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Prepares and delivers khutbahs with sourced references and clear calls to action.
Mid manifestation aligns with weekly khutbahs capability outcome; task t01 applicable at mid level.
Describe your process for preparing a Friday khutbah that addresses a contemporary issue while staying rooted in Qur'an and Sunnah.
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Assuming 5 minutes per question response
The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond appropriately to the diverse cultural backgrounds, values, traditions, and perspectives within a congregation and broader community, while maintaining religious authenticity and fostering inclusive spiritual leadership.
Describe a time a congregant's cultural background changed how they experienced an Islamic practice. How did you try to understand their perspective and what did you do first to acknowledge it?
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Assuming 5 minutes per question response
This table shows how competencies evolve across experience levels. Each cell shows competency at that level.
8 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worship Leadership and Khutbah Delivery | Leads daily prayers and short talks with accurate recitation and timing. | Prepares and delivers khutbahs with sourced references and clear calls to action. | Plans sermon series and mentors others in delivery and worship protocol. | Sets sermon standards calendar-wide and aligns messaging to strategic priorities. |
| Qur’an Recitation Instruction (Tajwid Basics) | Runs guided practice sessions using basic tajwid rules. | Designs lesson plans and tracks learner progress. | Standardizes recitation rubrics and trains assistants. | Defines institution-wide tajwid benchmarks and assessment approach. |
| Foundational Islamic Studies Teaching | Delivers prepared lessons and facilitates Q&A. | Adapts content to learner levels and assesses understanding. | Curates core syllabus and aligns units across instructors. | Sets doctrinal guardrails and evaluation standards for fundamentals. |
| Class Facilitation and Group Learning | Follows facilitation agenda and keeps discussion on topic. | Uses prompts and checkpoints to engage diverse learners. | Coaches facilitators and optimizes session formats. | Establishes facilitation standards and evaluates program impact. |
| New Muslim Orientation and Foundational Guidance | Uses checklists to cover essentials and follow-ups. | Customizes pacing and provides practice aids. | Builds a repeatable pathway with support resources. | Owns policy and quality metrics for orientation pathways. |
| Hadith/Seerah Instruction (Applied) | Delivers curated narrations with context notes. | Frames themes and connects to learner scenarios. | Develops series and reference packets for classes. | Defines canonical sets and alignment with institutional curriculum. |
| Children’s Qur’an Program Delivery | Runs drills and tracks individual practice. | Differentiates activities by level and attention span. | Coordinates assistants and standardizes progress rubrics. | Sets program structure and parent communication standards. |
| Adult Education Programming (Introductory) | Facilitates sessions using prepared content and exercises. | Adapts cases and readings for audience needs. | Sequences modules and coordinates instructors. | Owns adult education standards and evaluation cycles. |
7 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduling and Calendar Management | Maintains own schedule and accepts invites correctly. | Coordinates multi-person calendars and resolves conflicts. | Implements booking rules and automations. | Sets organization-wide scheduling policies and templates. |
| Collaboration Suite Proficiency | Follows naming and sharing conventions. | Creates structured docs and tracks revisions. | Builds team spaces with permissions and templates. | Sets collaboration taxonomy and lifecycle rules. |
| Case/Request Tracking Workflow | Logs cases and updates statuses on time. | Defines fields and SLAs for request types. | Implements routing and escalation rules. | Owns case taxonomy and reporting across programs. |
| Task Management and Personal Workflow | Maintains personal backlog and due dates. | Uses boards and batches tasks by context. | Implements shared task boards and WIP limits. | Sets task management standards and metrics. |
| Knowledge Capture and Notes | Takes action-oriented notes and files them. | Structures pages and links to sources. | Maintains knowledge base taxonomy and templates. | Defines institutional knowledge governance. |
| Volunteer Roster and Shift Workflow | Updates rosters and confirms shifts. | Creates role definitions and shift templates. | Automates sign-ups and reminders. | Owns volunteer operations standards and metrics. |
| Meeting Facilitation and Minutes | Prepares agenda and captures decisions. | Timeboxes discussions and tracks actions. | Standardizes meeting cadences and templates. | Establishes governance for decision records. |
5 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum Design and Sequencing | Drafts lessons that meet stated outcomes. | Maps sequences and assessments across modules. | Aligns curricula across age groups and programs. | Sets curriculum standards and review cycles. |
| Governance Policies and SOPs | Drafts SOP steps from current practice. | Harmonizes SOPs and adds controls. | Runs stakeholder reviews and training rollouts. | Owns policy governance and audit readiness. |
| Program Portfolio Architecture | Contributes to program charters and KPIs. | Designs end-to-end program logic models. | Coordinates dependencies across programs. | Sets portfolio strategy and review cadence. |
| Inclusive Program Design | Checks basic accessibility requirements. | Designs accommodations and inclusive flows. | Audits programs for inclusion gaps and remediates. | Sets inclusion standards and monitors compliance. |
| Facilities Maintenance System Design | Lists assets and basic maintenance intervals. | Creates PM schedules and vendor SLAs. | Implements work order system and reporting. | Owns facilities lifecycle strategy and capital plans. |
5 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Records Retention and Filing | Files items using standard folders and names. | Implements retention schedules and indexes. | Runs audits and purges with approvals. | Owns records policy and compliance checks. |
| Contracts and MOUs Administration | Uses templates and collects signatures. | Tracks key terms and renewal dates. | Implements approval workflows and clause libraries. | Sets contracting governance and audit processes. |
| Case Documentation Standards | Writes objective notes and tags correctly. | Defines required fields and summaries. | Audits case files and closes gaps. | Owns documentation policy and training. |
| Publication Editorial Workflow | Applies style and cites sources. | Coordinates peer review and edits. | Manages release schedules and errata. | Owns editorial standards and ethics policy. |
| Donation Records and Receipts | Logs gifts and issues standard receipts. | Reconciles batches and fixes discrepancies. | Implements controls and audit trails. | Owns donation recording policy and reporting. |
7 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media Relations and Press | Prepares talking points and routes inquiries. | Schedules briefings and tracks media lists. | Coordinates interviews and review processes. | Sets press policy and crisis protocols. |
| Interfaith Relations | Tracks contacts and shares invitations. | Plans joint programs and follow-ups. | Coordinates MOUs and recurring dialogues. | Owns interfaith strategy and outcomes. |
| Community Partnership Development | Collects partner info and needs. | Drafts partnership scopes and roles. | Manages pipelines and evaluations. | Sets partnership policy and portfolio targets. |
| Civic Engagement Liaison | Tracks civic contacts and requests. | Plans joint civic activities and protocols. | Maintains MOUs and compliance needs. | Owns civic engagement strategy and risk alignment. |
| Social Service Network Integration | Uses referral lists and records handoffs. | Maintains provider directory and follow-ups. | Defines SLAs and data-sharing protocols. | Owns referral network strategy and impact metrics. |
| Digital Channel Integration | Publishes content with correct tags. | Builds campaigns and tracks UTM codes. | Automates cross-posting and segmentation. | Sets digital integration standards and governance. |
| Stakeholder Messaging Frameworks | Uses approved key messages. | Drafts variations per audience and channel. | Maintains master message maps and updates. | Owns institutional messaging architecture. |
5 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Evaluation and Feedback | Distributes surveys and compiles responses. | Analyzes trends and proposes actions. | Runs evaluation plans with KPIs. | Owns evaluation standards and reporting. |
| Teaching Quality Review | Uses checklists during observations. | Provides evidence-based feedback and follow-up. | Runs review cycles and calibrates rubrics. | Owns instructional QA policy. |
| Incident Retrospectives | Captures timeline and facts. | Facilitates action item creation. | Trends incidents and prevents recurrences. | Owns postmortem policy and cadence. |
| Service Standards and Checklists | Follows checklists and logs completion. | Creates and updates checklists from lessons learned. | Sets SLAs and monitors adherence. | Owns service quality framework and audits. |
| Survey and Community Listening | Uses approved questions and channels. | Designs question sets and sampling plans. | Coordinates multi-channel listening and analysis. | Owns listening strategy and governance. |
8 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event Planning and Coordination | Executes assigned checklists. | Builds run sheets and vendor plans. | Owns end-to-end event plan and debrief. | Sets event standards and contingency playbooks. |
| Volunteer Operations | Checks in and follows briefings. | Creates role briefs and rotations. | Runs volunteer command and comms. | Owns volunteer ops policy and training. |
| Crowd and Safety Management | Executes marshaling and signage setup. | Plans ingress/egress and barrier layouts. | Coordinates with security and first responders. | Owns crowd safety doctrine and drills. |
| Ramadan and Eid Operations | Supports set-up and directed tasks. | Leads a seasonal workstream (e.g., iftar, taraweeh). | Coordinates full seasonal plan and contingencies. | Owns seasonal operations playbooks and improvements. |
| Facility Turnover and Housekeeping Ops | Follows room setup checklists. | Plans turnover timelines and supplies. | Coordinates teams and vendors for turnover. | Sets facility ops standards and SLAs. |
| Onsite Communications | Uses comms protocol and confirms tasks. | Runs channel check-ins and updates. | Sets comms plans and escalation paths. | Owns comms doctrine and tooling. |
| Prayer Service Operations | Preps space and timing per schedule. | Coordinates roles and ensures punctual start/end. | Optimizes flow and contingency plans. | Sets prayer ops standards across locations. |
| Parking and Traffic Operations | Sets cones and directs vehicles per plan. | Designs flow and staff posts. | Coordinates with local authorities and neighbors. | Owns traffic ops standards and permits process. |
8 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding | Follows supervision and reporting rules. | Runs orientations and checks compliance. | Audits safeguarding controls and responds to incidents. | Owns safeguarding policy and external liaison. |
| Data Privacy and Confidentiality | Uses secure channels and follows least-access rules. | Implements retention and redaction practices. | Runs access reviews and breach drills. | Owns privacy governance and vendor compliance. |
| Legal Compliance and Mandatory Reporting | Identifies and escalates reportable concerns. | Maintains reporting logs and deadlines. | Coordinates with authorities and counsel. | Owns compliance calendar and audits. |
| Financial Controls and Disbursement Compliance | Follows approval and documentation steps. | Implements segregation of duties and thresholds. | Audits disbursements and fixes control gaps. | Owns financial controls policy and training. |
| Access Control and Visitor Management | Checks badges and logs entries. | Manages access lists and schedules. | Reviews access reports and incidents. | Owns access policy and system selection. |
| Risk Register and Incident Reporting | Files incident reports accurately. | Updates risk entries and mitigations. | Trends risks and coordinates responses. | Owns risk governance and reporting. |
| Pastoral Care Confidentiality Protocols | Uses approved intake and secure note practices. | Explains limits of confidentiality and obtains consent. | Audits care records and improves protocols. | Owns pastoral confidentiality standards and training. |
| Background Checks and Screening | Collects authorizations and submits requests. | Tracks clearances and renewals. | Reviews results and adjudicates per matrix. | Owns screening policy and vendor management. |
6 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundraising Campaign Planning | Prepares lists and materials. | Builds a campaign brief and schedule. | Optimizes segments and targets with data. | Owns annual campaign strategy and review. |
| Donor Stewardship and Care | Logs interactions and sends acknowledgments. | Builds touchpoint plans by tier. | Manages portfolios and moves management. | Sets stewardship standards and KPIs. |
| Grant Prospecting and Writing | Collects requirements and drafts sections. | Builds narratives and budgets to fit criteria. | Coordinates partners and compliance checks. | Owns grant strategy and post-award tracking standards. |
| Budgeting and Variance Analysis | Tracks expenses against line items. | Builds departmental budgets and forecasts. | Analyzes variances and recommends actions. | Owns budget cycle and financial guardrails. |
| Earned Income Program Design | Collects pricing and demand inputs. | Builds simple unit economics and policies. | Optimizes pricing and utilization. | Owns earned income strategy and compliance. |
| Financial Reporting for Leadership | Compiles standard reports on schedule. | Adds variance commentary and visuals. | Builds dashboards and scenario views. | Sets reporting standards and cadence. |
6 competencies
| Competency | Junior | Mid | Senior | Principal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Pilots and Experimentation | Runs a pilot with clear hypothesis and logging. | Iterates based on metrics and feedback. | Coordinates multi-site pilots and learning cycles. | Owns innovation funnel and gates. |
| Restorative Processes and Mediation | Follows mediation scripts and ground rules. | Structures agreements and follow-ups. | Designs restorative pathways and trains facilitators. | Owns restorative policy and partnerships. |
| Mentorship and Leadership Pipeline | Tracks matches and check-ins. | Designs milestones and resources. | Runs cohorts and evaluates outcomes. | Owns leadership pipeline strategy. |
| Youth Digital Outreach Initiatives | Publishes content to pilot channels. | Runs content calendars and measures reach. | Optimizes formats and partnerships. | Owns youth digital strategy and safeguards. |
| Family Services Innovation | Documents needs and tests resources. | Designs pilot offerings and measures uptake. | Integrates successful pilots into core services. | Owns family services roadmap and partnerships. |
| Community Research and Needs Assessment | Collects qualitative inputs and logs. | Designs mixed-method data collection. | Synthesizes insights into program recommendations. | Owns research ethics and cadence. |
Role Mission
To foster a spiritually vibrant, inclusive, and supportive community where Muslims can deepen their faith, connect across generations, and thrive in contemporary America.
Growth Outcome
Successfully manage and innovate religious programs, foster deep community relationships, and provide consistent spiritual guidance that resonates with a diverse congregation.
Key Challenge
Juggling the autonomy of day-to-day program decisions with the responsibility to address conflicting cultural expectations and ensure program inclusivity and impact.
You're an Imam who thrives when your community feels seen and supported. Your grounding in Qur'an and Sunnah gives you clarity, but it's your cultural empathy and clear communication that help you translate timeless guidance into the realities of modern Muslim-American life. You find deep satisfaction in building a masjid that's a spiritual home for everyone, from youth seeking belonging to families navigating daily faith.
In your day-to-day, you approach leadership with active listening and professional courage. You're the steady presence in moments of joy and crisis, offering pastoral care with healthy boundaries. Collaborating with boards and volunteers, you set programs that strengthen community bonds and allocate resources wisely, always aiming to foster unity and confidence.
You believe that good leadership grows through feedback and humility. You stay open to learning, whether from community input or new challenges, ensuring that your service remains responsive and grounded. This intellectual humility helps you navigate controversies with calm and keep the focus on building a vibrant, inclusive community.
In this role, you'll navigate the daily challenge of designing religious programs that honor diverse traditions while fostering unity—making tough calls on curriculum and events that keep our multi-generational community engaged and connected.
You'll grow by mastering the art of pastoral care in a modern context, impacting lives through counseling and teaching that help Muslims thrive with faith and resilience in America.
You'll join a service-first team where mercy guides decisions, and your collaboration with board members and volunteers strengthens a culture of trust and belonging.
