Director, Center for Spiritual and Religious Life

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Position Summary:
The Director of the Center for Spiritual and Religious Life (CSRL) and Senior Associate University Chaplain is responsible for all functions of the CSRL, including administration, programs and events, and student and student organization support. Reporting directly to the Associate Dean of Students for Belonging and Communities, the Director coordinates the work of professional staff, collaborates with offices across the University for student programming, and supports the overall mission of Belonging and Communities, related identity centers, and Student Affairs. In partnership with the University Chaplain and the Vanderbilt Divinity School, the Director also serves as a Senior Associate University Chaplain providing pastoral care, spiritual guidance, and emotional support to students and, if needed, faculty and staff from diverse faith traditions and backgrounds. 

The Director supports the spiritual and religious growth of students; encourages the development of interfaith literacy and engagement; promotes reflection upon ethical questions and issues of values and character; and prepares students to lead in a religiously pluralistic world. The Director provides strategic direction to the CSRL; supervises staff; coordinates and facilitates the work of affiliate chaplains in partnership with the University Chaplain and Divinity School; ensures programming that promotes interfaith engagement, religious literacy, and critical reflection on issues of ethics, and character; and responds to crises with appropriate individual and community spiritual and emotional support.

About the Work Unit:
The Center for Spiritual and Religious Life supports the spiritual and religious growth of students and other Vanderbilt community members; encourages the ongoing development of interfaith literacy and dialogue; promotes reflection on ethical questions and issues of values and character; and prepares students to lead in a religiously pluralistic world.

About Student Affairs:
Student Affairs serves a central role in student learning and development at Vanderbilt, advancing the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service. Student Affairs at Vanderbilt cultivates vibrant, inclusive communities that foster a student’s sense of belonging and wellbeing through collaborative partnerships, transformative learning experiences, and an accessible and holistic network of resources. We value connection, belonging, compassion, development, and innovation. Our staff are committed to continued growth in knowledge, awareness, skills, and experience engaging with these priorities in a higher education environment.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:
The Director’s Key Functions and Expected Performance include, but are not limited to, the following:

Leadership and Oversight

• Serve on the leadership team for the Belonging and Communities area in Student Affairs and interface routinely with the leaders of the other identity centers.
• Advise the Associate Dean for Belonging and Communities and the Vice Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students on matters, related to supporting student spiritual and religious growth and interfaith dialogue.
• Serve on the Student Affairs Senior Staff team and collaborate with other leaders in Student Affairs to support integrated belonging initiatives.
• Serve on the Student Affairs Incident Response Team and assist with issues and crises, including follow up with relevant constituencies, communications, etc.
• Oversee CSRL, including recruiting, hiring, and training the professional staff and any Graduate Assistants or other student workers.
• Supervise professional staff by providing clear performance expectations, effective and on-going feedback, regular and annual evaluations, and professional development opportunities to ensure staff understand expectations and are successful in fulfilling their job functions.
• Partner with the University Chaplain to coordinate the Vanderbilt University Religious Ministries, serving as a resource and contact for all Affiliated Chaplains and Directors and maintaining a supportive working relationship with each of the affiliates and their governing organization.
• Review, revise, and maintain the affiliation agreements between affiliated ministries and the University and other associated governing documents in partnership with the University Chaplain.
• Educate and train the Affiliated Chaplains on University policies, procedures, programs, and resources.
• Develop and maintain clear office protocols and policies to ensure services provided to students, faculty, and staff are consistent, efficient, and effective.
• Provide financial oversight for CSRL, including full responsibility for the preparation and management of relevant budgets to ensure proper stewardship of University resources.

Programming

• Lead CSRL’s efforts to develop, coordinate, and assess interfaith and spiritual development programs, dialogues, and events that foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for students.
• Build relationships with campus partners and co-design collaborative educational efforts to promote understanding and respect among students of different religious and philosophical traditions.
• Coordinate with the University Chaplain as well as campus and community partners to design, coordinate, and deliver university-wide events related to relevant spiritual and interfaith themes for students, faculty, and staff.
• Collaborate with campus and community partners to design, coordinate, and deliver legacy programs such as the Holocaust Lecture Series.

Student Advising

• Serve as an adviser to registered student organizations advised by the CSRL team and affiliated chaplains.
• Support students and organizations, as appropriate, related to religious and spiritual issues, student activism, and discrimination incidents.
• Manage CSRL’s internal business processes for student organizations.
• Assist registered student organizations with the planning of major student organization events to ensure the successful execution of events that support and celebrate student experiences and adhere to University policies.
• Collaborate with Student Organizations, Leadership and Service to review and approve new religious groups seeking registration, as well as religious Registered Student Organizations that have revised their bylaws. Ensure all religious Registered Student Organizations’ governing documents abide by University policies, including compliance with the University’s non-discrimination policy.
• Advise student organizations on goal-setting as well as the development and implementation of organizational community action plans that create more meaningful experiences for their members and leaders.
• Attend student organization executive board meetings, as needed, to demonstrate support for student leaders.
• Inform students of changes to student organization policies and procedures that enable them to more effectively manage their organization.
• Utilize budgeting skills to support successful financial management and use of Oracle by student leaders and organizations.

Chaplain Functions

• Attend to student well-being by providing pastoral care, counseling, and support.
• Respond with religious, spiritual, and pastoral presence in times of crisis.
• Refer students to the proper offices to address needs that go beyond the scope of the CSRL; this may include academic resources, trauma resources, professional development, etc.
• Organize and conduct memorial services/celebrations of life in the event of a campus death or special services of remembrance in recognition of a greater social event, disaster, or crisis.
• Provide one-on-one pastoral care, group reflection exercises, group bereavement support, and discussions on religious and spiritual formation and discernment.
• Maintain a relationship with Vanderbilt Divinity School (VDS) and engage in its academic and social life. Support religious and non-religious members of the Vanderbilt community through openness to faith claims from all traditions, and by creating and implementing protocols supporting individual and group rights to exercise their religious practice freely, promote tolerance and understanding, and respect privacy.
• Embody the professional code and conduct of a religious profession by maintaining an active connection between their sending agency or body of ordination.
• Foster and maintain relationships with various faith communities throughout Nashville and, when necessary, engage in community service activities.
• Honor and serve the needs of denominational affiliation or professional guild and will maintain the religious, ethical, and observant essentials of their faith tradition.
• Keep aware of current social trends, movements, controversies, and directions to make relevant commentary and interface between matters of faith and culture.

Education and Certifications:

• A Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree or equivalent professional degree is necessary.
• Doctoral degree (PhD, DMin, or equivalent) is preferred.
• Successful completion of one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is preferred.
• Ordination or equivalent recognition by a community of faith is preferred.
• Board Certification by the Association of Professional Chaplains is preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• A minimum of eight years of relevant experience is necessary, preferably in higher education chaplaincy, campus ministry, or religious/spiritual life.
• Interfaith literacy and multicultural competence are necessary.
• Necessary to value all views on faith, religion, spirituality, and non-theistic worldviews.
• Necessary to have executive skills pursuant to strategic planning and budgeting.
• Technological literacy is necessary.
• Exceptional leadership skills are necessary.
• Excellent networking and community building skills are necessary.
• Necessary to be able to clearly differentiate roles as a confidential resource or counselor (not requiring a mandatory report) and one that would require mandatory reporting.
• Experience with programs related to social justice and identity, as well as student wellness, is strongly preferred.