training (including studying for a youth work or theological qualification, if not already held).
• Understanding of youth culture and current challenges facing young people.
• Awareness of safeguarding responsibilities and commitment to best practice (training provided, if needed).
• Committed to being an active part of the life, worship, and community of Maybridge Community Church, including becoming a church partner.
• Full right to work in the UK.
• A qualification in Youth Work or Theology (or actively working toward one).
• Experience working with schools, colleges, or in inter-church youth settings.
• Familiarity with ChurchSuite or other church management systems.
• Minibus driving licence or willingness to obtain one.

About Maybridge Community Church: For over 70 years, Maybridge Community Church has been actively involved in the Goring by Sea area of Worthing. We are an all-age local church made up of people from all walks of life, but we share a love of Jesus, a desire to follow Him and to show His love to our community. We’re relaxed in our meetings on a Sunday, but serious about living out the Christian life. Our church is so much more than Sundays – we do lots during the week and like other churches in Worthing get involved in things in the town and the wider world.

Our Vision: To build a vibrant church community that resolutely follows Jesus and extravagantly shares the goodness of God.

Our Values: For us, church is so much more than a Sunday service; it’s a whole-life, life-long family. We pursue authentic relationships, sharing good times and bad and supporting and challenging one another in love. We’re not content to sit on the side-lines. We believe in going the extra mile to make a difference in our local communities and help empower projects around the world. We take initiative in our own spiritual growth and get involved in the life of the church. We’re here for you: we believe in doing everything with compassion, focusing our resources on the transformation of our wider community, and being as open and approachable as possible. Whatever life throws your way, Maybridge is a safe place where you can find help and support. We’re all about Jesus: Jesus is at the heart of everything we do. We seek to draw from various Christian expressions as we deepen our relationship with Him, prayerfully follow where He leads us, and passionately communicate why He’s good news for everyone.

About Goring by Sea: Worthing is a seaside town in West Sussex with a population of around 115,000. Goring-by-Sea is a coastal suburb of Worthing with a population of around 8,000. It offers a peaceful, family-friendly atmosphere with easy access to both seaside and countryside. It has a long stretch of beach, popular for walks, water sports and sunsets, and is close to the beautiful South Downs National Park. The area has a relaxed pace of life, with local shops, cafés, parks, and good transport links. Durrington on Sea railway station is just ½ mile from Maybridge Community Church with connections to Brighton, Chichester, Southampton, Portsmouth, and London. There is a bus stop right outside the church entrance offering services seven days a week. Goring has a strong community feel and is well-regarded for its schools, making it an attractive place to live and work, especially for those seeking a balance between coastal living and commuter convenience.

We are looking to interview at the beginning of January. As part of the interview process, you’ll also have the chance to lead a youth session which will be a great opportunity for us to see your gifts in action and for you to get a real sense of our youth community.