Director, Pastoral Service

Overview

The Director of Pastoral Care provides strategic and compassionate spiritual leadership across the Brookdale Hospital community. This role includes delivering direct emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, and staff—particularly during trauma and end-of-life situations—while also integrating pastoral care into executive-level planning and institutional culture. Operating within an interfaith and trauma-informed framework, the Director manages chaplaincy services, leads staff support initiatives, and oversees policies related to ethics, compassionate withdrawal, and organ donation.

Responsibilities

• Deliver bedside ministry and spiritual counseling during crises, including infant death, trauma, and end-of-life care.
• Lead trauma debriefings and emotional support for hospital staff.
• Serve on the Ethics Committee and develop end-of-life care policies.
• Lead chapel services and spiritual enrichment efforts.
• Represent Pastoral Care in executive meetings and hospital leadership initiatives.
• Manage departmental operations, volunteers, documentation, and budget.
• Facilitate therapeutic groups and collaborate across clinical disciplines.

Qualifications

Education: Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or required equivalent.

Experience: Minimum three (3) years of chaplaincy experience in healthcare or trauma settings.

Skills

• Exceptional ability to respond empathetically during crisis.
• The capacity to communicate respectfully across cultures and with persons of different faiths is a valued asset.
• Due to the sensitive nature of the work, the chaplain is held to a high standard of ethical behavior, professionalism and confidentiality.
• Ability to fully utilize BHMC's electronic record systems, equipment and other healthcare and billing systems relevant to this position.

Physical Requirements

• Position requires prolonged periods of standing, reaching, walking throughout the working day.
• Position will be required to stoop, bend, lift, and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds.