The Christian Community and Leadership (CCL) home area helps the ELCA reach and engage new, younger, and more diverse people welcoming them into the Christian faith. We invite all staff to create conditions so that we can strengthen our existing congregations and grow younger, ethnically diverse, economically diverse and among the LGBTQIA+ community. To this end, we will activate and engage our core membership and work with the whole of the ELCA to recruit, develop and grow leadership, both lay and rostered, that the church needs to fulfill its purpose of establishing and growing Christian communities, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and building the church.

The Senior Director for Leadership will build a comprehensive strategy for various types of leadership needs in the ELCA including Rostered Ministers, Synodically Authorized Ministers/Lay Pastoral Associates, campus ministry leaders, congregational leaders, volunteer leadership, engagement with leadership development programs, alumni and more. The aspirational hope for this team would be to have a highly effective end-to-end arc of leadership development for the church. To do this, the Senior Director will work with the Program Directors, Fund for Leaders staff, and others on the Leadership Team, along with bishops, synod staff, and other leaders throughout the ELCA to encourage, guide and resource programs and opportunities for leadership formation.  This person will develop ways to identify the current and future leadership needs of the church and create metrics for measuring how well they are being met.

This is a full-time, regular, remote, exempt position.  Candidates for this remote position must reside within the fifty United States or the District of Columbia and be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

1. Supervises, supports, and holds staff accountable for their performance. Supervises approximately six direct reports. Team oversees the following programs/ministries:

a. Candidacy, Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) and First Call

b. Seminaries

c. Lay Schools

d. Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU)

e. Lutheran Center in Atlanta (LTCA)

f. Fund for Leaders

2. Builds a comprehensive strategy for various types of leadership needs in the ELCA including strategies for recruiting and supporting diverse leaders.

3. Develops and manages the Leadership Team budget.

4. Participates as a member of the Senior Leadership team of the Christian Community and Leadership Home Area.

5. In collaboration with the Office of the Secretary and legal staff, works on edits and revisions of the policies and documents that impact candidates and rostered ministers (Candidacy Manual, Constitution, Manual on Management of the Rosters, and Manual for Discipline.)

6. Other duties as assigned.

1. 9+ years of experience in program leadership, including strategic planning, staff supervision and budget management. Bachelor’s degree in a related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience. ELCA rostered minister preferred. Fluency in Spanish is desirable.

2. Extensive knowledge of the ELCA structure and the various expressions of the church; familiarity with the current leadership needs of the church and Fund for Leaders.

3. Knowledge of and experience with the ELCA candidacy process and polity; knowledge of the ELCA constitution as it relates to rostering of candidates and standards required of candidates.

4. Knowledge of Lutheran theology and the confessions of the church. Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of the ELCA.

5. Proven effective time-management and administrative experience and ability to meet deadlines and attention to details.

6. Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, analytical and communication skills and the ability to work in partnership with peers, other staff, synods, etc.; ability to build and maintain effective relationships within the team, wider organization and wider church.

7. Commitment to honor the leadership of people of color and other marginalized communities; ability to relate and communicate well in diverse cultural, ethnic and socio-economic situations; Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.

8. Skills and experience supervising staff.

9. Openness to adapt to a rapidly changing theological education ecology, understanding of cultural differences, and the flexibility needed to adapt but with respect for the candidacy process.

10. Experience using Microsoft Office suite of applications, web-based communication platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.). Ability to learn new software and systems.

Physical 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. This position requires sitting for long periods of time. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Travel 

Some travel. Position requires some overnight, domestic travel by plane, car, etc. Valid driver’s license required.

Salary 

Commensurate with qualifications and experience. Minimum: $80,121.60.

Benefits 

The ELCA offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, including employer paid health premiums for employees, health and dependent care FSA’s, a health savings account (HSA) with an employer contribution, life insurance, and a substantial employer contribution to 403b retirement plan (no match required). We also offer a generous paid time-off policy including 16 paid holidays. All benefits commence on your start date.