3600 South Seeley Avenue, Chicago, IL 60609

Program Formation Coordinator

Basic Function:

The Program Formation Coordinator is responsible for executing Amate House’s Volunteer program and overseeing Volunteer communities. The Program Formation Coordinator works collaboratively with Amate House Staff and Board of Directors in support of Amate House initiatives. The Program Formation Coordinatorpublicly represents Amate House in relationships with collaborators and partners in all matters related to programming. The Program Formation Coordinator reports to the Amate House Executive Director.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Volunteer Education and Formation Programs (40%)

  • Plans and implements the formation and education components of the Amate House full time volunteer program. This includes orientation, retreats, in-service days, and regular community nights. Maintains close and regular communication with other Amate House staff to ensure consistency in programming and support among Amate House Volunteers.
  • Responsible for coordinating logistics of orientation and retreats with support of Amate House personnel.
  • Serves as a house coordinator. Supports and guides the Volunteers. Helps in facilitating to appropriately resolve personal, relational, and communal issues that surface in the volunteer community. Fosters an environment of respect, care, and a shared vision. Maintains a regular office hour schedule.
  • Plans and facilitates weekly community nights with the Amate House Volunteers, which includes a business meeting, a shared meal, and the ongoing personal and communal formation and the development of the volunteer community.
  • Provides one-on-one support and supervision to Amate House Volunteers on a formal and informal basis. Involves a minimum of two formal one-on-one meetings during the volunteer year with each Volunteer.
  • Acts as the primary liaison for all communication between the Amate House administrative staff and the Amate House Volunteers. Responsible for making sure necessary information is communicated in both directions in a timely fashion.
  • Works with the administrative director to comply with all financial reporting including but not limited to petty cash, house budget checks, site contributions and mileage logs.
  • Acts as a first point of contact for Amate House Volunteers in the case of an emergency or accident.
  • Maintains oversight over the physical condition of the Amate House residence under supervision. Reports repair needs to the executive director or appropriate party. Assists in coordination of needed service and repairs when necessary.
  • Researches and implements any new program and formation initiatives pertaining to future strategic plans with the support and supervision of the executive director, staff and board.
  • Develops and implements effective evaluation and planning mechanisms to ensure quality programming.
  • Plan and facilitate an annual formation planning day with staff.

Recruitment and Selection Process (20%)

  • Assists recruitment coordinator with recruitment functions such as application design and campus recruitment and as directed by the executive director.
  • Screens and interviews applicants in conjunction with other staff.
  • Works with other staff members to yearly select a volunteer community for the Amate House program from the pool of prospective candidates.

Maintaining Site Relationships and Opportunities (30%)

  • Creates and distributes Amate House site application materials to current and prospective site partners.
  • Develops and coordinates new site placement opportunities for Amate House Volunteers.
  • Carries out site placement process for all accepted and confirmed Amate House Volunteers. Includes: site applications, Volunteer site visits and interviews, and all financial agreements.
  • Plans a site supervisor orientation at the beginning of each volunteer year and maintains ongoing, collaborative relationships with sites and site supervisors.
  • Coordinates two site visits a year for each Volunteer during which he/she will meet with each site supervisor to check in about the performance of the Amate House Volunteer. Works with the other staff to facilitate or resolve, as needed, any problematic issues related to the Volunteer and the site, and if the need arises to establish a new placement site.

Marketing and Public Relations (5%)

  • Consults with development coordinator in development of materials needed to fundraise for Amate House and coordinates all social media updates with the development and recruitment coordinators.
  • Work collaboratively with other volunteer program directors in Chicago and the United States to build collaborative relationships with organizations and individuals serving young adults and involved in faith-based social justice ministry. Advocates for faith-based volunteer service and social justice issues related to volunteer service, and develops broader resources in support of Amate House Volunteers and alumni.
  • Maintains membership with Catholic Volunteer Network.
  • Works collaboratively with other Amate House staff to plan, coordinate and carry out Amate House special events and functions.
  • Coordinates and organizes short term service immersion trips from colleges and universities that are hosted by the Amate House communities.

Other Responsibilities (5%)

  • Meets weekly with executive director to keep him/her aware of what is happening with the program and Volunteers.
  • Assists in managing the Amate House fleet of vehicles and CTA passes used for volunteer transportation in conjunction with other Amate House staff. This includes tracking repairs, coordinating preventative maintenance, renewal of annual permits and registrations, and transfer of title for newly-donated vehicles.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced study in ministry/theology, or social services, education, or administration preferred.
  • Minimum of two years’ work experience required. Experience in ministry, retreat planning, social service, and/or education fields preferred.
  • Completion of a faith-based, volunteer service program similar to Amate House, or experience living in an intentional community is strongly preferred.
  • Commitment to Amate House’s tenets of Service, Faith, Community, Social Justice, and Stewardship.
  • Person of faith who is comfortable planning and facilitating Catholic Christian spiritual formation activities.Must demonstrate understanding and support for Catholic Church social teaching, missions and values. Hiring consideration may be given to candidates who are Catholic.
  • Ability to work a flexible schedule, including two evenings per week and occasional weekends for retreats and in-service trainings.
  • A valid driver’s license is required.
  • Skills required: supervision of young adults, group leadership and facilitation, strong communication and organizational skills, discipline and ability to work independently on multiple projects, attention to details, ability to manage time and meet deadlines, retreat planning, interviewing skills, basic computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point) and social media skills.

About Amate House

Amate House, a young adult volunteer program of the Archdiocese of Chicago, fosters the transformation of its Volunteers by providing experiences of full time service to people in need, community living, and faith formation. Amate House develops future leaders for the church and world who are committed to building a more just and loving society.

In 1984, Amate House was established in 1984 as a volunteer program for young adults by three seminarians from the Archdiocese of Chicago, along with other lay and religious men and women, with the objective of transformation through service. The founders chose the name “Amate,” the Latin imperative “to love,” because they envisioned a program in which young adults would put “love into action,” and answer the call to holiness by providing support and service to fulfill the needs of the city and the Archdiocese of Chicago.

In addition to a vocation of service, Amate House emphasizes the personal, professional and spiritual development of its Volunteers, encouraging growth into compassionate leaders for the church and world.

Reply to this Job Post

Please send cover letter and resume to Jeannie Balanda at or 3600 S. Seeley Chicago, IL 60609.