St. Mary’s Healthcare has been providing high-quality, compassionate healthcare to the people of Montgomery and Fulton counties since 1903. At St. Mary’s Hospital, the Rao Outpatient Pavilion and other locations, the local, independent healthcare organization offers the comprehensive, critical services its community needs and deserves. St. Mary’s Healthcare has also been named a 2026 Times Union Top Workplace—the first acute care hospital in the Capital Region to earn the distinction since the Times Union launched the recognition program 15 years ago.
Job Requisition: CHAPL001913
Employment Type: Per Diem
Shift: Rotating
Hours Per Week: As scheduled
Hiring Range: $25.00/hr.
The actual compensation for this position will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law.
Responsibilities:
- Spiritual & Emotional Care: Provide compassionate pastoral care, grief counseling, and crisis intervention to patients, families, and staff.
- Emergency Response: Respond promptly to urgent on-call pages, traumas, codes, and end-of-life situations within the hospital’s designated response time.
- Rituals & Sacraments: Facilitate or administer religious rituals, prayers, sacraments, and memorial services appropriate to the diverse needs of patients.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Participate as an active member of the healthcare team, attending rounds where appropriate and consulting on ethical dilemmas.
- Documentation: Accurately document spiritual assessments and clinical interventions in the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR).
- Community Relations: Act as a liaison between patients and their local community clergy or faith leaders when requested.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Participate as an active member of the healthcare team, attending rounds where appropriate and consulting on ethical dilemmas.
- Documentation: Accurately document spiritual assessments and clinical interventions in the patient’s electronic medical record (EMR).
- Community Relations: Act as a liaison between patients and their local community clergy or faith leaders when requested.
Licensure / Certification / Registration:
- Education: Bachelors or Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master’s in Theology, or an equivalent graduate theological degree from an accredited institution.
- Clinical Training: Minimum of 1 unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) accredited by the ACPE.
- Endorsement: Current ecclesiastical endorsement and ordination (or equivalent) in good standing from a recognized religious or spiritual authority.
- Certification: Board Certified Chaplain (BCC) through APC, NACC, or NAJC, SCA, WSHO or equivalent or board-eligible within 3 years or 36 months of hire preferred. Board certification is not required at the time of hire.
- Skills: Strong interpersonal, intercultural, and ecumenical communication skills; ability to remain calm and effective in high-stress medical environments.
- Schedule: Flexibility to work variable shifts, including nights, weekends, and holiday on-call rotations.
Required Skills and Attributes:
- Ability to organize and establish day-to-day priorities while using critical thinking skills in all aspects of the job.
- Must be able to multitask while remaining professional, focused, composed and positive.
- Excellent customer service skills
- Displays integrity, friendliness, and compassion.
- Must be able to establish an appropriate and effective rapport with others.
- Demonstrates flexibility
- Takes initiative
- Able to work in a fast-paced environment
- Embrace new opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.
- Effective critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Proficient with various Microsoft Office products (Word and Excel).
- Strong organizational skills.
- Effective interpersonal skills.
Ability to take and follow direction in a positive and appropriate manner.
Ability to work as part of a team and independently.
Must be able to demonstrate effective and appropriate written and oral communication skills.
- Must be able to speak, read, write and follow instructions in English.
