JANUARY 2024 T
he Director of Music Ministries Forum is preparing a revision of the NPM resource “Hiring a Director of Music: A Handbook and
Guide,” which was first published in 1991 and later revised in 2006. Te document is a guide for pastors (and equivalent clergy leaders) and search committees to the hiring of a Director of Music Ministries. Tis resource goes step by step through the process, providing helpful information on forming a search committee, drafting a position description, advertising the position, interviewing and auditioning candidates, and making the final selection for a Director of Music Ministries. An overview of the steps involved in the hiring of a Director of Music Ministries precedes the Handbook’s two main sections. Te first section guides a pastor and search committee through an assessment of the parish’s needs related to music ministry in order to create a position description and successfully advertise the position. Te second section deals with the process of selecting a candidate for the position from among those who have applied.
First Steps
Te topics covered in the first section of the Handbook are forming a search committee, establishing a timeline for the hiring process, conducting an assessment of a parish and its musical needs, determining a just workload for the Director of Music, and how to create a position description and advertise the availability of the position. In forming a search committee, six distinct areas are covered: (1) the purpose and tasks of the search committee, (2) the structure of the committee, (3) the membership of the committee, (4) the liturgical formation of the committee, (5) the budget for the search process, and (6) creating a clear and realistic timeframe for the search process. Suggestions are given for how long each step of the hiring process may take to complete, so the committee can establish a working timeline. Tis first section then guides a committee in assessing the current state of the parish’s music ministry and creating goals for how the parish may want to move forward with its music ministry. Te assessment includes understanding the makeup of the parish community, the current structure of the music ministry, the musical repertoire of the parish, and the music ministry budget. Some possible goals for the pastor and search committee to consider are presented.
A Just and Reasonable Workload
After evaluating the needs and goals for the parish, a pastor and search committee can utilize a provided worksheet that assists in creating a just and reasonable workload for the position consistent with the parish needs. Te worksheet guides the committee in determining how many hours are needed to complete the typical tasks and duties of a director of music ministries. Te first area to determine is the average weekly hours of publicly visible time spent in worship services and rehearsals. Next, the worksheet helps estimate the semi-public time spent in staff meetings, consultation with staff members, parish formation and education, and pastoral care. It then considers the average number of “private” hours a music director needs to practice and to research and select music, as well as the time required to prepare for special liturgies like Christmas and the Triduum. A range of hours that it might take to complete each individual task is given as a guide. Te worksheet alerts the committee to tasks that a director of music ministries needs to complete that they may not realize are aspects of the position. When the total weekly hours are calculated, the committee can see whether all the tasks for which they wish a director of music to be responsible are possible as a full-time or part-time position. If the number of hours exceeds the hours for the position, the Handbook recommends either reducing some of the duties or providing administrative support to the director.
Position Description,
Qualifications, Salary Range Te Handbook’s first section continues with drafting a position description based on the information gathered in the parish assessment. Te general responsibilities of the director of music ministries position are listed along with duties specific to their role as choral director and/or instrumentalist. Te Handbook also gives a sample position description that demonstrates how the information that has been gathered can be included. After the position description is written, the Handbook recommends the search committee determine what qualifications a candidate should possess for the position. Qualifications could include whether a candidate should have a degree in music and whether that degree should be in a particular field—for example, choral conducting, organ, or liturgical/sacred music.
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