Director of Mentoring -- Pathways to Pastoral Longevity

Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary•Hamilton, MA

14d

About The Position

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary is a multidenominational, evangelical graduate school committed to equipping Christian leaders to think theologically, engage globally, and live biblically. With nearly 1,400 students across campuses in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, and online, Gordon-Conwell’s student body represents more than eighty-five denominations and fifty countries. The seminary offers master’s and doctoral programs—delivered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese—that combine academic excellence, spiritual formation, and a deep commitment to Scripture. Its 12,000 alumni serve Christ through ministry in the church, the academy, and the workplace. Gordon-Conwell is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, the New England Commission of Higher Education, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Position Summary: Under the supervision and direction of the Director of Christian Formation, the Pathways Director of Mentoring guides and directs the formative mentoring program for students preparing for pastoral ministry, especially in Networked education. The Director will have a proven track record of ministry leadership and pastoral experience in order to facilitate environments and experiences that nurture and strengthen mentors and students in their spiritual life and ministries. The Director will design and launch processes and environments that select and train mentors, successfully pair mentors and students, and ensure program alignment with Gordon-Conwell’s five areas of Christian formation.

Requirements

Interpersonal Effectiveness: Personal warmth, ease in initiating and developing relationships, and evident grace and thoughtfulness in relating with a diverse constituency. Commitment to building a respectful, inclusive mentoring environment and demonstrated ability to collaborate and serve in a team environment.
Knowledge and Discernment: Strong decision-making skills, including the clear recognition of the significance of respecting confidentiality in daily interactions. Must have meticulous attention to detail.
Cultural Intelligence: Commitment to collegiality, diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness. Demonstrated ability to collaborate and serve in a team environment that requires collegiality and regular collaboration across matrixed, multi-campus environment.
Communication Skills: Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills that are vital to facilitating mentoring environments and to interacting with individuals both internal and external to the seminary.
Program Development and Management: Proven ability to design, implement, and manage ministry/mentoring/educational programs. Superior organization, inter-office collaboration, attention to detail, and advance planning are critical.
Organizational Skills: Highly organized and skilled in detailed work. Must have the ability to lead the full scope of mentoring environments, assess these environments and engage in partnerships throughout the institution, with the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities in short-term and long-term objectives.
Technical Knowledge: Proven effectiveness and creativity in utilizing Zoom and/or other online platforms for individual and group discussions and meetings. Competency in Microsoft Office Suite and comfortable learning and utilizing new software applications and digital tools.
A clear understanding of the Seminary’s mission, deep personal faith in Christ, and willingness to abide by the Community Life Statement.
Master’s degree in a relevant area required
5+ years serving in a pastoral role required
Substantive experience with program development, implementation, management, and assessment required.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate preferred; Gordon-Conwell degree or experience in working with the seminary preferred.
7-10+ years preferred; experience working in a seminary or other higher education arena preferred.

Responsibilities

Supervision and Implementation of Pathways mentoring environments: Foster the mission and achieve the goals of the Pathways program in accordance with the Lilly grant and the seminary’s broader formative vision and goals. Manage the mentoring budget in accordance with the seminary’s policies, the Director of Christian Formation’s guidelines, and the requirements of the grant. Submit timely reports to the Director of Christian Formation for submission to the Lilly Endowment.
Relationship Building: Initiate and develop relationships with a broad spectrum of alumni and students. Work collegially with the faculty and staff who focus on student formation.
Program Development, Management, and Assessment:
Collaborate with the Director of Christian Formation on the creation of curriculum for the mentoring program centered around pastoral longevity and GCTS’s five formative areas. Direct implementation of the program.
Work with the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and the Director of Thriving in Ministry to identify mentors among Gordon-Conwell’s international alumni network.
Develop and manage processes for vetting and equipping mentors, including the reception and review of applications, assessment of effectiveness, and celebration and affirmation of mentors.
In conjunction with the Director of Christian Formation, the Senior Director of Alumni Engagement, and relevant staff, assist with the selection of technology for mentor/student pairing. Oversee the implementation of the technology’s use for the mentoring program.
Regularly assess mentoring environments, including the design, re-design, and development of new environments to address and reinforce the GCTS five areas of Christian formation.
Recruiting and Mentoring the Mentors: Recruit, train, and nurture the alumni mentors. This requires a combination of outreach, facilitation, coaching, and encouragement.
Event Planning, Coordination, and Facilitation: Working in conjunction with the Pathways Program Administrator and relevant Networked Education staff, oversee event planning, marketing, and facilitation of mentor training, student/mentor retreats, and special educational and enrichment programs.
General Promotion of Mentoring Environments: Collaborate with the Pathways Program, Director of Christian Formation Administrator, members of the Christian Formation team, the Alumni office, and the Marketing and Communications office for general promotion of all facets of the mentoring environments. Communicate with alumni pastors and current students to screen and recruit interested participants.
Other work in collaboration with the Director of Christian Formation as requested.