Posted 4/29/2025
Job Title:
Parish Communications Coordinator
Hours:
Full time
Parish:
Our Lady of Mercy Parish
4432 N. Troy St.
Chicago, IL
Description:
Job Summary
Our Lady of Mercy is a parish that is home for people of many nations. We welcome, form, and send disciples out on mission. We seek a creative and organized Communications Coordinator to implement and manage the parish's communications plan. The primary goal of this role is to ensure clear, consistent, and engaging communication across the parish community, consolidating information flow and effectively highlighting parish priorities, events, and ministries. This person will be central to fostering a well-informed and connected parish family.
Essential Job Functions
Channel Management:
Manage the primary parish communication channels, including the weekly e-newsletter, parish bulletin (content coordination and layout), parish website, and coordination of pulpit announcements.
Content Creation & Curation:
Gather information from ministry leaders, staff, and clergy; write, edit, and proofread content for various channels, ensuring alignment with parish voice, mission, and priorities. Capture photos and videos of key parish events.
Website & Digital Presence: Regularly update and maintain the parish website content, including the events calendar, ministry pages, and news sections. Manage parish social media accounts promoting engagement and sharing parish life.
E-newsletter Production: Design, populate, and distribute the weekly parish e-newsletter.
Bulletin Coordination: Collect content, design/layout the weekly bulletin (using tools like Publisher, Canva, etc.), coordinate printing, and ensure digital posting.
Consistency & Branding: Ensure consistent messaging, tone, and visual identity across all communication platforms, adhering to parish guidelines.
Support Ministry Leaders: Provide guidance, templates, and support to ministry leaders for their group-specific communications, ensuring alignment with the overall parish plan.
Calendar Management: Maintain the parish-wide communications calendar, coordinating deadlines and scheduling content distribution.
Measurement & Reporting: Track key communication metrics (e.g., email open/click rates, website analytics, social media engagement, survey feedback) and provide regular reports on effectiveness to parish leadership.
Collaboration: Work closely with the Pastor, parish staff, ministry leaders, volunteers, and Parish/Finance Councils to ensure communication needs are met.
New Parishioner Communication: Assist in developing and distributing welcome materials and ensuring new members are connected to parish communication channels.
Requirements:
Job Requirements
Previous communications experience in a parish or other faith-based institution.
Self-motivated, detail-oriented, collaborative, faithful, joyful witness, persistent, available, fair and balanced, dependable, person of integrity, sensitive to cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity and openness to the needs of the parishioners.
Ability to deal with multiple projects, flexible, sound judgment, and comfortable with change.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong editing and proofreading abilities in English and Spanish.
Proficiency with digital communication tools, including: Website Content Management Systems (CMS) (e.g., WordPress, Squarespace, or similar) Email Marketing Platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Flocknote) Desktop Publishing/Graphic Design Software (e.g., Microsoft Publisher, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite basics) Social Media Platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines effectively.
High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
Ability to work collaboratively and build relationships with diverse groups (staff, clergy, volunteers, parishioners).
Self-starter with the ability to work independently and take initiative. Understanding of, and appreciation for, the mission and values of the Catholic Church and parish life (strongly preferred).
Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, English, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Preferred Job Skills and Experience
Masters in Communications, Theology, Ministry, or similar fields Previous communications experience in a mission oriented parish or other faith-based setting.
Special Directions:
Internal Candidates (existing employees) – Please complete the subject field of your email with the following: “Internal Candidate – Job Title – Full name”
External Candidates - Please complete the subject field of your email with the following: “Job Title – Full name”
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