Director of Practical Church Leadership and Program Development

Job Description

Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) aspires to be a national leader in equipping church leaders with practical tools, including management and administrative skills, to sustain and build the Church. The university seeks a visionary and collaborative leader to steward and expand its nationally recognized Practical Church Leadership (PCL) program in support of that vision. This role blends program leadership, partnership cultivation, and entrepreneurial program development, with meaningful influence over the future direction of church leadership education at DWU.

Reporting to the Chair of the Business Department, and in regular collaboration with the Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and the Provost, the ideal candidate will be passionate about providing ministry leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to sustain and grow the Church. They will understand the evolving context of ministry leadership and remain actively connected to church bodies and ministry networks in order to identify and respond to emerging needs. Hybrid or remote work may be considered, yet regular on-campus presence is preferred to support collaboration and service to the University community.

The next director will lead and build upon DWU’s Practical Church Leadership program, a nationally recognized program that prepares ministry leaders for outstanding service in their churches and communities. While clergy are well-schooled in theological education, they are seeking administrative and management skills and competencies that enable them to lead in the evolving and ever-changing landscape of church leadership. The PCL program provides an adaptive and practical response to that need.

This is an exciting and dynamic moment to enter this work. Dakota Wesleyan University has a national network of partners and is a participant in two significant Lilly Endowment grants awarded to Garrett Theological Seminary and Kairos Theological Seminary. These partnerships will bring new collaborators and financial resources to this work, and the director will serve as DWU’s lead in those developments.

Together with grant partners and church bodies, the director will help shape new programs that serve ministry and lay leaders and extend the university’s reach into new populations. For example, the ideal candidate will envision and lead efforts to expand degree completion offerings with UMC’s Course of Study, as well as explore new initiatives such as Spanish-language degree completion and lay leadership programming. The director will vet and coordinate program expansion and development with a wide range of church bodies, including the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church, and other ministerial partners.

Qualifications

• Candidates must hold a master’s degree or higher
• Experience in both church leadership and nonprofit and/or business administration
• Comfort with budget oversight and business planning
• Experience teaching or facilitating adult learners
• Preferred experience with grant-funded initiatives

Practical Church Leadership (70% of role)

The Practical Church Leadership program is designed for working ministry professionals to enhance their effectiveness in areas such as financial development, governance, talent management, project management, and communications. The model is innovative, utilizing professional coaches and a project-based framework that benefits both ministry professionals and the faith communities they serve. Essential duties include:

Program Leadership, Student Support and General Oversight

• Lead the overall development, execution, and continuous improvement of the PCL program while ensuring program quality, consistency, and alignment with university standards.
• Recruit, support, and advise students enrolled in the program.
• Lead and oversee academic curriculum aligning best practices in nonprofit administration with church leadership. Coordinate curriculum updates in response to emerging ministry needs.
• Teach a minimum of two PCL courses per year, in consultation with the provost.

Personnel Recruitment, Training, and Development

• Recruit, train, and oversee instructors.
• Recruit, train, and manage the coaching component of the program.
• Host virtual development sessions for adjuncts and coaches.

Partnership Development and Public Relations

• Develop and manage partnerships with foundations, conferences, synods, GBHEM, and other stakeholders.
• Solicit scholarships from partners to support PCL scholars.
• Present and/or exhibit at regional and national conferences to recruit students and cultivate partnerships.
• Support partners in their recruitment and scholarship efforts.
• Provide partners with feedback regarding scholar progress.
• Maintain program communications, including annual calendars, the PCL webpage, and other outreach and informational systems.
• Facilitate virtual webinars for prospective students and partners in coordination with the admissions office.
• Ensure the PCL program continues to be a feeder program for the University Master of Business Administration program.

Event Planning

Coordinate and oversee logistics for in-person and virtual events (typically held in mid-July and early January), including speaker recruitment, worship, workshops, field trips, networking opportunities, food, and student and speaker accommodations and travel.

Recruit and oversee support staff for events.

Program Evaluation and Management

• Oversee annual and monthly budgets and reporting.
• Participate in relevant faculty, staff, committee, and college meetings.
• Complete and oversee annual program assessment and reporting processes.

New Program Development (30% of role)

• Participate in and coordinate efforts to expand PCL offerings in conjunction with Lilly Endowment grants led by Garrett Theological Seminary and Kairos Theological Seminary.
• Lead the conceptualization, design, and launch of new academic and non-degree programs serving clergy and lay leaders.
• Collaborate with grant partners to align DWU initiatives with shared goals, timelines, and reporting requirements.
• Identify emerging needs within partner denominations and ministry contexts and translate those needs into scalable program offerings.
• Develop outreach strategies to extend DWU’s reach into new populations, including Spanish-speaking communities and under-resourced ministry settings.
• Build sustainability and business plans for new programs, including tuition models, scholarship strategies, and funding partnerships.
• Vet and coordinate new program proposals through appropriate university governance processes.
• Cultivate new institutional partnerships to support long-term growth.
• Oversee pilot initiatives and assess outcomes to inform long-term expansion.

Metrics to Measure Success

• Sustained enrollment growth
• Strong student retention and program completion rates
• Growth and strengthening of denominational partnerships
• Effective stewardship of Lilly grant initiatives

Opportunity and Impact

This is a pivotal moment for Practical Church Leadership at Dakota Wesleyan University. With strong institutional support, national denominational partnerships, and new resources through Lilly Endowment funded collaborations, the University is positioned to expand its impact in meaningful and innovative ways. The Director of Practical Church Leadership and Program Development will play a central role in shaping that future, equipping ministry and lay leaders with practical tools for faithful, sustainable leadership. Candidates who are energized by collaborative leadership, entrepreneurial program development, and service to the Church are encouraged to apply.