Administrative Assistant (Missions Liaison)

SUMMARY

The Joint Missions Office (JMO) Missions Liaison provides administrative assistance to the synod’s  mission team by supporting and aiding the work of missionaries at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following.

• Financial – Assists Financial Specialist with processing requisitions and credit cards. Handles financial reports, requisitions and credit cards for the Joint Missions Council.  Maintains Master Spreadsheet for tracking project fund designations.  Tracks gifts given for specific purposes and project fund commitments.  Prepares monthly project fund summary reports for BHM and BWM.  Prepares project funds budgets for both Home and World Missions.
• Process Incoming Mail – open and distribute.
• Furlough Coordination – Maintains furlough schedule, furlough housing schedule, Senior (vicar) housing applications and maintains furlough information document library.
• Risk Management – Track Field Property/Vehicle Information including insurance.  Gathers liability, property, and workers comp insurance documentation for HM subsidized and unsubsidized missions. Verify loans mission congregations with CEF database.
• LWMS Contact Person – Assists with answering general questions on Home and World missionaries required for Befriend a Missions program, Prayer Calendar, etc. 
• Record / Lists Maintenance – BHM Missionary Family List, BWM Missionary Family List, BWM Former / Repatriation Missionary List, Stateside Representatives List.  Assist with getting Mission information into WELSource and with Yearbook Review and Revisions – annually.
• Meeting logistics at CMM – Meeting set up, schedule room, Cloud site if needed, facilitates email communication, lodging, shuttle, and meals for all World and Home Mission meetings, printing of tent cards for members attending, etc.
• Conference Planning – Assists with logistics, participants, lodging and meals for World Mission Conference, World Seminary Conference, Orientation/Repatriation, Missionary Family Reunion and various other conferences.
• Mission and Ministry – Prepares thank you letters and honorariums for presenters.
• Other Duties – As assigned.

Back-Up Responsibilities

• Payroll – Processes all updates as needed to include July increases, additions, terminations, etc. for Home Missions, World Missions, Canada and others as needed. Prepares letter and calculates preliminary salary detail for pastors/teachers considering Home, World and Canada calls.  Processes monthly payroll through WELSource and provides to Payroll. Review the payroll process and suggest ways to make improvements.  Processes missionary and field permanent advances.
• Benefit Coordination – Coordinates with Benefits Plans Office on VEBA & AETNA International health insurance and pension administration.  Tracks anniversary dates for mission workers.        Reviews VEBA and AETNA insurance and pension billings.
• Missionary Children’s Education – Requests Missionary Dependents Education Detail (parent’s portion) from all missionaries with school aged children through age 25 to be provided to Payroll.  Requests tuition expenses form and travel request related to missionary children’s education.  Prepares and updates spreadsheets to track details.  Updates list of missionary children attending school in U.S.
• Cloud / Set Up and Maintenance
• Record / List Maintenance – BHM/DMB List / Terms, BHM Mission Field List and BWM and Committee List / Terms.
• Home and World Board Nominations for Synod Convention (once every two years).
• World Missions Convention Delegates (once every two years).
• Archive Management (physical and electronic).
• Campus Ministry back-up.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES 

This job has no direct supervisory responsibilities.                                                      

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE  

Associate degree or equivalent from two-year college or technical school; or three or more years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Strong computer skills or willingness to acquire them are necessary in word processing and to a lesser degree spreadsheets and databases. Familiarity with internet and websites is essential.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, procedure manuals and to develop brochures and presentation materials. Ability to present effectively information and respond to questions from groups of managers, staff members, professional clergy, parish musicians, parish teachers, congregational members, vendors, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS 

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest and proportions percentages.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.  

REASONING ABILITY 

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a staff member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the staff member is regularly required to sit. This individual is frequently required to walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and talk or hear. The staff member is occasionally required to stand and reach with hands and arms. This individual must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a staff member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to perform this job.  Other duties may be assigned.