The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is an assembly of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The purpose of the Conference is to promote the greater good which the Church offers humankind.  The bishops themselves constitute the membership of the Conference and are served by a staff of approximately 315 lay people, priests, deacons, and religious, located at the Conference headquarters in Washington, DC, with branch offices in Miami, FL and Rome.

The Conference is organized as a corporation in the District of Columbia. Its purposes under civil law are: "To unify, coordinate, encourage, promote and carry on Catholic activities in the United States; to organize and conduct religious, charitable and social welfare work at home and abroad; to aid in education; to care for immigrants; and generally to enter into and promote by education, publication and direction the objects of its being."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, marital status, disability or other status protected by Federal, State or local laws, except where a reasonable, bona fide occupational qualification exists.  Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be provided to individuals needing assistance.

Please note: This application requires cookies to be enabled on your browser or device. If cookies are not enabled, your application may not be able to be sent. When your application is successful, you will receive an on screen ID number and a confirmation email. Please complete the application in one sitting, otherwise it will time out. 

Clergy/religious candidates must request written approval form their diocesan bishop or religious superior before an application can be considered. Diocesan lay employees must also request approval from the local bishop. Minorities are encourage to apply.

Select a Department-Office-Secretariat below to view the available career position(s)

Accompaniment Specialist  (Full Time)
Department-Office-Secretariat: Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis
Date Posted: July 10, 2024

The major function of the Accompaniment Specialist is to assist the Director in providing staff support to the Subcommittee on the Catechism as it seeks to re-implement its mandate through the launch of the Institute of the Catechism. Integral in this will be supporting the diocesan bishops and staff members, as well as publishers and content creators, as the Church implements a vision of “evangelizing catechesis.” The Accompaniment Specialist contributes to the Bishops’ strategic plan for the Conference. Demonstrates willingness and ability to understand, respect and contribute to the USCCB mission and to fulfill job duties in accordance with its Catholic identity.

At the direction of the Subcommittee on the Catechism and under the supervision of the Director of the Institute on the Catechism, the Accompaniment Specialist:

•Assists in the transition to an evangelizing catechesis by accompanying diocesan bishops and their catechetical leaders as they engage with the work of the Institute on the Catechism. This entails providing catechetical and theological consultation based in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sacred Scripture, the Directory for Catechesis, etc. Furthermore, it entails understanding the dynamics of adult faith formation and building working relationships with diocesan leaders across the country.

•Assists with the providing online resources for writers and editors employed by Catholic publishers.

•Creates content for the Institute’s website and works to update the webpages as needed.

•Assists the Director in planning the annual meeting of the Institute on the Catechism, including but not limited to leading working groups; conducting site visits; planning themes, talks, and panels; helping with contracts; planning formational events for publishers, diocesan officials, and catechetical consultants; attending and helping execute the yearly meeting.

•Drafts reports, agendas, correspondence and other written communication for the Subcommittee and the Director.

•Prepares, revises and edits memos and other elements of Subcommittee documentation for meetings.

•Assists with logistical planning of subcommittee meetings and meetings with publishers, including corresponding with other USCCB offices and hotel staff as needed.

•Serves as essential staff at planning meetings and at the Subcommittee on the Catechism meetings which includes providing consultation on catechetical, theological and pastoral issues.

•Assists with editing the minutes of Subcommittee meetings as needed.

•Serves as staff to the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.

•Monitors and updates the Conference website pages related to the work of the Subcommittee and Secretariat as needed. 

•Represents the Subcommittee on the Catechism and the Secretariat inside and outside the Conference, in inter-Conference task forces, at national association meetings, and with publishers.

•Utilizes technology to facilitate the work of the Subcommittee including organization and maintenance of SCOC H Drive files and Basecamp project management website.

•Staff development and additional training as needed. 

Level:Graduate Degree in Theology

Language Requirement: (if any) Spanish proficiency preferred but not required.

Number of Years Required: 4-5 years of directly related experience