Executive Director

Bethany House of Prayer 

Arlington, Massachusetts 

Executive Director Position Description

About Bethany House of Prayer 

Bethany House of Prayer has, for over twenty years, been a center of spiritual renewal, retreat, and refreshment in Arlington, Massachusetts. Rooted in the Episcopal tradition and founded as a companion ministry to the Sisters of St. Anne-Bethany, Bethany House is a non-profit religious organization widely known for offering spiritual direction, retreats, contemplative prayer worship, and writing groups as well as art exhibits, poetry readings, and hospitality for ecumenical and interfaith groups, and individual quiet days. Since its inception, Bethany House has been led with wisdom and grace guided by its Core Values. The Board of Directors has appointed a Search Committee and now seeks a spiritually gifted person to be Bethany House’s next leader. 

Our Mission + Values

Our mission is to offer a ministry of prayer and hospitality to all who seek to deepen their relationship with God — both seasoned pilgrims and those new to the spiritual journey. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Bethany House offers retreats, spiritual direction, refreshment days, and group facilitation, both onsite in Arlington at the campus of the Sisters of St. Anne, as well as off site and online. We minister to both individuals and groups within the Episcopal Church and other denominations.

Our Core Values stem from our relationship and shared ministry with the Sisters of St. Anne—Bethany, a religious order of the Episcopal Church, who supported the founding of Bethany House and who continue to share our ongoing ministry. While most of the participants in Bethany House’s ministry do not live the monastic life, the Sisters’ model invites us into a commitment to live these values in our daily life.

About the Position 

We seek in our next Executive Director someone who has a deep and mature Christian spiritual life, one to whom others naturally turn for spiritual guidance, one with a vision for the many fresh ways the mission of Bethany House can evolve and be fulfilled. A commitment to diversity is essential. This person will be the principal representative of Bethany House to those it serves, its Board of Directors, the Colleagues, donors and grant-making organizations, and the Sisters. With the Board, the Executive Director has ultimate responsibility for and authority over all aspects of Bethany House’s programmatic, financial, and operational life. 

The Executive Director is assisted by additional part-time staff. Currently, this consists of: an office administrator, a bookkeeper, and an assistant treasurer, as well as house and grounds staff that are collaboratively employed by the Sisters and Bethany House. The Executive Director also works with fifteen Colleagues who offer spiritual direction, retreat leadership, and facilitation of contemplative groups as part of the ministry of Bethany House. 

The Executive Director has oversight of two buildings, which include the office, two kitchens, meeting spaces, and 15 guest bedrooms. 

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY 

Vision and Leadership 

• Collaborate transparently and effectively with the Board to develop, implement, and monitor strategic plans and financial oversight for Bethany House, in alignment with its mission and values. 
• Provide inspirational leadership and direction to the spiritual directors, Colleagues and all who minister on behalf of Bethany House. 
• Maintain and deepen the signature spirit of hospitality of Bethany House. 
• Convene and cultivate the community of the Colleagues, including the recruitment of new colleagues and discernment of how Colleagues’ gifts can be shared in furtherance of Bethany House’s mission. 
• Inspire stakeholders with a creative vision for Bethany House of Prayer that responds to the spiritual needs of today's world.

Program and Ministry Development 

• Rejuvenate the programmatic life of Bethany House by developing and curating offerings using a variety of modalities that are true to Bethany House’s mission and responsive to the current spiritual needs of our neighbors near and far. 
• Seek out ways to engage those who might benefit from Bethany House’s ministry but who are not now served by our current offerings. 
• Work collaboratively with the Colleagues in planning and executing programs, deploying teams of Colleagues and other ministry partners as appropriate. 
• Serve in a leadership capacity as appropriate for more extensive Bethany House commitments, such as diocesan events, bishop search processes, etc. 

Relationships, Communications, and Development

• Develop and maintain constructive relationships with: the Sisters, the Board, Colleagues, and volunteers; the bishops, other leaders, and congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts; other Episcopal, ecumenical and interfaith leaders; and organizations that foster the contemplative spiritual life. 
• Ensure regular communications with Bethany House constituencies are maintained through e-newsletters and other means. 
• Ensure development and oversight of the maintenance of the Bethany House website.
• With the Board, set realistic goals for and oversee the annual appeal and, when needed, capital campaigns. 
• Maintain relationships with current donors, cultivate new donors, and explore and apply for grant opportunities to increase financial vitality. 

Operations and Property Management 

• Supervise all business operations required in a small non-profit, including payroll, tax filings, accounts payable/receivable, insurance, periodic income and expense statements, required annual reporting, computer systems, cleaning, etc.
• Oversee maintenance and improvements of the property in Bethany House’s care.
• Collaborate with the Sisters’ business manager on shared physical plant needs.
• Ensure oversight of Bethany House’s calendar, negotiating and assigning spaces for optimum use and deploying staff as needed. 
• Hire and supervise staff or contract with services to support general operations, financial accounting, and guest services. 
• As needed, produce printed or on-line materials to support Bethany House offerings. 

ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES 

• Deeply grounded in the Christian faith, with a regular prayer practice. 
• Open and welcoming to other expressions of faith. 
• Ability to hold what is timeless and eternal, simultaneously being open to respond to the times we inhabit. 
• Creative vision.
• Sincere desire for the spiritual well-being of others. 
• Facility with discernment, prayerful listening to the Spirit and the wider community to guide the life of Bethany House. 
• A spirit of collaboration with multiple constituencies and communities. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience in leadership of faith groups and/or individual spiritual direction. 
• Prior non-profit management and employee supervision at both the strategic and operational levels, including development, grant writing, and/or fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple relationships, priorities, and interests. 
• Demonstrated experience in developing programs and organizations, bringing them from vision to realization. 
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to “create a space,” both literally and figuratively, by welcoming all to Bethany House, attending to its spiritual and physical environment and to the environment of off-campus and virtual offerings. 
• Comfort with employing today’s technology to further Bethany House’s mission; willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies as they emerge. 
• Knowledge of and respect for the richness of the Anglican/Episcopal tradition, including the monastic life. 
• Master’s level (e.g., M.Div., M.T.S., M.A.) academic preparation in an appropriate discipline preferred. 

OTHER 

• As a full-time salaried position, this ministry will entail some evening and weekend work as well as the need to hold regular office hours. 
• The Executive Director will have the freedom to determine staffing needs and configuration, as the budget allows. 
• Inquiries from lay and ordained people are welcome. 

SALARY AND BENEFITS 

The base salary range for this position will be between $80K-$95K, with adjustments based on the experience and qualification of the successful applicant. We offer contributions toward retirement and health insurance. 

TO INDICATE INTEREST 

Send a cover letter and résumé to the Bethany House Search Committee at searchcommittee@bethanyhousearlington.org.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Friday, September 20, 2024

Bethany House of Prayer is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Bethany House of Prayer makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. 

Bethany House of Prayer 2024