Pastoral Counselor Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

ABOUT THE POSITION:

The Chaplain and Director of Protestant Life is an interfaith chaplain, serving all undergraduate and graduate students of a consortium of seven colleges. The Chaplain operates both independently and as part of the egalitarian Religious and Spiritual Life Team. Independently, the Chaplain offers pastoral counseling, Protestant services and programming, support to at least one other religious group (currently Buddhist), and manages Protestant religious affiliates of The Claremont Colleges (TCC). As part of the Religious and Spiritual Life team, the Chaplain collaborates with the other three chaplains to offer interfaith services and programs, coordinate outreach and community building, and respond to college requests for representation at events. The chaplains serve a religiously, ethnically and culturally diverse community. The Chaplain will model the values of The Claremont Colleges Services (TCCS): Act with Integrity, Work Together, Be Respectful, Embrace Diversity, Take Pride in What We Do.

• Priority Deadline: The deadline for first consideration is August 18, 2026.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The following are the fundamental duties and responsibilities of this position which the incumbent must be able to perform to fulfill the purpose and requirements of this position.

Spiritual and Pastoral Support:

• Advise/provide spiritual leadership, guidance, and support to all registered Protestant student clubs/groups as well as other non-protestant groups and TCC students as needed.

• Pastoral counseling for students.

• Programming

• Weekly Protestant and Inter-Faith worship services.

• Direct Protestant and other religious and spiritual observances for religious holidays, convocations, Baccalaureate, commencements.

• Develop and assess programs and services which facilitate Protestant and intra/interfaith dialogue (including issues related to social justice, diverse faiths, cultural communities, and the integration of faith and academics among students, faculty, and staff).

• Provide engaging trainings for residence hall staff, student peer mentors and others as requested.

• Community Development

• Initiate and maintain outreach and support for the diverse student populations of the Claremont Colleges.

• Provide regular communication through a Protestant newsletter and contribute to regular Interfaith communications.

• Bridge relationships and participate in activities with off-campus Protestant and other faith communities and their spiritual leaders.

Consortial Liaison:

• Serve as the chaplain liaison to 1-2 colleges through regular meetings and representation as requested.

• Collaborate with various offices at TCC such as the Deans of Students, Faculty, Alumni, and Advancement.

Other:

• Meet regularly, collaborate, and supervise religious affiliates of the McAlister Center.

• Attend weekly staff meetings, participate on various community and campus committees, maintain a daily schedule, and routinely produce relevant reports that inform program effectiveness.

• Respond to TCC community crises, emergencies, occasional memorial services; respond to requests from The Claremont Colleges Services (TCCS) Vice President for Student Affairs and/or other TCCS Executive Officers.

• Assist in or contribute to the administration of the McAlister Center.

• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned or needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

Unless otherwise stated, the following qualifications are required to perform the essential functions of this position, or the individual must demonstrate how the essential functions will be performed (with or without reasonable accommodation) using other qualifications not listed below.

Education/Training:

• A master's degree in theology, divinity, ministry, religious studies, biblical studies, or church history.

• Ordained as a minister by a recognized Protestant organization.

Experience:

• Five (5) years of professional ministry and/or leadership experience in a college, university, seminary, chaplaincy program, church, or association.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent workshop, preaching, and teaching skills.

• Excellent knowledge of the Christian tradition in general and Protestantism in particular in its U.S. and global diversity.

• Ability to engage in multi-faith and interfaith work.

• Ability to read and understand the Bible.

• Understanding of residential, liberal arts undergraduate and graduate institutions.

• Commitment to social justice, diversity, and inclusion.

• Commitment to working in an egalitarian consensus team model.

• Advanced interpersonal skills, demonstrating an approachable personality, empathy, and exceptional listening skills.

• Demonstrates maturity, tact, resiliency, and composure and sensitivity to others needs in difficult and unexpected situations.

• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with diverse individuals across multiple organizations.

• Ability to balance advocacy while maintaining confidentiality.

• Advanced public speaking and group facilitation skills.

• Knowledge of best practices for campus-based religious and spiritual life programs and services.

• Knowledge of and ability to practice the principles of leadership development and collaboration.

• Fluent language skills in English, including the ability to write with proper grammar, spelling, and business etiquette.

• Proven experience speaking to small and large diverse groups, preferably college-aged individuals.

• Ability to be proactive, open-minded, and successful in a collaborative environment.

• Ability to determine when to move forward independently and when to seek input or advice.

• Ability to contribute effectively to the operations and culture of a large and diverse organizational structure.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.

Preferred Experience:

• Doctoral Degree in theology, divinity, ministry, religious studies, biblical studies, or church history.

• Demonstrated experience with and commitment to social justice and diversity, including viewpoint diversity.

• Demonstrated experience in leadership and administration.

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in principles of leadership development and principles of collaboration.

• Understanding of and/or experience in residential, liberal arts colleges and graduate institutions.

Physical Requirements:

• This position requires the ability to perform physically demanding work on an occasional basis and involves prolonged standing and walking, frequent movement into varying body positions, and regular climbing of ladders, stairs, scaffolding, or similar structures.

• The role requires occasional lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling materials, equipment, and objects weighing up to 25 pounds, as well as working mostly in indoor and occasionally outdoor and noisy environments.

• Employees must communicate effectively in person and by phone or other devices, read and interpret printed or electronic materials, and constantly perform computer-based work requiring repetitive hand and wrist movement.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Work Schedule: The regular hours for this full-time position are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday for 10 months annually from August to May to coincide with the academic year. May be required to work holiday, weekend, and/or evening hours. Regular hours may vary due to the needs of the organization or business unit.

COMPENSATION

Pay: The pay rate for this position is competitive and commensurate with the duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required for the position, between $9,000 and $9,500 per month.

Benefits: This position is eligible for our employment benefits package including:
medical, dental, vision
10% retirement contributions after one year (no matching required)
group life insurance
generous time off
professional development funds
discounts for mobile plans, software, and entertainment
access to fitness facilities
and more!

Disclaimer:

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this position. When duties and responsibilities change and develop, The Claremont Colleges Services will review this job description and make changes of business necessity. TCCS reserves the right to modify job duties or assign additional duties as needed.

ADA/OSHA:

This job description defines the essential job duties of this position. The Claremont Colleges Services expects that employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of this job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others. It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Equal Opportunity Employer:

TCCS is an equal opportunity employer. TCCS managers make employment decisions on the basis of merit, with the aim of having the best available person in every job. TCCS prohibits discrimination based on all characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance or regulation. TCCS also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of these characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of these characteristics. All such discrimination is unlawful.