Administrative Assistant for the Office of Christian Formation
Full-time or part-time position - Posted 2/17/2026
Position Summary
The Office of Christian Formation (OCF) at John Brown University seeks a highly organized, relational, and mission-driven Administrative Assistant to coordinate and advance the operational life of the office. The Administrative Assistant serves as the primary operational partner to the University Chaplain/Dean of Christian Formation, ensuring that the day-to-day work, systems, and initiatives of OCF move forward effectively and with continuity. This role is approximately 75% operational and administrative in nature, expressed through leadership of systems, coordination of initiatives, and execution of the daily work of the office. Approximately 25% of the role includes a relational ministry presence, encouraging active mentoring of students and supporting student leaders. The position is full-time, primarily working 42 weeks/year (aligned with the academic calendar), and working 1 day/week in June and July. Occasional evening participation in formation initiatives is required. (Although it is preferred to fill this as a full-time position, there can be some flexibility and consideration for candidates desiring a part-time position.) The position would start June 1.
Role qualifications
- Strong ability to create good will and relate interpersonally with staff, faculty, students and guests
- Ability to translate vision into execution through strong administrative leadership, communication systems, and initiative coordination
- Commitment to contributing to the broader mission of Student Development, supporting the spiritual, communal, and co-curricular life of the university through dependable operations, communication, and collaboration
- Commitment to the Articles of Faith, Mission, and Objectives of the University; and desires to be a role model for students by demonstrating an active Christian faith in personal example and in work related responsibilities.
Position Responsibilities
Chapel & Program Administration
- Coordinate administration of the chapel credit system (tracking, reporting, communication)
- Process chapel exemptions and documentation, communicating with students who have applied, inquired, or need to schedule a meeting with OCF staff.
- Support logistics for chapel programming and external speakers (travel, schedules, hospitality, contracts)
- Coordinate with IT and campus partners to maintain reliable systems
Operational Coordination & Administrative Leadership
- Coordinate the daily operational life of the Office of Christian Formation
- Translate priorities into executable workflows and follow-through
- Anticipate needs and ensure continuity when the Chaplain is engaged in pastoral or campus responsibilities
- Support planning and implementation of major initiatives and seasonal rhythms
- Maintain organized digital and physical administrative systems
Communication & Scheduling
- Manage calendaring and scheduling for the Chaplain
- Assist with email management and routing of inquiries
- Coordinate communication across OCF staff, student leaders, and campus partners
- Support communication related to chapel, programs, and formation initiatives
Budget & Office Operations
- Process receipts, reimbursements, and purchasing documentation
- Assist with tracking and maintaining office budgets
- Maintain administrative records and documentation
- Support office workflows and operational consistency
Initiative Support & Systems Improvement
- Help move projects and initiatives forward through organization and follow-through
- Identify opportunities to improve workflows and communication systems
- Strengthen clarity and consistency across administrative processes
Mentoring & Ministry Presence
- Provide relational encouragement and mentoring to students and student leaders
- Participate occasionally in evening formation rhythms such as discipleship gatherings or leadership development spaces
- Support the development and care of student leaders through presence, encouragement, and coordination
- Collaborate with OCF staff in fostering a Christ-centered environment of spiritual formation
Student Development Collaboration
- Serve as a collaborative member of the Student Development team through periodic participation in meetings and initiatives
- Support the shared mission of fostering student growth, belonging, and spiritual formation across the Student Development team
- Maintain awareness of departmental events and priorities to ensure strong collaboration and communication
Innovation & Systems Improvement
- Explore and implement emerging tools—including AI-assisted platforms—to improve efficiency and communication
- Help streamline workflows, scheduling, communication, and tracking systems
- Identify opportunities to strengthen organizational effectiveness across the office
- Maintain a posture of curiosity and continuous improvement regarding administrative systems and tools
Supervision & Team Support
- Coordinate and support the work of a graduate assistant and student employees
- Foster a collaborative, organized, and hospitable office environment
Essential Skills and Experience
- Demonstrated administrative and operational competence in a professional setting
- Strong organizational ability and attention to detail
- Experience managing schedules, communications, and multiple workflows simultaneously
- Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
- Ability to manage confidential information with discretion
- Comfortable learning new systems and technologies
- Ability to engage relationally with students within a Christ-centered higher education environment
Preferred Skills and Experience
- 2+ years of administrative, operational, nonprofit, ministry, or higher education experience
- Experience coordinating events, programs, or organizational initiatives
- Experience supporting budgets, purchasing, or financial documentation
- Experience supervising student employees, interns, or volunteers
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office and standard administrative software tools
Education
Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
Physical demands and work environment
Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to walk; stand; sit; use hands; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.
The employee is expected to adhere to all University policies.
About JBU
Information describing the university is available online.
Apply
To apply, please upload the following documents to the "Upload Your Documents" page:
- Cover Letter
- Your resume
- A completed and signed staff employment application (Click Here to Access the Application)
Only complete materials will be reviewed. Applicants selected for an interview will be contacted by the university.
Contact information:
Office of Human Resources
John Brown University
2000 West University Street
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Phone: 479.524.7197
e-mail: jobs@jbu.edu
