FIRST IMPRESSIONS LEADER
Part Time (32 hours) | Salary (£30,000 Pro rata)
About Venture Church
We are a non-denominational church meeting at our Oldbrook and Kents Hill sites in Milton Keynes.
Our mission is to bring people to Jesus and equip them to live courageously as fully devoted followers of Christ. Our values shape everything we do. We are saved to serve, forgiven to forgive, given to generosity, passionate about people, committed to community, moving towards maturity, and always bringing our best.
Purpose of the role
The First Impression Leader role owns the day-to-day delivery of our guest experience, everything from a guest’s first moment in church through to their connection into a Venture Group or a serving team. The aim is simple. Every guest is welcomed warmly, followed up personally, and guided towards a clear next step, so that nobody falls through the gap between a first visit and genuine belonging.
You will lead through volunteer leaders, raising, equipping and releasing the leaders of our First Impressions teams, and championing a culture of warmth, courage and care across our gatherings, ensuring every step of the guest journey stays consistent across Oldbrook and Kents Hill and reflects Venture Church’s mission and values.
The First Impressions team: First Impressions is the overarching team you will lead, and the following areas sit under it. You will lead largely through each area’s volunteer leaders, championing one consistent approach across both sites.
- Traffic: Led by the traffic team leader, the team safely welcomes and parks guests, manages the on site bays and parking at MK College, directs guests to the shuttle bus between the college and Oldbrook, and ensure every arrival receives a warm first impression before they reach the doors.
- Here to Serve: The stewards who welcome, seat and care for guests on a Sunday, serving at the door, around the foyer, in the auditorium and at the Connection Point.
- Guest Lounge: Led by the Guest Lounge Leader, this team serves in our guest lounge, welcoming new guests in person, helping them feel at home, and connecting them to a clear next step.
- New Guest Connections Follows up with new guests by a friendly phone call, finds out where they are on their journey, and helps them get further connected through our New Friends event or another relevant next step.
- New Christians Connection: Provides support for people who have recently come to faith, helping them take their first steps and stay connected.
- Hospitality and Catering: Led by the Hospitality and Catering Team Leader, this team creates a warm environment through food and refreshments, and event space set-up and clear-down, to high standards of food hygiene and kitchen safety.
- Cleaning: Led by the Cleaning Team Leader, this team keeps our spaces clean and ready, including the pre-Sunday prep that happens on Thursdays.
Job scope
Volunteer leadership, development and care
- Lead and develop the First Impressions team and other highlighted areas by casting vision, setting clear expectations, ministry wins, and fostering a thriving volunteer culture.
- Support the Guest Lounge Leader, ensuring the Guest Lounge, Here to Serve and New Guest Connections areas work as one seamless journey, and owning the handover from the Guest Lounge into follow-up so no guest is missed.
- Prioritise investment in the volunteer leaders who can in turn influence others, developing structured training and resources for team success, confidence and competence.
- Communicate a clear vision and defined ministry wins to volunteer teams on a regular basis.
- Provide pastoral care and encouragement to volunteers, fostering belonging, growth and a culture of service.
- Champion a culture of volunteer appreciation through recognition, consistent communication and celebration.
- Attend weekly review meetings and give feedback to volunteer leaders to improve processes, engagement and experience.
Facilities, logistics and readiness (Sundays and midweek)
- Oversee the Cleaning team and the Thursday pre-Sunday team in keeping church spaces clean and ready.
- Guide the set-up and upkeep of signage, resources and spaces so they reflect the church’s mission and values.
- Manage First Impressions logistics, including liaising with external partners such as the minibus company.
- Provide relevant information and ensure resources are available, so the First Impressions teams are ready for Sunday services.
- Work with the facilities team to keep physical spaces welcoming and well-presented.
- Liaise with the Traffic team leader on traffic team availability for adhoc events
Guest experience and connections
- Own the delivery of the end-to-end guest experience, ensuring every new guest is welcomed, followed up, and connected to the right next step for integration into church life.
- Ensure a consistent, seamless, mission-aligned and values-led guest journey across all touchpoints: car park, foyer, services, connection point, Guest Lounge, New Friends event and follow-up.
- Collaborate with the Guest Lounge Leader to create seamless, thoughtful experiences for first-time guests, aligned with our values of passion for people, commitment to community and service.
- Ensure the Traffic team gives a positive, accessible and hospitable car park experience for new guests, families, the elderly and those with additional needs.
- Lead and support the volunteers who connect with new guests, helping them build positive, meaningful first relationships.
- Oversee the New Christians Connection team, ensuring those who have recently come to faith are personally supported and helped to take their next steps.
- Deliver the guest follow-up rhythm (personal emails and calls across the three weeks after a first Guest Lounge visit), and the follow-up after New Friends, so no guest falls through the gap.
- Oversee guest information and tracking in ChurchSuite, keeping records and follow-up flows accurate and acted on.
- Work with other ministries so the guest experience is consistent and integrated across all areas.
New Friends events
- Plan and deliver engaging New Friends events, ensuring each person receives timely, personal communication ahead of attending.
- Oversee registrations, and recruit and coordinate volunteers to welcome and engage with new guests so they feel comfortable, noticed and valued.
- Provide information about the event to staff to encourage attendance.
- Invite and brief established members to share their experience of church life in a natural, relatable way.
- Liaise with the Hospitality and Catering Leader for catering, set-up and pack-down.
- Ensure every New Friends attendee leaves with a clear next step, joining a serving team or a Venture Group, to build connection.
Mission events
Venture Church runs two Missions evenings each year, one centred on our work in Uganda and one on our work in India. Each evening brings together a banquet, a taste of the culture, and a panel discussion with mission partners and special guests, celebrating the impact of the church’s giving and presenting the opportunities ahead.
- Collaborate with Lightforce International on the planning and delivery of both All In Missions evenings, from first idea through to the night itself.
- Liaise with the LightForce missions volunteer team, working together to execute each evening.
- Coordinate the banquet catering and hospitality with the Hospitality and Catering team, and ensure all food is clearly labelled with common allergens.
- Manage registrations so numbers can be planned and the dining experience prepared well.
- Recruit and coordinate the volunteers and logistics that make each evening run smoothly.
How success is measured
- Volunteer engagement and retention across the First Impressions teams.
- Consistent, completed follow-up for every new guest.
- New Friends attendance, and the proportion of attendees who take a next step.
- New guests connecting to a Venture Group or a serving team.
- Healthy, deep volunteer teams, with trained leaders in place and teams able to run without direct oversight.
Helpful characteristics
People-focused, warm, friendly and collaborative. Composed under pressure, positive, proactive and strategic. Well organised, a natural team builder, and someone who takes initiative.
Experience and skills
Essential
- Experience of leading and developing volunteers or teams.
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- Strong organisation, planning, problem-solving and coordination.
- Confident with systems and administration, and comfortable across the Microsoft Office suite.
- Able to liaise effectively with internal and external partners.
- Composure under pressure.
Desirable
- Experience with ChurchSuite (training will be provided).
- Experience in a guest-experience, hospitality or front-of-house setting.
Who you are
You are a warm, approachable and mission-focused leader who thrives in relational and operational environments. You work pastorally through volunteer leaders, inspiring and equipping them to deliver an exceptional guest experience. You bring collaboration, organisation, proactive problem solving and a commitment to developing people. You keep the church’s mission at the heart of everything you do, and you support volunteers in creating a purposeful Sunday experience with a wholehearted approach.
Biblical priorities
The First Impressions Leader should model a growing personal relationship with Christ and demonstrate integrity in words, actions and relationships.
Key expectations include:
- Committing to a daily quiet time with God.
- Participating regularly in a Venture Group.
- Setting appropriate boundaries to protect character and integrity.
- Developing personal evangelism opportunities within and outside the church.
- Supporting the ministries of Venture Church by faithfully giving at least 10% of income.
- Adhering to and embodying the qualities and characteristics required of Venture Church’s employees, as set out in the Staff Handbook.
The successful candidate would be subject to an enhanced DBS (without Barred List check)
Note: This position has an occupational requirement for the individual in the role to be a practicing Christian, in accordance with Part 1 Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010
Pay: £30,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- This position has an occupational requirement for the individual in the role to be a practicing Christian, in accordance with Part 1 Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010.
Are you a practicing Christian?
Work Location: In person
