Positions (March 2016)

Concordia Plan Services: Vice-President, Products and Services

Concordia Plan Services (CPS) is expanding its executive management team to include a newly created role for a vice-president of Products and Services.

In response to a changing benefits environment, this new executive role will serve as the organization’s key product and services strategist and product ambassador. The position will provide leadership for our physical and financial well-being product teams, partner closely with our Employer Resources division and lead efforts to shape a new line of resources for all of our ministries. This position, based at the CPS headquarters in St. Louis, reports to the CEO.

Providing quality health care and financial solutions — including health, retirement, disability, survivor and specific ministry resources — CPS has enabled more than 6,000 Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod congregations, universities, schools and other entities to offer competitive and comprehensive benefits to their vocation-based pastors, teachers and lay employees for 50-plus years.

Key responsibilities:

  • Serve as a valued member of the CPS Executive Team and a staff contact for the CPS Board of Directors, providing guidance to the board about strategic product development and performance.
  • Provide executive leadership and oversight for all product-development efforts, including all financial, physical and ministry resource offerings; lead and coordinate the overall product and service-line development, decision-making and implementation; and collaborate with operations, legal, technology, program management, communications, sales and financial leadership to ensure development and delivery of product offerings.
  • Identify appropriate segmentations of the CPS stakeholder base and determine the needs and wants of each segment, and develop processes by which stakeholders can provide feedback to the product and services function.
  • Analyze the competitive landscape and monitor employee-benefit trends; conduct feasibility analysis of new product/service alternatives and revamp existing products to meet changing stakeholder needs; manage internal and external resources across functions from stakeholder insights and discovery through new product and service launch; and ensure vendor strategy reliably delivers stakeholder value.
  • Evaluate processes and methodologies to improve the quality of existing and new products and service initiatives to best match employer and member services needs and to ensure departmental success.

Qualifications:

  • Active membership in an LCMS congregation is highly desirable but not required. An understanding of the Synod’s structure is a plus.
  • 10 to 15-plus years of progressive experience in the areas of employee benefits, group insurance, financial services or other related fields is required. Must understand core employee benefit plans and related services for individuals, groups and organizations.
  • Demonstrated experience as a key member of a leadership team and/or the aptitude to serve in a senior leadership capacity, including 5 to 10-plus years of management experience.
  • Four-year degree required; MBA or other advanced degree a plus.
  • Be willing to travel occasionally for presentations and meetings with CPS customers and vendors.
  • Have fluency in systems, including collaborative tools (CRM, social media, SharePoint) and MS Office.
  • Certifications or professional designations a plus, but not required.

If interested, please apply online at csiapply.com. Should you experience difficulties with the online system or wish to make a confidential inquiry, you may contact our search consultant at application@csi-mail.com.

To see the LCMS Jobs Board listing for this position, click here.

For more information about Concordia Plan Services, visit concordiaplans.org.

Posted March 11, 2016

Concordia University System

The following institutions of the Concordia University System (CUS) are seeking candidates for positions:

  • Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon: director of dual credit; faculty — political science; faculty — theology and director of Lay Ministry; faculty — graduate nursing; education faculty; director of Graduate Counseling; admissions counselor — non-traditional (Kenosha, Wis., center).
  • Concordia University Texas, Austin: student experience specialist.
  • Concordia University, Irvine, Calif.: athletic director; assistant professor of chemistry; assistant professor of biology.
  • Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill.: assistant or associate professor of Differentiated Instruction.

For more information about these and other positions, including complete job descriptions, qualifications and application process, visit cusapps.cus.edu and click on “Campus Positions Available.”

Posted March 2, 2016