What are the responsibilities and job description for the Program Director, Exploration Team – New Ministries position at Evangelical Lutheran Church in America?
Description
This posting will close November 26, 2026, at 11:00 pm central time.
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,600 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
The Lutheran Center (national office) is located in Chicago, Illinois. A staff of approximately 400, under the leadership of the Presiding Bishop, serve as administrators, advisors, conveners, partners, and resource people for the ELCA and its ministries. Staff lead the work of national, domestic, and global ministries and programs including Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA World Hunger, Service & Justice, Christian Community and Leadership, and Innovation. We are also home to five of our separately incorporated ministries: The Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA, Women of the ELCA, Lutheran Men in Mission, the ELCA Foundation and the ELCA Federal Credit Union.
About the position
The Innovation Unit seeks to be a space for the church to generate ideas, unleash creativity, and create positive change in the world God so loves. It champions and drives:
- organizational change and innovation culture;
- the development of new and useful solutions; and
- the people and partnerships needed to bring those solutions to life.
This position is part of the Exploration team within the Innovation unit and provides leadership in the implementation of a donor-funded proposal that seeks to develop new, non-congregational, lay led ministries that engage new people in a life of discipleship. This position has primary leadership and responsibility for the development of 100 new ministries by 1/31/31. This role works in collaboration with the wider Innovation unit, Research and Evaluation team, and other partners in the churchwide organization, and ELCA ecology, and seeks to discern the viability of scalable models to grow the church’s capacity to reach new people.
This is a full-time, term-contract (ending 12/31/31 or once the grant/project is completed), exempt, Chicago-based, hybrid position. This role requires being in the office 2 days each week and more as needed.
The eligibility of a candidate for remote or hybrid positions may depend on the residency of the candidate, and the budget for the role, including salary or pay, insurance coverage, and/or tax burden. Candidates for this position must reside within the fifty United States or the District of Columbia and be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
1. In partnership with other leaders and teams in the churchwide organization, including the Leadership team and New Ministry Development and Evangelism team in CCL and other leadership development work/teams in the churchwide organization, or broader context, oversee the development of 100 new ministries, including Gather, micro-church, Fresh Expressions, and college graduate Ministries, and other new, emerging, or innovative ministry models and ideas that may fall outside these identified areas.
2. Explore other ministry models for testing through “early ideas,” responding to emerging ideas and developing prototypes in partnership with Innovation Team.
3. Steward the “grants” program, ensuring a strong applicant pool, solid proposals, and a clear process resulting in the development and testing of five new ministry models.
4. Partner with the Program Director – Exploration - Leadership Development to align ministry experimentation with the recruitment, formation, education, coaching, and ongoing support of leaders who develop and lead new ministries.
5. Develop a communication plan, in partnership with the Strategic Communications team, to tell the stories of learning, growth, and development of these new ministries.
6. Ensure regular communications with new ministries, working with congregation and synod partners to support and problem solve as needed.
7. Develop and continuously improve support systems for emerging ministries, identifying needs across their experience and coordinating resources, relationships, tools, and organizational partners that help ministries move from early development through implementation and learning.
8. Work with the Senior Director Exploration and Innovation to explore new prospective ministry models for testing. Assess and communicate the progress and learning of ministry models, making recommendations to the Senior Director regarding adaptation, continued investment, transition, conclusion, or opportunities for broader testing and application.
9. Assist in the evaluation of all aspects of these ministries and help assess their viability for scaling.
10. Other duties as assigned.
Requirements
1. 5 years of experience directing a large program. Experience in ministry development and leadership. Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, the ELCA structure, polity, and theology.
3. Demonstrated leadership capacity, including knowledge of adaptive leadership principles and human-centered design approaches, with the ability to apply these frameworks to innovation and ministry development, along with strong interpersonal communication and public speaking skills.
4. Demonstrated experience developing, launching, or supporting new ministries, programs, communities, or other emerging initiatives.
5. Ability to learn through experimentation, work effectively with ambiguity, identify patterns across multiple initiatives, and translate learning into practical improvements and recommendations.
6. Experience with coaching, teaching, and leading other leaders.
7. Strong facilitation, communication, relationship-building, and public speaking skills, with the ability to work across congregations, synods, churchwide teams, and external partners.
8. Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism.
9. Minimum Technical Competency: Computer knowledge that enables you to operate a Windows Computer and follow basic troubleshooting instructions. Software skills to efficiently use computer programs and applications. Ability to leverage computer knowledge and software skills to understand new software, follow process, and identify opportunities for improvement. Advanced experience using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, etc.) required.
Physical
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. This position requires sitting for long periods of time. May be required to lift boxes of materials/resources. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Travel
This position requires considerable domestic travel including leadership retreats, trainings, conferences, and other events. Occasional in-person participation at the ELCA churchwide office and other organizational gatherings may be expected. Valid driver’s license preferred.
Benefits
The ELCA offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, including employer paid health premiums for employees, health and dependent care FSA’s, a health savings account (HSA) with an employer contribution, life insurance, and a substantial employer contribution to 403b retirement plan (no match required). We also offer a generous paid time-off policy including 17 paid holidays. All benefits commence on your start date.
Contact
If you have questions about this job or your application, please email us at Careers.HR@elca.org.
Salary
Commensurate with qualifications and relevant experience.
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. As a religious organization, we reserve the right, where permitted by applicable federal and state law, to employ individuals who share and support our religious beliefs, mission, and values.