Grant Director

Oral Roberts University•Tulsa, OK

About The Position

The Grant Director provides full-time executive leadership for the Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative and the Institute for Spirit-Empowered Ministry Resilience at Oral Roberts University's Graduate School of Theology and Ministry. The position oversees grant activities, Institute operations and personnel, budgets, partnerships, evaluation, and strategic communications throughout the five-year grant period. The position terminates at the end of the grant period in December 2030.

Requirements

Master's degree in Theology, Ministry, Divinity, or a related field.
At least five years of experience in ministry leadership, theological education, or nonprofit/grant administration.
Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to the Spirit-empowered/Pentecostal-Charismatic movement.
Proven ability to manage complex projects, multi-year budgets, and diverse teams.
Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to represent the Institute to internal and external stakeholders.
Ability to cultivate strategic partnerships with churches, ministry organizations, academic departments, and community leaders.
Proficiency with digital tools for project management, communications, and data tracking, such as email platforms, CRM, and project management software.
Strong interpersonal skills, pastoral sensitivity, and ability to relate to ministry leaders experiencing burnout, crisis, or transition.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate (D.Min., Ph.D., or Ed.D.).
Experience with grant reporting, compliance, and donor relations.
Familiarity with Lilly Endowment initiatives.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of accountability for grant activities under the Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative; maintain fidelity to approved goals, timelines, and deliverables; prepare annual narrative and financial reports; coordinate with the Lilly Endowment program officer; and ensure expenditures align with the approved budget.
Provide day-to-day executive oversight of the Institute for Spirit-Empowered Ministry Resilience, supervise Institute staff, and establish office policies, workflows, and communication systems.
In consultation with the Dean, design, schedule, and oversee grant-funded continuing education units (CEUs), workshops, seminars, and the Institute lecture series; coordinate faculty presenters, external speakers, and institutional partners.
Oversee creation, curation, and maintenance of the Institute's online resource repository; ensure content is accessible, theologically sound, and aligned with grant goals; manage the Repository Content Manager; and monitor subscription growth and usage metrics.
Coordinate grant-supported counseling initiatives with professional therapists and ORU's Graduate School of Counseling, ensuring services are ethically supervised, professionally executed, and responsive to the mental health needs of Spirit-empowered pastoral leaders and their families.
Lead the design, implementation, and oversight of a mentoring and coaching network; coordinate mentor and coach recruitment, training, matching, stipend administration, and ongoing quality assurance.
Direct alumni engagement strategy and provide supervisory guidance to the Pastoral Liaison for outreach, database management, and cultivation of alumni giving and participation.
Cultivate and steward relationships with internal and external partners and represent the Institute in external ministry and academic communities.
In consultation with the Dean, oversee the annual Institute budget, monitor revenue streams, and develop and implement plans for long-term financial sustainability beyond the grant period.
In collaboration with ORU faculty, implement evaluation strategies, including faculty-determined surveys, focus groups, and program assessments; analyze data to measure progress toward grant outcomes and provide data-driven reports to ORU stakeholders and the Lilly Endowment monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Oversee the Institute's comprehensive communications strategy, including its website, social media channels, and promotional materials.