Positions (December 2016)

Lutheran Church Extension Fund: president/chief executive officer

The Board of Directors for Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) announces the position opening for president/CEO.

LCEF, the financial extension of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod since 1978, offers funding and resources in support of the church with the mission of creating and expanding congregations and ministries nationwide.

The position in St. Louis (specifically Sunset Hills, Mo.) reports to the Board of Directors. The current president and CEO, Richard C. Robertson, has announced his retirement, effective Oct. 1, 2017. For additional information regarding LCEF’s products, services and senior leadership team, please visit lcef.org.

Key position information and requirements:

Board relations and executive leadership — responsible for the achievement of LCEF’s outcomes in accord with the policies established by the Board of Directors; provides strategic direction to the organization; develops, implements and reports the outcome of the Three-year Ministry & Business Plan (M&BP).

Position relationships — reports to the Board of Directors utilizing the Policy Based Leadership method; manages the chief financial officer, chief credit officer, senior vice-presidents, and any vice-presidents with a direct reporting relationship to the president’s office; coordinates the activities of the assistant secretary to the board; serves as executive director of the Board for Church Extension. In this role, supports overall District Church Extension (LCEF-CEF Districts) programs by communication with the District Church Extension Boards and staff; pursues, develops and implements partnerships with the appropriate entities of the LCMS to seek better ways to serve the church; maintains positive and supportive relationships with the Synod president, officers and boards, departments and entities. Works closely with other International Center entities to explore and develop ministry and operational synergies.

Primary duties:

Provides the vision, leadership and management skills necessary to achieve LCEF’s outcomes; responsible for the development and monitoring of LCEF’s M&BP, objectives and desired action plans; oversees the preparation and monitoring of the annual financial plan and budget derived from the M&BP.

Responsible for daily operations of LCEF through delegation of specific responsibilities to executives and department heads, with provision through established procedures for regular reporting of activities and financial conditions.

Participates on the Executive Loan Committee and chairs Senior Leadership Team meetings; serves as an ex-officio member of all LCEF committees.

Provides quarterly written and oral reports to the LCEF Board of Directors and an annual update to members at LCEF’s Fall Leadership Conference; provides reports to the Synod convention and acts as a liaison with the president of the LCMS and Board of Directors—LCMS Inc., legal counsel, Synod boards and commissions, and auditors.

Maintains close working relationships with district boards and committees (LCEF and CEF) to coordinate the total program.

Along with LCEF’s CFO, reviews district CEF financial reports and makes recommendations to the district CEFs and the Board for Church Extension; oversees the management of all assets; ensures proper representation on the appropriate committees and boards of the LCMS International Center, e.g. the HR Advisory Committee and Facilities & Services Management Board.

Develops and maintains a cooperative working relationship between the national and district personnel working in and for church extension; responsible for LCEF’s ongoing relationship with the LCEF-sponsored credit union.

Qualifications:

Member of an LCMS congregation, with a demonstrated commitment to Christ, the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, and supportive of the Synod’s Constitution and Bylaws.

An understanding of the mission of the LCMS and the LCEF in support of the LCMS mission.

Ability to relate to clergy and lay leadership — and a variety of other people — throughout the Synod.

Demonstrated ability to assess and evaluate performance and to provide sound judgment in carrying out duties.

Minimum of a bachelor’s degree, preferably in business administration or equivalent.

Significant experience in Church Extension Fund work, with the ability to provide leadership, instilling confidence and stability in the lending, investing and financing programs; 10 or more years of progressively responsible experience in administrative and management positions evidencing effective supervision of people; president/CEO experience is desired.

Adept at public speaking and communicating with co-workers and others.

Willingness to travel.

The Board of Directors welcomes your nomination of qualified candidates. Please send nominations via email to Val Rhoden-Kimbrough, Executive Director, Department of Human Resources, at val.rhoden-kimbrough@lcms.org. Nominations will be accepted until March 15, 2017.

Posted December 7, 2016

Seeking editor for The Lutheran Witness

The Lutheran Witness, the flagship magazine of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, is seeking a full-time editor/writer skilled in the art of interpreting the contemporary world from a Lutheran Christian perspective in print, digital and social-media formats.

Learn more about this opportunity to join the LCMS Communications team at lcms.org/jobsboard. Applications are due by Dec. 31.

If you have questions, please contact Nathan Thomas in LCMS Human Resources at nathan.thomas@lcms.org.

Call for nominations/applicants: regional director — Asia

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) announces an opening for the position of regional director—Asia. The director will be internationally deployed to the Asia Region.

The LCMS Office of International Mission, which relates to the LCMS Board for International Mission and implements its policies, is responsible to the president of the Synod through the chief mission officer for the work of the Synod in foreign countries, as stated in the Bylaws.

For the purposes of administration, the world is divided into four administrative regions: Africa, Latin America, Eurasia and Asia.

The regional director shall be responsible for directing and overseeing the mission operations as assigned by the associate executive director of Regional Operations.

Responsibilities include:

staying abreast of local and geo-political realities, cultural, social, economic and other issues that may affect the international operations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

leading development of all LCMS witness and mercy ministries and programs — coordinating the design, documentation, monitoring, and evaluation of LCMS activities in the assigned regions.

leading, managing and coordinating LCMS diakonic programs in the assigned regions.

leading and managing all LCMS employees and locally recruited personnel in the region, and specifically seeking to develop leadership in the assigned regions.

providing for the security, management, development and spiritual care of all LCMS missionaries and staff in accordance with established policies.

preparing and manages, in cooperation with the Office of International Mission, an annual budget in support of Lutheran ministries in the assigned regions.

ensuring financial and theological integrity in all LCMS-funded activities and programs.

building and managing Lutheran partnerships in support of Lutheran ministries while ensuring financial and theological integrity and maintaining goodwill.

collaborating with Lutheran partners in support of new and existing mission initiatives, Lutheran evangelism and church planting.

building the capacity of the LCMS to function as a faithful Lutheran partner in the region.

assisting the executive director and/or the associate executive director of the Office of International Mission with special projects, as assigned.

assisting the associate executive director of Regional Operations with special projects, as assigned.

building the capacity of missionaries and staff in the assigned regions, especially with regard to the identification, mentoring, training and supervision of missionaries to serve in various management and leadership roles.

representing the President of the LCMS, as requested and directed by the president, in inter-church communication and relationships in the region and in regional church relations, especially with respect to official partner churches.

assisting the Synod leadership in responding to international issues, trends and events, and in the development of international policies, procedures and priorities.

advising and guiding other Synod entities with respect to activities in the region.

maintaining appropriate relationships as the LCMS liaison for all LCMS entities, including seminaries, schools and other institutions in the assigned regions.

developing plans and priorities for comprehensive Lutheran activities and ministries in the assigned regions.

Position requirements:

ordained membership in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and personal faithfulness to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions (ordained minister of religion preferred).

solid working knowledge of practical Lutheran theology and missiology.

relevant tertiary degree; masters or doctoral-level degree preferred.

ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

minimum of five years of relevant cross-cultural experience, at least three of which must have been in ecclesiastical settings.

church-planting experience.

Qualified applicants are welcome to apply online via lcms.org/jobsboard. Nominations are welcomed and may be submitted to Nathan Thomas at nathan.thomas@lcms.org. The deadline to apply or submit nominations is Dec. 31. For more information on The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, please visit lcms.org.

Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty, executive director

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is accepting applications for the new position of executive director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty (LCRL) to be located in Washington, D.C.

The purposes for which the LCRL is organized as a 501(c)(3) include educating and advancing the religious beliefs of the Synod; establishing partnerships, as appropriate; and providing resources for three focus areas: marriage between one man and one woman, sanctity of life and religious liberty for all.

Among position responsibilities, the executive director will:

maintain knowledge of both state- and national-level activities, opportunities, challenges and threats to the three foci (marriage, life, religious liberty).

develop or make available educational resources for use by the Synod or the public on the three foci, and participate in the “public square.”

widely communicate (print, web, social media, etc.) to LCMS members and others current activities in Washington, D.C., that are related to the three foci, what they mean for the church and why they are important to every person.

serve as an LCMS ambassador in Washington, D.C., developing or participating in coalitions, partnerships and connections with other like-minded individuals or groups on the issues of concern and leveraging these contacts to achieve goals or respond to the most urgent or timely matters related to the three foci.

serve as lead fund developer, and regularly engage with LCMS Mission Advancement to develop a funding strategy, identify and engage with potential and current donors, and work collaboratively to achieve fund-development goals.

identify and organize timely discussion groups, presentations that help share with others (laity, church workers or those of influence in Washington) what the LCMS believes about the three foci and why and how the public square and policies might be impacted and formulated to achieve desired ends.

meet regularly with congressional representatives, senior staff, executive-branch staff, think tanks, media, other religious leaders or partners who comprise the various networks in Washington, D.C., to speak about the LCMS and its values and teachings related to the three foci.

serve as a liaison to various local, state, regional or national LCMS laity, church leaders, agencies, congregations and others to help advocate for and educate on the organization’s three foci and encourage participation in the public square.

respond to media requests and inquiries, or submit op-eds that leverage the LCMS view related to the three foci.

be willing and able to speak at LCMS-related conferences, conventions and other events on the current issues facing the LCMS and how the church is responding to them.

work in conjunction with other LCMS ministries (LCMS U, Life Ministries, God’s Gift of Sexuality Task Force, etc.) to promote the LCMS understanding of the three foci.

The successful executive director candidate must:

have advanced understanding of Lutheran doctrine, teachings and confessions.

be an active member, in good standing, of a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod congregation, faithful to the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions, and supportive of the Synod’s Constitution, Bylaws, resolutions and policies.

be knowledgeable about Washington, D.C.; Capitol Hill; public policy; and the U.S. government.

have a good understanding of — and be adept at — nonprofit fund-development principles, strategies and techniques.

be an excellent communicator and public speaker.

Desired knowledge and abilities:

rostered LCMS Minister of Religion—Ordained.

experience working in Washington, D.C., and working with Congress, preferred.

knowledge about the First Amendment to the Constitution, preferred.

knowledge of LCMS teachings related to the three areas of foci (marriage, life, religious liberty) and Two Kingdom doctrine.

knowledge about current pressing threats and issues related to the three foci.

Qualified applicants are welcome to apply online via lcms.org/jobsboard. Nominations are welcomed and may be submitted to Nathan Thomas at nathan.thomas@lcms.org. The deadline to apply or submit nominations is Dec. 31.

Concordia University System

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

Concordia University Texas, Austin: assistant professor of Kinesiology; assistant professor of Nursing; associate director — Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program; senior support specialist; regional support manager of Post-Traditional Programs.

Concordia University Irvine, Irvine, Calif.: assistant or associate professor of Biology; assistant or associate instructor of Nursing.

Concordia University Portland, Portland, Ore.: professor of law (Boise, Idaho, campus); associate dean of Academics Law School (Boise, Idaho, campus); director of Academic Success Law School (Boise, Idaho, campus); part-time law faculty (Boise, Idaho, campus); law professor (Boise, Idaho, campus); academic adviser; data and operations analyst.

Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill.: Early Childhood Center director; assistant or associate professor in English-as-a-Second-Language education.

Concordia College—New York, Bronxville: director of field education for the Social Work Program.

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

Director of Ministry Resources, Concordia Plan Services

Concordia Plan Services (CPS) announces an opening for the position of director of Ministry Resources, housed at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis.

Concordia Plan Services “walks together” with LCMS ministries by providing quality benefits and services that support the physical and financial health of members and their families.

The director of Ministry Resources reports to the CPS vice-president of Products and Services.

Responsibilities include:

Strategy —

recommending and presenting potential new products and services that support the CPS goals of partnering LCMS ministries to the CPS executive team.

maintaining and monitoring all products, contract negotiations and renewals.

ensuring alignment to CPS goals/initiatives and gaining buy-in from key CPS staff.

investigating and implementing new programs that support the long-term strategies of CPS.

assuring integration of new solutions into the current stable of products by working with Products and Services team members.

Product/solutions development — researching, designing and recommending impactful/unique products and solutions related to areas of ministry needs or challenges.

assisting ministries by identifying products and services that bring value to LCMS employers and congregations.

serving as the Product and Services lead person for working with multi-disciplinary teams within CPS to bring ministry-resources solutions to appropriate customer base.

Relationship management — developing relationships with LCMS staff within the International Center, LCMS district business managers and other LCMS ministries.

coordinating communication of value proposition to all stakeholders.

managing all vendor relations associated with products and services offered to ministries.

Position requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business, marketing or communications required; master’s/advanced degree preferred.

Minimum of five years of relevant and demonstrated experience in the employee-benefits field encompassing strategy development, product development, project management, sales and market development.

Must have insight into the issues that challenge professional church workers.

Experience identifying and implementing solutions to address the unique needs of church workers.

Qualified applicants are welcome to apply online via lcms.org/jobsboard. Nominations are welcomed and may be submitted to Nathan Thomas at nathan.thomas@lcms.org. The deadline to apply or submit nominations is Dec. 15, 2016. For more information about Concordia Plan Services, please visit concordiaplans.org.

Call for applicants: employer resources consultant, Concordia Plan Services

Concordia Plan Services announces an opening for the position of employer resources consultant, housed at the LCMS International Center in St. Louis or a deployed location with territories covering Missouri, Iowa and Central/Southern Illinois.

Concordia Plan Services ‘walks together’ with LCMS ministries by providing quality benefits and services that support the physical and financial health of members and their families.

The employer resources consultant reports to the director of Employer Resources.

Responsibilities include:

operating as the lead point of contact for any and all matters specific to your customers and prospects.

developing a trusted advisor relationship with customers, prospects and stakeholders.

ensuring the timely and successful delivery of our solutions according to customer needs and objectives

forecasting and tracking FPE activity and metrics; achieving retention and growth targets.

communicating clearly on immediate and time-sensitive changes to our relationship with customers and prospects.

identifying and growing opportunities within territory to meet stated objectives.

identifying and leading process to solve high-severity requests or issue escalations.

developing strategic customer account plans.

communicating, clarifying and validating customer needs on an ongoing basis.

promoting CPS as a solutions provider for ministries across LCMS.

Position Requirements:

bachelor’s degree in a business-related discipline, preferred.

five years of experience in employee benefits, financial services or similar field, required.

experience in benefit communication, benefits negotiation and/or evaluation, field underwriting or sales, benefits design, funding or similar field, is preferred.

active member in good standing of an LCMS congregation, preferred.

benefits-related professional designations, preferred.

Qualified applicants are welcome to apply online via lcms.org/jobsboard. Nominations are welcomed and may be submitted to Nathan Thomas at nathan.thomas@lcms.org. The deadline to apply or submit nominations is Dec. 15. For more information about Concordia Plan Services, please visit concordiaplans.org.

Call for inquiries, nominations: Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots

LAMP, the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots, is a cross-cultural ministry serving God’s people in remote areas of Canada. Due to the growth and demand for LAMP’s ministry in indigenous communities in northern Canada, we are seeking full-time, rostered ministry staff and lay volunteers to support local northern ministries and mission teams. Please inquire to Ron Ludke, executive director of LAMP, via email at ron@lampministry.org or by phone at 800-307-4036.

Posted November 23, 2016