Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Stewardship
  • Provide strategic leadership for the SI portfolio, ensuring initiatives are mission-aligned, theologically sound, and appropriately sequenced
  • Determine which ideas advance to pilots, which initiatives scale, and which pause or conclude—protecting the Seminary from initiative overload
  • Ensure VIA Journeys, 21st Century Church, and future initiatives align with institutional priorities, grant commitments, and long-term sustainability
  • Provide executive oversight of budgets and grant-funded initiatives within the Strategic Innovations portfolio, ensuring responsible stewardship, alignment with grant commitments, and long-term financial sustainability in collaboration with Seminary leadership and Finance
• Governance, Discernment & Guardrails
  • Establish and steward governance frameworks that clarify decision rights, ethical boundaries, and accountability
  • Provide theological and institutional oversight for innovation involving digital platforms, technology, or emerging tools
  • Ensure innovation proceeds at a pace that balances learning, trust, and impact 
• VIA Journeys and 21st Century Church Strategic Oversight
  • Serve as a senior Seminary leader responsible for the strategic alignment of VIA Journeys and 21st Century Church Initiatives
  • Partner with external consultants, funders, and ecosystem leaders to ensure coherence and credibility
  • Use insights from pilots, research, and evaluation to inform future phases and decisions
  • Ensure compliance with grant requirements, reporting expectations, and financial guardrails related to VIA Journeys and other externally funded initiatives
• Institutional & Ecosystem Alignment
  • Collaborate with Seminary leadership, faculty, Marketing, Advancement, and external partners to integrate innovation across the institution
  • Represent Wesley Seminary in high-level ministry, academic, and innovation contexts 
• Team Leadership
  • Provide leadership and direction to SI staff, including the Program Director and operational roles
  • Create clarity between strategic leadership and execution, enabling staff to operate with focus and accountability 
• SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY Supervises any part-time or full-time SI personnel 

Qualifications: According to Indiana Wesleyan University employment policy all employees must possess a strong Christian commitment and adhere to the standards outlined in the IWU Community Lifestyle Statement.

Education

• Master’s degree required (doctorate preferred) in theology, ministry, leadership, education, or related field

Experience

• Five to ten (5-10) years of significant leadership and entrepreneurial experience in the church, higher education, or a start-up business is preferred

Required Skills

• Demonstrated senior leadership experience overseeing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives
• Proven ability to lead through discernment, governance, and strategic clarity rather than direct control
• Strong systems thinking and institutional judgment
• Experience in stewarding grants, partnerships, or innovation portfolios
• Experience working at the intersection of academia, ministry, and organizational innovation
• Ability to guide emerging initiatives from early concept through commercialization and sustainability without mission drift

IWU Kingdom Diversity Statement

IWU, in covenant with God's reconciling work and in accordance with the Biblical principles of our historic Wesleyan tradition, commits to build a community that reflects Kingdom diversity.  We will foster an intentional environment for living, teaching and learning, which exhibits honor, respect, and dignity.  Acknowledging visible or invisible differences, our community authentically values each member's earthly and eternal worth.  We refute ignorance and isolation and embrace deliberate and courageous engagement that exhibits Christ's commandment to love all humankind.

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

As a religious educational institution operating under the auspices of The Wesleyan Church, Indiana Wesleyan University is permitted and reserves the right to prefer employees on the basis of religion (42 U.S.C., Sections 2000e-1 and 2000e-2).

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.