OPEN POSITION: Director of Leadership Development and Institutional Capacity
Remote Position|Travel Required
Apply by Wednesday, April 1
A Calling to Strengthen Leadership Across Theological Education
The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) invites applications from seasoned seminary leaders for the role of Director of Leadership Development and Institutional Capacity. This position
offers an exceptional opportunity to shape the long-term vitality of leaders across ATS-accredited theological schools in the United States and Canada.
We seek an individual who understands the distinct ecology of theological education, its commitments, its challenges, and its ongoing transformation. This is a role for a respected leader who
can bring deep experience in higher or theological education and steward a bi-national leadership development portfolio across diverse institutional contexts.
About the Role
The Director of Leadership Development and Institutional Capacity provides mission-driven leadership to the Association's leadership development initiatives funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc.
Leadership Education for Theological Education grant.
Key responsibilities include:
- Design and guide leadership formation experiences that address the real needs of today’s seminary leaders, including presidents, deans, faculty, and emerging leaders across diverse
ecclesial traditions and institutional contexts
- Steward a significant grant-funded portfolio, ensuring faithfulness to the grant’s objectives, excellence in program delivery, and integrity in assessment and reporting
- Cultivate cohorts and learning communities that strengthen leaders’ capacity to navigate institutional complexity and lead with imagination and innovation
- Engage deeply with ATS member schools, collaborating with committees and staff to foster shared learning, organizational wisdom, and theological reflection across the association
- Advance leadership initiatives that support women, emerging leaders, and leaders from underrepresented communities, helping to broaden the leadership landscape for the future of
theological education
- Lead and mentor a talented team, shaping an environment where thoughtful inquiry, collegiality, and shared purpose guide the work
This position is ideal for a seminary leader who brings both academic depth and administrative experience and who carries a heart for cultivating leadership across the whole ecosystem of
theological education.
Who We Are Looking For
The ideal candidate will bring:
- An advanced degree, with a doctorate strongly preferred, in fields such as theological education, higher education leadership, organizational leadership, or related disciplines
- At least 10 years of leadership experience within a theological school or a closely related higher education environment; five or more years of experience as a chief executive or chief academic officer in an ATS member school is encouraged, as
is knowledge of and engagement with the ATS Commission Standards of Accreditation
- Demonstrated ability to design formation-oriented, data-driven learning experiences in many formats suited for professionals and leaders within theological education
- Experience leading teams, working within hybrid or distributed organizations, and collaborating across diverse theological traditions
- Deep knowledge of the current landscape of theological education, including emerging trends, opportunities and challenges
- Capacity to engage leaders in theological reflection around vocation, mission, and institutional leadership
- Strong skills in assessment, evaluation, and data-informed decision making, particularly within grant-funded contexts
Above all, we seek a leader who understands theological education not only as an academic enterprise, but as a formative, communal, and missional endeavor.
Work Environment
- This role is fully remote, with required travel to Pittsburgh several times per year and to monthly leadership development events across the U.S. and Canada.
- The Director will engage regularly with presidents, deans, faculty leaders, and other highly educated constituents.
- The work requires intellectual rigor, thoughtful communication, and the ability to navigate complex systems with both analytical and relational sensibilities.
A Meaningful Opportunity for Impact
Serving as Director of Leadership Development and Institutional Capacity at ATS is more than a job, it is an opportunity to strengthen leadership across theological schools, support those who
guide future pastors and scholars, and contribute to the flourishing of theological education for decades to come.
How to Apply
To apply, please send a letter of interest, résumé, and contact information for three references to Elise Sutter, Associate Director of Human Resources, at hr@ats.edu.
Application deadline: Wednesday, April 1
