Regional Team Director

This position will build, strengthen and grow regional teams (volunteers, sponsors, donors and staff) to ensure the health and growth of ministry in Africa/Middle East (A/ME).

Regional teams are comprised of individuals, typically living in the U.S., who are passionate about ministry in one of the geographical regions within Young Life’s Africa/Middle East Division. Regional team members are advocates for the mission — as donors, sponsors, prayer partners and volunteers — and they are seen as vital to the ministry. In these teams, members and national staff closely work together to fund and support Young Life’s ministry on the continent as we aim to reach every teen for Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith.

A regional team director oversees and works with a subset of the regional teams. This role requires an individual who possesses the ability and giftedness to work with an engaged community of adults who are volunteers, donors, prayer partners, and also with our staff.

Spiritual Development - “Following Jesus” includes prayer and spiritual disciplines, fellowship, growth and health, and church relationships.

• Personal Growth — Develop and execute a personal strategy that fosters a vibrant spiritual life including time for solitude, retreat, reflection, fellowship, prayer and a sincere commitment to understanding God’s Word.
• Local Church Involvement — Seek and maintain relationships and disciplines in the context of active participation in a church community.
• Ensure that all Young Life ministry is designed and carried out with a dependence on Scripture and prayer that takes place out of the overflow of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Lead teams and individuals in spiritual development.

Leadership Development - “Equipping volunteers, committee and staff” includes key volunteer care, recruiting, team building and training, supervision and vision casting.

• Equipping and Care – Caring for volunteers, recruiting team members, building a team environment, and casting vision.
• Developing – New and measurably effective regional team models and structure.
• Engaging Deeply – With all regional team leaders to help them and their team members reach maximum effectiveness while communicating regularly with both individuals and as a regional team leader group.
• Partnering – With the regional or country director to develop a regional team that gives leadership to long-term, sustainable growth in developing areas.
• Walking Alongside – Field staff to continue helping them learn to lead and engage with regional teams.
• Collaborating – With the divisional communications team to ensure effective connectedness between regional teams, staff, donor base and regional team members.
• Advising – Division senior leadership (GSVP, VPs, etc.) from time to time and when needed on strategic decisions.
• Making yourself available to other mission leaders as needed.
• Collaborating – With other regional team directors to ensure consistency and best practices.
• Volunteering – In some capacity in a local U.S. Young Life ministry; short-term and/or long-term (e.g., volunteer leader, committee member, program and speaking at different events).
• Serving – On project teams having field and mission services components as needed from time to time.

Resource Development - “Fueling the ministry” includes events, major donor care, public relations (branding), increasing team members and support.

• Collaborate with divisional campaign director, vice presidents, Development team and Expeditions to develop and execute a plan to grow the size and effectiveness of the regional teams in the following areas:
  – Develop and expand relationships with critical constituencies for a region being developed and make invitations to join the team. Increase the number of regional team members. There are currently 12 regions with 220+ members. The regional team director(s) would grow members to 320+ by the end of FY’25.
  – Facilitate launching of new regional teams as growth in the A/ME Division continues.
  – Increase engagement between regional team members, sponsors and A/ME staff (e.g., Barnabas Program).
  – Annual/Bi-Annual donor-focused trips to regional locations.
  – Help to increase funding by identifying new sponsorships (camp, staff, country, continent).
• Host and/or attend gatherings, house parties and other development events to expand the network of potential sponsors and regional team members.
• Track, monitor and report effectiveness of regional team funding, interest, engagement, satisfaction, appreciation and networking to the divisional campaign director.
• Co-plan the Annual Division Celebration event as parts pertain to regional teams. This would be in conjunction with the Development team, Communications team, and the Africa/Middle East leadership/staff.
• Attend divisional events in the U.S and/or Africa to serve, support and further relationships with sponsors, regional team members and/or prospective members.
• Team with the divisional Expeditions lead for A/ME, create end-to-end core trip experiences that are oriented to the donor or prospective donor to selected regions in the division. Note: Prepackaged trip experiences could include a deep introduction to the Young Life mission and ministry in that region; immersion into the local culture through direct on-the-ground experiences, and/or Young Life “program” of fun and adventure to ensure each trip is a unique, high quality Young Life experience.

Ministry Support - “Taking care of business” includes accounting, administration, communication (internal and external), data management and strategic plan.

• Adhere to all Young Life policies and procedures and maintain professionalism concerning office hours, dress, conduct and time management.
• Manage finances with stewardship, accountability and transparency using missionwide applications.
• Maintain accurate information on participants, leaders and donors for divisional records.
• Provide clear, prompt, appropriate and professional communication to everyone involved in ministry.

• Demonstrates mature and growing Christian faith.
• Holds deep understanding of Young Life’s core values, principles, culture and organizational structure.
• Handles and resolves conflict based on Young Life’s conflict resolution policy and is able to diffuse situations when needed.
• Carries five or more years of experience on Young Life staff or other ministry or travel-related industry positions.
• Team-oriented individual who is also able to work well independently.
• Strong in cross-team collaboration skills and cross-cultural skills plus deeply passionate about international ministry.
• Extensive work with donors and board members and is able to maintain strict levels of confidentiality.
• Proven excellence in recruiting, training, caring for, motivating and leading volunteers and teams.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills with donors and volunteers.
• Flexible, adaptable and has the ability to learn and be creative.
• Thinks strategically and enacts tactical execution; highly gifted, reliable and capable in administrative work.
• Takes initiative and is able to multi-task assigned projects autonomously to completion.
• Significant amount of experience participating in, leading and coordinating short-term service trips.
• Demonstrates high financial integrity and stewardship of resources.
• Respectful to authority; open to coaching and clarified accountability.
• Experience working with executive level leadership is a plus.
• Minimum of a bachelor's degree (from an accredited college).

• May work from anywhere in the U.S. with close and affordable proximity to a major airport.
• Extensive travel:
  – U.S. nationwide connecting with regional team leaders, existing and potential members, executive committee, U.S. staff and more.
  – Annual travel to some of the regions assigned, including travel to develop donor-focused travel experiences.
  – International travel could be two to three trips annually.
  – Other trips expected for training and meetings.
• This position is fully self-funded (e.g., personal donor base/team is developed and maintained).

To better help us serve you in your inquiry process, please take a moment to fill out the International Inquiry Form available.

Questions about international? Email the Employment Coordinator at