Staff

UUMA Staff

Melissa Carvill Ziemer

Director of Ministries and ProgramsEmail Me

Janette Lallier

Director of Operations and FinancesEmail Me

Michelle Favreault

Ministerial Formation ManagerEmail Me

Hannah Franco-Isaacs

Administrator (On Leave)Email Me

Jan Taddeo

Collegial Care Assistant & Leave CoverageEmail Me

Michelle Pederson

Interim Administrative CoverageEmail Me
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UUMA Executive Team Explained:

The UUMA Executive consists of two co-directors: Ministries & Programs and Operations & Finance. Working together in covenant, the directors are responsible for the implementation of the UUMA’s mission and vision, “Why the UUMA exists,” through the creation of a strategic plan “About Us.” Complete job descriptions for the directors, and for all of our staff, can be found in the job descriptions tab.

UUMA Executive Team Covenant

With loyalty to the integrity of the ministry, we covenant to model what collaborative leadership can be as an Executive Team in partnership with the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association. We will:

  • take risks in service of our shared vision.
  • make space for collective wisdom to emerge.
  • maintain high aspirations for ourselves, our members, and our programs.
  • engage problems as puzzles
  • bring a spirit of creativity, faithfulness, and wonder to our work
  • work together to set direction that can lead us forward and we will remain open to transformation as our ministries, our association and our world evolves.
  • commit to hospitality, endeavoring to meet our members where they are. We will provide programs that are contextually, physically and financially accessible to all.
  • draw on each other’s gifts and challenges.
  • cultivate a supportive and nurturing staff team environment.
  • start from the spirit of yes while paying attention to our capacities, which may require no.
  • be willing to try and fail and learn from the experience.
  • be accountable to our covenant, to one another and to the Board of Trustees.

Job Descriptions

Full Staff: Responsibilities

UUMA Executive Team: The members of the Executive Team share Executive Role as described in the UUMA Bylaws. Each co-executive takes the lead as described below. The team can be reached at execteam@uuma.org

Director of Ministries and Programs
Areas of Responsibility Include: Programs and ministries related to Collegiality, Support and Accountability, visioning, recruiting, developing, supporting and leading programming for events, working with collaborators throughout Unitarian Universalism on matters of concern to the clergy

Director of Operations 
Areas of Responsibility Include: Event & Financial Management, Human Resources, and Board Support, and Policy & Procedure

UUMA Program and Support Staff: All program and support staff work from home offices across the country.  Main duties for each member of the team are listed below. The full staff can be reached at staff@uuma.org

Lifelong Learning Manager (Position Open)
Areas of Responsibility Include: Program Development, Lifelong Learning Opportunities Development and Content Curation

Ministerial Formation Network Manager
Areas of Responsibility Include: Ministerial Formation Network, Mentoring, Preliminary Fellowship Support

Membership Administrator
Areas of Responsibility Include: Membership support, Communications / Social Media, Website & Calendar Updates, Event coordination, and Reimbursement Requests

Program Administrator (as of 4/1)
Areas of Responsibility Include: Support of Online Learning, Coaching, Programs and Chapter Administration

Full Job Descriptions

DescriptionDate
2024 Membership Administrator PDF 3/1/2024
2024 Program Administrator PDF 3/1/2024
2024 Ministerial Formation Manager PDF 3/1/2024
2024 Lifelong Learning Manager PDF 3/1/2024
2024 Director of Ministries and Programs PDF3/1/2024
2024 Director of Operations and Finance PDF 3/1/2024

Opportunities at the UUMA

Thank you for your interest in the UUMA.

The UUMA is currently seeking a Lifelong Learning Manager. Below is an initial timeframe for the job search. To ensure a diverse application pool we will continue to revisit the timeline and will be in communication with all applicants as appropriate during the process. Click here to access the job description. To apply for the position please send a letter of interest and resume to Janette Lallier

Job Search Preliminary Timeline:

  • March 8-20: Post job and receive applications
  • March 25-April 5: Conduct Interviews

The UUMA seeks to be as transparent as possible in the process of hiring and have drawn on the recommendations of both the UUA’s 2017 Interim Hiring Report and the 2018 report of the Commission on Institutional Change. To this end we intentionally chose members of the hiring committees giving thought to their position and role. For this search the committee will consist of Rev. Melissa Carvill Ziemer, who will be the supervisor of this new role, Janette Lallier, who holds to portfolio of HR for the UUMA, and a third person to be announced prior to interview.

We share the goal of dismantling oppression within our faith community and the commitment to a “robust ‘equal opportunity'” approach to hiring. We hope you will help us share news of any open positions, especially with people whose identities are marginalized in our society. Click here for a further explanation of our hiring process.

For additional reference, UUMA organizational chart and all staff job descriptions are in the tabs. 

Temporary Staff Positions

While we continue to rely on the generosity of volunteers to support programming, from time to time we hire temporary staffing to assist with the programming, based on feedback received from members. All temporary positions will be compensated in relation to the level of time commitment. 

The UUMA seeks to be as transparent as possible in the process of hiring and have drawn on the recommendations of both the UUA’s 2017 Interim Hiring Report and the 2018 report of the Commission on Institutional Change. We share the goal of dismantling oppression within our faith community and the commitment to a “robust ‘equal opportunity'” approach to hiring.  We hope you will help us share news of our open positions, especially with people whose identities are marginalized in our society.

How to Apply:

We recruit for these positions each winter. If you would like to be considered please submit the following to Director of Operations at lallier@uuma.org:

  • Statement of interest
  • Name the position you are seeking
  • Why you are interested in the position
  • Any skills you have specifically related to the job tasks
  • A short resume or statement of work experience
  • Name and contact information of at least one reference (UUMA Member preferred)

Process:

  • UUMA Executive Team will review applications follow up by phone or email if additional information is needed.
  • All applicants will be notified by phone or email of status of position
  • Because these temporary positions are intended, in part, to provide opportunities for UUMA members, and other UU religious professionals, to attend the General Assembly preference will be given to 1. UUMA members in good standing, 2. UU professionals with membership in AUUA, AUUMM, SCM, UURMaPA or other UU Professional Group, and 3. other employees of UU organizations.

Definitions:

The UUMA is grateful for and dependent upon the many volunteers who give of themselves to help lead the association. We believe there are limits to what may be reasonably expected of volunteers and are committed to paying for work done on behalf of the association when warranted.  This document is our first attempt to clearly establish the limits of volunteer work and the scale of compensation for temporary staffing positions during events at Ministry Days and General Assembly. We are publishing this document in the spirit of transparency and equity; we may revise it as we put it into practice and learn from its use. 

UUMA Committee Volunteer Staff: Committee volunteers do not receive compensation for the work they are doing as part of a UUMA elected or appointed committee and will be reimbursed for expenses based on the UUMA reimbursement policies and procedures.

Ministry Days Volunteer Staff: Non-Committee Member volunteers at UUMA Ministry Days are expected to work fewer than 10 hours over the course of three days of scheduled programming and should have no, or very minimal (no more than 2-3hr), preparation time preceding the event. If the expected hours for a staff person are to exceed 10 or if the preparation time required is greater than 2-3 hours the staff will be compensated.

Ministry Days Temporary Staff:  Positions whose time commitment exceeds the stated levels above qualify as temporary staff positions. We anticipate most temporary staffing will be recruited from within the UUMA membership and may already be planning to attend Ministry Days.


Positions and Compensation:

Ministry Days Volunteer Positions:

PositionOnsite CommitmentPrepSupport of
AV Assistants5-102AV Coordinator
Small Group Facilitators0-52Sm Group Coordinator
Chaplains10+2Chaplain Coordinator
CRT Members10+2CRT Coordinator
Registration Helpers0-50Registration Coordinator
MD Hosts0-50Hospitality Coordinator
Easy Access Assistants0-50Hospitality Coordinator
Navigation Partners5-100Hospitality Coordinator
Ushers0-50Worship Admin Coordinator

Ministry Days Volunteer Staff Compensation:

  • 0-5 hours: non-compensated volunteer time
  • 5-10 hours: Paid registration for the event
  • 10+ hours: Receive compensation based on Temp Staffing Chart but will not receive housing or travel stipends

Volunteers are not compensated for travel or housing but may be given priority if seeking scholarship assistance for the event.


Ministry Days Temporary Staff Positions

For Job Descriptions click on position title.

PositionLevelOnsite CommitmentPreStipendHousing & Travel
Worship Admin Coord12015$525$400
Hospitality Coord12010$450$400
Chaplain Coord21020$600$300
CRT Coord21020$600$300
Worship Leaders355$250$150
Volunteer Chaplain2101$250NA
Volunteer CRT Member2101$250NA

Ministry Days Temporary Staffing Compensation:

Stipends for temporary staffing are based on the below averages.

  • Level One: Admin Coordination Level 1 – average $20/hr
  • Level Two: Admin Coordination Level 2 (requiring Specialized Skill/Training) – average $25/hr
  • Level Three: Event Speaker/Presenter – average $30/hr

Ministry Days Temporary Staff Travel and Housing Stipends:

  • Registration fees will be waived for all temporary staff.
  • Temp staff whose travel is not covered from a separate funding source may apply for a housing & travel stipend. Since we expect most temporary staff plan to be in the Spokane area for the event, stipends are intended to defray only a portion of costs.  Staff working onsite for an average of 8 hours a day will be eligible for the full travel and housing stipend, for those working less than 8 hours a day, stipend will be prorated.

General Assembly Staffing Compensation Chart:

PositionLevelOnsite CommitmentPreStipendHousing & Travel
Booth Support14-16 hrs0$60-240Per case
Workshop Presenter32-4 hr2-4$100-200NA

Member Volunteer Honorarium and Contracting

The UUMA is grateful for and dependent upon the many members who give of themselves to help lead the association. We believe there are limits to what may be reasonably expected of volunteers and are committed to honoring work done on behalf of the association when warranted. This document is not intended to be a perfect – or even fair – system, but a place to start to become more transparent and consistent in our honoraria. We have categorized work into three categories: Contracted, Volunteer, and Temporary Staff.

Contracted Work: From time to time the UUMA contracts with its members, and others, to provide services. The below chart reflects recommended minimums for this contracted work and is based on the UUMA Scale of Recommended Fees. It is understood that when contracting work, terms may be higher based on event, skills, etc. When a contract is based on an hourly rate the contract will specify the anticipated hours and what time (preparatory time, presentation time, etc.) is included.

Volunteer Honorarium: The UUMA is grateful for and dependent upon the many volunteers who give of themselves to help lead the association. An honorarium is intended to be a symbol of thanks, and not reflective of the amount of work done. In addition to monetary honorariums volunteers who make an annual commitment can access special pricing for UUMA Events and Services. Definitions for different volunteer positions follows the scale. For purposes of honorarium, tasks have been categorized in three levels.

  • Level I: Chapter Liaisons, Vocational Advisor, MFN Discernment Groups
  • Level II: Peer Coaching, Chaplains, and Organizational Navigators Good Offices specialists
  • Level III: Right Relation Specialists, Contract/Call Negotiation Support Specialists

UUMA Temp Staff: We believe there are limits to what may be reasonably expected of volunteers and are committed to honoring work done on behalf of the association when warranted. UUMA members who volunteer during UUMA events and whose work is expected to exceed 10 hours, and/or requires significant preparation time, will be considered Temporary Staff and will receive an honorarium based on the chart below and published for each event. Temp staff whose travel is not covered from a separate funding source may apply for a housing & travel stipend. Since we expect most temporary staff are UUMA members planning to attend the events, stipends are intended to defray only a portion of costs. Those temporary positions that do not carry a Travel & Housing stipend will be reimbursed for expenses based on the UUMA reimbursement policies and procedures. Registration fees are waived for all temporary staff. Temp Staff positions include: Admin Coordinators, Exhibit Support, Retreat Coordinators, Retreat Leaders, etc. Ministry Days Temp Staff positions and application process. 

ServiceContracted Temp StaffVolunteer*Offset*Notes:
Committee Volunteer$150
Level I  Volunteer Annual Service$150$225Administrative and Low level advising in nature
Level II  Volunteer Annual Service$250$375Mid level advising in nature, requires training
Level III  Volunteer Annual Service$350$525Higher level advising, requires training
Half Day Workshop/Webinar$500
Full Day Workshop/Webinar$750
Worship Service$350
Sermon/Keynote 
/Theme Talk
$300Keynote or Talk (length of a typical sermon)
Level I Contracted Hourly Services$100Consulting, Professional Coaching, Curriculum Design and Instruction
Level II Contracted Hourly Services$50Pastoral Care, Spiritual Direction
Level III Contracted Hourly Services$30Chaplains, CRT Team
Level I Temp Staff (hourly average)$20General Administrative Coordination
Level II Temp Staff (hourly average)$25Administrative Coordination (requiring specialized training)
*annual commitment

Definitions:

UUMA Committee Volunteer: Committee volunteers do not receive honorarium for the work they are doing as part of a UUMA elected or appointed committee and will be reimbursed for expenses based on the UUMA reimbursement policies and procedures and qualify for the Volunteer Appreciation Discount on UUMA events and programs.

UUMA Program Volunteers: UUMA members who volunteer to support our programs on an annual basis will receive honoraria for their time and efforts per the above schedule. In addition program volunteers will be reimbursed for expenses based on the UUMA reimbursement policies and procedures and qualify for the Volunteer Appreciation Discount on UUMA events and programs.

UUMA Event Volunteer: Volunteers at UUMA events who are expected to work fewer than 10 hours over the scheduled programming and have no, or very minimal preparation time preceding the event, do not receive honorarium. Volunteers are not compensated for travel or housing but may be given priority if seeking scholarship assistance for the event. Event Volunteers include: AV Assistants, Small Group Facilitators, Registration Helpers, Event Hosts, Accessibility Assistants, Ushers, Panel Participants, Retreat Guests, etc. See Temp Staff Tab for additional information.

Offset Scale: We recognize that for some populations of our membership it is more difficult to volunteer. The offset scale has been created to recognize this and to help include those voices in the work of the association.

Community Ministry and Economic offset: Members who are self employed, earn less than $25,000 a year, or work in community ministry that does not count time volunteered to a professional association as work time will receive an honorarium on the offset scale.

Structural oppression offset: Recognizing the impact of social systems of oppression and the added costs to volunteer time, members from marginalized groups (including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, Trans/Non-Binary and Disabled members) will receive honoraria on the offset scale.