Chief Operating Officer and Business Manager of the Publishing House Job Announcement

THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
GENERAL OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTION
Chief Operating Officer and Business Manager

Position Title:
Chief Operating Officer and Business Manager of the Publications House

Classification:
Exempt

Salary Range:
Determined by Connectional Budget Department’s predefined range.

Reports to:
Board of Bishops and Board of Communications

General Description:
Summary/Objective

The Chief Operations Officer (COO) is a member of the AME Zion Central Management Team;
specifically, the Central Management Team and has oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Corporate Headquarters. The COO is charged to advance strategic projects that direct, administer and coordinate the cross-functional administrative staff activities and functions for an overall efficient, effective, safe and legally fully compliant general office and headquarters environment.

The General Manager of the Publishing House executes authority under the supervision of the
Board of Communications as provided, to regulate the publication, production, sale and
distribution of the literature of our Church, Sunday Schools and Young People’s Societies;
except for that which belongs to the Editorial Department.

The COO will serve the church by providing strategic leadership to the administrative operations
of the AME Zion Corporate Headquarters. Working under the direction of the BoB, the COO
will facilitate the vision, development of new programs and projects in keeping with desired
objectives and outcomes; will maximize the effectiveness of existing programs and give
leadership to both staff and volunteer members engaged in this support ministry. The COO will
contribute to the team spirit and morale through personal leadership, exemplification, fellowship, encouragement, cooperation, prayer, support and other appropriate ways; as they serve the Lord Jesus Christ, The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the BoB.

THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
GENERAL OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTION
Chief Operating Officer and Business Manager

The COO shall make a semi-annual report as directed to the Board of Bishops; an annual report
to the Connectional Council; and a quadrennial report to the General Conference.

The General Manager of the Publishing House serves both as its day-to-day operating staff
manager and its overall business decision-making manager. The General Manager has authority
to hire and to establish the terms and conditions of employment relationships. All financial
records – sales, receipts, expenditures and other business transactions - must be kept in separate accounts ready; at all times, for review and audit analyses.

The General Manager shall make, as directed; a quarterly report to the Board of
Communications; in addition, to an annual report to the Connectional Council; and a quadrennial
report to the General Conference.

Essential Functions:

• Meet regularly with the BoB to clarify vision, goals, desired outcomes and strategies
• Lead the Management Team in development of responsive strategic plans and implementation schedules,
• Foster clear communication of the vision and implementation plans throughout the departments and staffs,
• Monitor progress, identify and help to resolve significant operational and human resource issues,
• Provide team leadership and knowledge based guidance to headquarters, general officers and department head administrative efforts and projects,
• Evaluate the evolving infrastructure, administrative workflows and operational needs that strengthen the overall headquarters effectiveness and efficiency
• Foster a safe, legally compliant and conducive environment where working relationships among staffs, boards and churches are handled within sound business processes and outcomes are Christ-centered
• Advocate and conduct general officer team meetings that foster team-spirit, open communications, shared responsibility and consensus resolution
• Represent Zion by serving at denominational levels with BoB awareness, in community and civic organizations and encourage management team members to do the same.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Advocate and encourage the development and adoption of common business
processes that:

• Cause headquarters administrative staffs to be more effective
• Support human resource skills development, performance planning and job performance evaluation 
• Establish specific and measurable department goals and outcomes
• Provide common human resource policies relative to selection, task assignments, performance evaluation, counsel and discipline, employer benefits,  complaint resolution and employment separation.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
Work with the Chief Financial Officer to advocate and encourage the development and
adoption of common business processes that

• Support zero-based organizational budget plans and measurements
• Provide for overall financial oversight, actuals to plan, outlook projections and audit readiness,
• Define the cyclic planning guidelines that assure consistency with church policies; BoB, CBB, and administrative board requirements and direction

Human Resources
Work with the Chief Financial Officer to advocate and encourage the development
and adoption of common business processes that

• Establishes and maintains the human resource function including:
• Recruitment, hiring, and compensation
• Benefits administration and oversight
• Professional training and development, including new employee orientation
• Retention and retraining strategies
• Regulatory oversight and legal compliance
• Ensure that the human resource function is properly resourced.

Qualifications:
SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND VITALITY
COO must meet all the biblical qualifications for church leadership. They will need seasoned
faith and maturity as demonstrated by many years of consistent and faithful Christian living and
service.

PERSONAL MATURITY AND MINISTRY-CONGRUENT CHARACTER
COO must be emotionally healthy, resilient, constructive, and wise, demonstrating the personal
qualities that mark strong leadership and durability. They will require strong interpersonal skills
and should be recognized as a servant-leader, be outgoing and friendly.

FAMILY ALIGNMENT
It is essential that COO be able to balance wisely the responsibilities of home and work.

MINISTRY CALLING AND GIFTING
COO should be able to verbalize a sense of God-given calling to vocation. They must have gifts
that are strategic to the fulfillment of the position description: leadership, administration, and
teaching.

CREDENTIALS:
COO should have minimum of 10 years’ experience in upper management of a church, nonprofit, or mission directed company or function. They should have demonstrated experiences and
significant accomplishments within multi-functional, cross-functional and integrated
management organizations. They shall have; at minimum, a master’s degree from an accredited
college/university.

All serious application inquiries must send resumes to AMEZionadm@gmail.com by February 28, 2024, for consideration.