Overview: The part-time Acting Director of Music collaborates with the Minister, and others as needed to

• Plan, coordinate, and lead the music program for all worship services

• Creatively expand the role and scope of music used in the service

• Direct the UFPC Choir

Congregational Context

United First Parish Church is a welcoming and theologically diverse Unitarian Universalist spiritual community founded in 1639. Our small, kind, and caring congregation is committed to spiritual growth, creative expression, freedom of thought, and social justice action. Also known as “Church of the Presidents,” we are open for historic tours seven months of the year and hold several history and culture programs for the public each year. UFPC is located in the heart of Quincy Center and is accessible by public transportation via the Red Line, commuter rail, and bus. Please note, our historic building is not fully ADA compliant, though the majority of the building is wheelchair accessible.

Supervision and Collaboration: The Acting Director of Music will be supervised by the Minister. Attendance is expected at Worship Committee meetings (on zoom) every-other-month, monthly staff meetings, and one-on-one supervision meetings with the Minister as needed.

Qualifications: Our ideal candidate has

• Education/Experience:

  • A degree in music strongly preferred; music students are welcome to apply

  • Experience in choral conducting

  • Piano and / or organ proficiency, with ability to accompany congregational singing, accompany the choir, and to play musical solos for the prelude and postlude.

  • Ability to locate, write and/or arrange appropriate music

• Leadership and Working Style:

  • Practice a leadership style that is both inclusive and collaborative

  • An ability to work with volunteer musicians with varying skill levels

  • Ability and willingness to work in an institution in the midst of change, as the congregation engages in a year of discernment regarding the long-term vision and staff structure of our music program

• A Vision for Music Ministry:

  • Uses music as a way to deepen Unitarian Universalist identity and faith. Collaboratively builds a repertoire of songs from within and beyond our hymnals that offers innovative, moving, and inclusive imagery and language for humanity and the Holy, and can become the “spiritual soundtrack” for UFPC

  • Draws from a wide variety of musical styles and instrumentation to build bridges between different tastes and generations, to create a vibrant musical repertoire that fits the themes and needs of our worship services.

• Technical Skills:

  • Familiarity with or willingness to proactively learn technical tools including Zoom, Google Drive, Breeze Church Management Systems, and searchable musical databases of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and Association of UU Music Ministries (AUUMM).

Essential Functions:

• Plan and direct the musical elements for weekly worship services in consultation with the Minister and worship team

• Direct UFPC Choir of approximately 10 singers of varying skills and experience. The choir currently rehearses on Sunday mornings

• Leadership of congregational singing

• Oversee the maintenance of the congregation’s instruments, in collaboration with the Office and Property Manager, including piano and organ tunings

• Oversee music library, including ensuring that we have appropriate copyright permissions

• Recruit and supervise additional instrumentalists for worship, as needed

• Plan the music budget with Minister and Worship Committee

• Join and actively engage with the Association of UU Music Ministries (AUUMM) for ongoing learning, collaboration, ideas, and training

• Collaborate with the staff and lay leaders to incorporate the Unitarian Universalist Association’s new “Sing Out Love” virtual hymnal into the music life of the congregation

Compensation and Working Hours:

• Salary is commensurate with experience and based on UUA Fair Compensation Guidelines, Geo Index 6 ($13,000 to $14,000). Salary is paid every two weeks.

• The Acting Director of Music receives six (6) Sundays off during the September to June calendar, arranged with the Minister

• Weekday hours are flexible, with occasional evening or weekend meetings

• Eligible to participate in UUA retirement plan

To Apply:

To apply, please email a resume, cover letter, three references, and a work sample to Office@ufpc.org and Minister@ufpc.org.  United First Parish Church is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association and is an equal opportunity employer.