The Mission Center President for French Polynesia will oversee the pastoral, administrative, and civil leadership of the mission center's congregations.

Position Description

Employer

French Polynesia Mission Center

Remote Eligibility

Not eligible

Required Language(s)

Fluent in French and Tahitian; English preferred

Education Requirements

High School (BAC); Bachelor's degree; Master's degree (seminary) preferred, or equivalent leadership experience

Experience Required/Desired

• 3–5 years in ministerial and administrative leadership
• Must be an ordained Melchisedec priesthood minister (High Priest or Elder) in Community of Christ

Appointing Authority

The First Presidency of Community of Christ ("World Church"), which holds sole authority to make and to end this appointment at its discretion. The appointment is presented to the mission center conference for an affirming vote annually.

Immediate Supervisor

The Field Apostle appointed by the World Church to oversee this mission center. The MCP reports to, is supervised by, and is accountable to the Field Apostle for the conduct of the mission center.

Civil Function

The MCP serves automatically, by virtue of this appointment, as President of the Association (Communauté du Christ de la Polynésie française – Autahi no te Metia no Porinetia farani – Église Sanito). The civil office begins and ends with the ecclesial appointment.

Employment Status

Full-time

39 hours/week

Summary of Position

The Mission Center President is the chief administrative, pastoral, and expansion officer of the church within the mission center, consistent with the Church Administrator's Handbook — entrusted with the care and direction of its congregations through their properly established officers, and focused on strengthening existing congregations while supporting new expressions of mission. The MCP serves alongside the Mission Center Financial Officer as one of the two set-apart officers of the mission center. Building and sustaining a culture of collaboration — between the two officers, within the mission center team, and with field and World Church leadership — is an essential duty of this position.

Essential Functions

Mission and Congregational Leadership

• Facilitates participatory planning that establishes mission center priorities aligned with mission and strategic opportunities, nurturing communities of disciples and seekers engaged in spiritual formation, community-building, and Jesus-inspired ministry; supports new expressions of mission responsive to changing contexts.
• Supports and supervises congregational pastors, who are accountable to the MCP for the conduct of their congregations; develops pastoral leadership through continuing education aligned with the church's Identity, Message, Mission, and Beliefs.
• Aligns mission center support ministries with congregational needs and ensures World Conference and local resolutions are implemented in all congregations.

Collaboration and Communication

• Oversees the administration of, and models personal adherence to, World Church policies and procedures.
• Works transparently with the MCFO, the mission center team, and field leaders; coordinates significant initiatives, staff-affecting communications, and representations to civil authorities with the field team before acting; communicates relevant World Church and Field information to local members.
• Uses the assigned email account as the sole channel for all role-related communications; role-related business is not conducted through personal email accounts.

Personnel

• Supervises the Mission Center Financial Officer for day-to-day administrative matters only. The MCFO also holds a direct administrative reporting line to the Field Bishop, whose financial oversight authority derives from the Presiding Bishopric; authority over financial procedures, internal controls, and professional financial standards remains with the Presiding Bishopric through that line. The MCP supports and never impedes the MCFO's use of that line.
• Supervises other mission center staff as designated in writing by the Field Apostle, conducting ordinary supervision: regular feedback and coaching, performance conversations, scheduled evaluations under the established evaluation process, setting work priorities, and addressing day-to-day concerns directly with the employee.
• Takes no formal employment action — written warnings, discipline, suspension, termination, any communication concerning resignation or continued employment, or changes to compensation, hours, or position status — without the prior written approval of the Field Apostle. Outside the established evaluation process, if an action would create a written record in an employee's file, change their employment situation, or could reasonably be perceived as a threat to their employment, the Field Apostle is consulted before the action is taken, not after.

Financial Stewardship

• Develops the annual budget in cooperation with the MCFO; together they recommend ministries and services based on available funding, presenting the budget through mission center leadership to the mission center conference for approval, submitted at least 14 days before the conference.
• Calls for the annual audit of mission center financial records.
• Operates within the Mission Center Authority Matrix, including dual-authorization requirements, and holds no unilateral control over accounts, records, or disbursements.

Accountability

• Reports to the Field Apostle as requested on events, plans, and progress; participates in the weekly mission center team meeting.
• Participates in an annual evaluation with the Field Apostle; identified goals become a written development plan reviewed periodically, documented with a copy to the employee.

Required Competencies/Skills

Relates well with others; balances priorities; integrity and trust; motivates others; organized and action-oriented; conflict management; collaborative leadership; pastoral care presence; knowledge of church polity and rules; confidentiality; clear written and oral communication in French (and English as needed); respect for the established lines of accountability within the church.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position supervises: the Mission Center Financial Officer (day-to-day administrative matters only, as defined above); designated staff list; congregational pastors.

Required Trainings

Registered Youth Worker: Required, or registration within 30 days of hire.

Ministerial Status

Yes

Overtime Status

Exempt

Position Description Approval

This position description and any amendment to it are valid only with the written approval of the Field Apostle.

Nature of the Position: Ecclesial Appointment and Employment

This position has two interconnected dimensions:

• Ecclesial: a calling and appointment by the First Presidency to a ministry of leadership, requiring membership in Community of Christ, priesthood standing in good order, and setting apart to the office.
• Employment: an employment relationship of indefinite duration governed by applicable French Polynesian labor law. Community of Christ does not use separate written employment contracts; this signed position description, together with the offer of employment letter, the letter of appointment, and applicable law, constitutes the written framework of the employment relationship.

The ecclesial appointment is an essential condition of the employment; the duties of this position cannot be performed by a person who does not hold the appointment. Accordingly, if the First Presidency ends or does not renew the appointment, or if the incumbent's priesthood is suspended, withdrawn, or surrendered, the essential condition of the position is no longer met, and the employment will be brought to an end in accordance with the procedures required by applicable law. Acceptance of this position constitutes acknowledgment of this condition.

Governance Framework

Community of Christ is a worldwide church governed by its constitution, bylaws, and the resolutions of World Conference, administered through the First Presidency and the church's established officers. The French Polynesia Mission Center is a jurisdiction of Community of Christ. The statutes of the Association exist to facilitate, implement, and give local legal effect to the bylaws, resolutions, and polity of Community of Christ; they are in service to them, are interpreted consistently with them, and create no authority independent of or contrary to the worldwide church. Where the statutes are silent or unclear, the Church Administrator's Handbook, World Conference resolutions, and the direction of World Church officers govern, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Application Instructions

Submit a cover letter, resume, and World Church Employee Minister Application.