APU seeks employees who desire to contribute to our thriving culture by cultivating community through professional interactions, demonstrating a posture of lifelong learning, and modeling Christ-like character. Working together, employees at APU commit to establishing a university atmosphere that is edifying to God and one another.

The Institute for Faith, Leadership, and Service (IFLS) at Azusa Pacific University is an academic and faith based center at Azusa Pacific University that equips students, faculty, pastors, and partner organizations for Christian leadership and service opportunities that are spiritually formative. IFLS advances faith formation through leadership development, faith integrated learning, and community engaged practice that strengthens the church and contributes to the flourishing of local communities.

IFLS carries a portfolio of grant funded initiatives that advance these aims across multiple audiences and settings. This position is grant funded under The Cornerstones Project, a five year initiative that deepens Christian faith through service among APU students and young people in partner schools and ministry organizations. The Cornerstones project also supports APU’s role as a resourcing hub, strengthening the capacities and programs of ministries focused on the formation of youth and young adults.

The Director of Program Development and Strategic Operations is a full time exempt position that serves as the Institute’s chief operating leader for program delivery and portfolio performance across the Institute’s multi-million dollar grant funded portfolio. With delegated authority to set cross initiative standards and operating protocols, the Director approves operational decisions within established limits and ensures delivery of Institute commitments, including portfolio performance, risk escalation, and corrective action planning across initiatives. The Director builds program models and the operational infrastructure that enables assistant directors and teams to execute initiatives with consistency, clarity, and measurable outcomes. The role oversees implementation of grant objectives, program models, operating systems, events, communications, and reporting, and supervises assistant directors and staff assigned to the initiative portfolio. This position reports to the Executive Director. 

This position is fully grant-funded and contingent on grant funding.

Required Education

• Master of Divinity or another relevant master’s degree (or equivalent). 
• Familiarity with Wesleyan theological heritage of APU.

Required Experience

• Seven to ten years of professional leadership experience in church, parachurch, and or faith based ministry contexts.
• Teaching and leadership experience in Christian higher education.
• Experience leading grant funded initiatives, including deliverables, timelines, and reporting.
• Experience working with youth, high school students, and or young adults.
• Experience leading teams and supervising staff.
• Demonstrated ability to create and implement systems that strengthen workflow management, communication, and accountability.

Primary Duties/Essential Functions

A. Institute wide strategic leadership and portfolio governance

• • Serve as the Institute’s chief operating leader for program delivery and portfolio performance, translating IFLS strategy and grant commitments into annual operating plans, priorities, and measurable outcomes.
  • Partner with the Executive Director to develop and implement a long term strategic vision for IFLS that aligns with APU’s mission and priorities.
  • Establish Institute wide program standards, operating policies, and decision making protocols to ensure consistent execution across all initiatives.
  • Identify opportunities for innovation, growth, and strategic expansion across IFLS programming in alignment with grant commitments and Institute priorities.
  • Ensure alignment of IFLS initiatives with current trends and best practices in ministry formation, leadership development, and service learning.

B. Strategic operations and institute wide workflow systems

• • Owns and implements Institute wide operating policies, program standards, and decision making protocols to ensure consistent execution across all initiatives.
  • Accountable for portfolio performance, including KPI dashboards, risk tracking, and corrective action plans across initiatives.
  • Design and maintain institute wide workflow systems, templates, and operating rhythms that support consistent execution across initiatives and teams.
  • Establish practices for decision tracking, cross initiative coordination, documentation standards, and regular reporting.
  • Build and refine handoff processes that clarify responsibilities, decision rights, deliverables, and quality standards for assistant directors and staff.
  • Strengthen operational clarity and accountability by identifying bottlenecks and implementing improvements that increase effectiveness across the portfolio.
  • Establish escalation pathways and approval thresholds so strategic decisions are surfaced appropriately and managed with clarity.

C. Program development, execution leadership, and initiative quality

• • Provide executive level oversight for design, launch, and performance of IFLS initiatives by translating grant objectives into program models, implementation plans, and quality standards.
  • Lead development of curriculum, training, and program frameworks for leadership formation, ministry development, and faith based initiatives aligned with grant objectives.
  • Ensure high quality execution of initiatives through clear planning, continuous assessment and improvement, and timely corrective action when needed.
  • Monitor progress toward deliverables, identify barriers, and resolve implementation challenges so initiatives are completed on time and at a high standard.
  • Provide day to day portfolio leadership across events, communications, and initiative deliverables while ensuring effective delegation and handoff to assistant directors.

D. Leadership, supervision, and organizational effectiveness

• • Directly supervise assistant directors and staff in coordination with the Executive Director, including goal setting, coaching, feedback, performance evaluation, and professional development.
  • Support hiring, onboarding, training, and supervision of initiative staff and faculty partners as assigned.
  • Set clear priorities, timelines, and accountability practices across multiple initiatives and staff teams.
  • Foster a healthy, collaborative team culture and ensure strong cross initiative coordination and communication practices.

E. Financial stewardship, forecasting, and resource allocation

• • Leads budgeting and forecasting for a multi-million dollar grant funded portfolio, including variance management and resource allocation recommendations.
  • Monitor budget to actual spending, prepare variance explanations, and develop resource allocation recommendations that protect deliverables and outcomes.
  • Work alongside the operations team to coordinate purchasing, vendor relationships, contracts, and invoice tracking for initiative activities in alignment with APU procedures and approved budgets.
  • Support long range financial planning and sustainability modeling for IFLS initiatives as assigned.

F. Grant compliance execution, donor intent, and audit readiness

• • In partnership with the Director, Grants Management, maintain accountability for day to day compliance execution across assigned grants, subawards, and deliverables.
  • Ensure documentation, approvals, deliverables, and communications align with donor intent, grant requirements, and APU policies.
  • Coordinate with the Director, Grants Management, Operations Manager, and APU Office of Research and Grants (ORG) to maintain audit ready records, timely reporting, and consistent documentation practices.
  • Surface compliance risks early and implement corrective actions in coordination with Grants Management and ORG.

G. Evaluation, outcomes, and institutional learning

• • Establish benchmarks for success and track key performance indicators to measure initiative outcomes and Institute wide impact.
  • Implement data collection and evaluation processes, including outcomes tracking and feedback loops, and use findings to improve programming and inform reports, communications, and strategic decisions.
  • Develop a regular cadence for portfolio review and performance improvement, including quarterly outcome reviews and action planning.

H. Strategic engagement and Institute representation

• • Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key university leaders, donors, grant funders, and ministry stakeholders to strengthen the impact and visibility of IFLS initiatives.
  • Represent IFLS in key internal and external settings as assigned to communicate vision, progress, outcomes, and Institute credibility.
  • Support engagement with churches, denominational leaders, Christian schools, nonprofit organizations, and subaward recipients in ways that advance initiative outcomes and responsible stewardship.
  • Coordinate collaboration with internal departments and university partners to remove barriers, align expectations, and strengthen execution across the portfolio.

I. Communications, marketing coordination, and portfolio storytelling

• • Lead development of an integrated communications and marketing plan for grant funded programming, coordinating execution with Strategic Communications and University Advancement.
  • Oversee an initiative communications calendar, including program updates, documentation practices, and outcome based storytelling aligned with IFLS priorities.
  • Ensure consistent messaging and communication practices across assigned initiatives, including standards for public facing materials and donor communications.

J. Public engagement and thought leadership

• • Contribute to research, writing, and speaking engagements that strengthen IFLS visibility and impact as appropriate to the role.
  • Facilitate learning opportunities within the university and broader community on faith based leadership and service.
  • Represent the Institute at conferences, seminars, and ministry gatherings as assigned.
  • Collaborate in securing future grant funding as needed, including supporting proposal development, internal coordination, and required documentation.
  • Provide mentoring to leaders participating in IFLS initiatives as appropriate.
  • Occasionally present at conferences or ministry gatherings as an IFLS representative.
    

Skills

• Strong strategic thinking, management, and administrative skills.
• Demonstrated theological reflection with competence in best practices for ministry formation.
• Strong relational, influencing, and networking skills.
• Creativity, innovation, and initiative.
• Teaching, preaching, and public speaking ability.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Comfort with writing for public and or scholarly audiences.
• Ability to manage details, follow through, and meet deadlines.
• Collaborative team member and team builder.
• High capacity for theological and pastoral reflection.
• Research and Writing:
  
  • Comfort with engaging with high-level, peer-reviewed research.
  • Conduct and/or collaborate in relevant research projects.
  • Writing and contributing to peer-reviewed publications.
  • Writing and speaking on IFLS research findings.

Mental Demands

• Ability to work under pressure with maturity while multitasking in a deadline oriented environment with accuracy and consistency.
• Ability to work independently, lead staff effectively, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment regarding when to act independently and when to consult leadership.
• Self starter with a positive attitude.
• In agreement with the purpose and goals of Azusa Pacific University in providing Christian based higher education.

Physical Demands

• Ability to travel locally and regionally and capacity to work remotely as needed.
• Repetitive motion and sitting at a computer keyboard.
• Hearing and speaking by phone and or computer.
• Walking and driving to various university locations.
• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs and climb stairs multiple times during a workday.

Visual Demands

• Reading, writing notes, and computer monitor. 

Environment

• Pleasant office environment with frequent meetings across the APU campus and regular engagement with students.

Technologies

• Proficient in Google Apps, Google Workplace, Microsoft Office, Word and Excel.

Compensation

• Grade 18: $98,456 to $113,225 is the annual salary for this role and reflects what Azusa Pacific University reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on the qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In addition to compensation, APU offers a competitive benefits package. 

Azusa Pacific University is a Christ-centered, multicultural community that values and seeks faculty and staff who are committed to diversity, work effectively with diverse populations, and engage others in ways that honor our rich cultural mosaic and biblical foundation. Please click the links to learn more about 'what we believe', our 'mission statement', and our 'statement of faith'.

You can learn more about APU by watching the stories of faculty, staff, and alumni as they carry out our mission here: http://www.apu.edu/stories/.

Azusa Pacific University will conduct a background check on all final candidates.

Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled unless otherwise stated. Azusa Pacific University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.