What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Contextual Education position at Access Dubuque?

Director of Contextual Education

Wartburg Theological Seminary

1 Positions

ID : 60444

Posted On 01 / 22 / 2025

Job Overview

Position Summary :

The Director of Contextual Education position gives focused attention to the wholistic formation of students as church leaders in mutual collaboration with congregations, synods, and agencies where students are engaged in contextual teaching and learning. To accomplish this work, the Director of Contextual Education will work together with faculty and staff to develop clear criteria and high standards in the recruitment of sites and to oversee a robust process for training supervisors and mentors, who serve as key partners of the Wartburg Seminary teaching and learning community.

Reporting to the Vice President for Leadership Formation, the Director of Contextual Education will be responsible for three major areas of work related to Contextual Education : Stewardship of collaborative partner relationships for all rostered programs delivered completely in context (MDIV / MADM CL, Classic TEEM, and Journey Together); Oversight of the Internship components of all rostered masters and certificate programs; and Coordination of Clinical Pastoral Education and the Clinical Program of Wartburg.

Major Responsibilities / Activities :

Stewardship of collaborative partner relationships for all rostered programs delivered completely in context (MDIV / MADM CL, Classic TEEM, and Journey Together) :

Work with the Admissions staff to coordinate admissions work and placement of students in sites.

Identify and cultivate sites for the programs, including the process of vetting congregations’ participation in Wartburg programs with their synods and matching the student.

Work with the student, congregation, synod, and seminary to develop a learning and financial covenant for each student and site.

Plan and lead regularly scheduled trainings for supervisors and mentors.

Oversee the ongoing support and evaluation of the student and the site in partnership with the student’s academic advisor and the Director of Community Life and Candidacy.

Accompany student, academic advisor, congregation, and synod through a student’s transition from staff to formalized internship.

Work with the Department of Vocation and Formation staff and the faculty to facilitate student services, advising, and technology support.

Provide information and support to the Development Office in their work with donors.

Collaborate with the Academic Dean, Faculty, and the Vice President for Leadership Formation to implement comprehensive assessment of Wartburg’s contextual programs in accordance with the seminary’s mission.

Convene regular gatherings of the Contextual Education Committee to provide support for all student contextual learning placements.

Oversight of the Internship components of all rostered masters (MDIV / MADM) and certificate programs (Classic TEEM / Journey Together) :

Provide orientation to deacon internship for new students each fall semester.

Work with the Vice President for Leadership Formation and Academic Dean to oversee the internship year.

Help to plan and lead training events for internship supervisors on Wartburg’s campus and via Zoom.

Provide ongoing orientation and maintain regular contact providing support to supervisors, mentors, and interns.

Maintain annual contact with internship sites by visits, interactive video communication, or phone conference.

Work with internship cluster gatherings of students and supervisors who meet periodically during the year—planning, administering, and leading those retreats in conjunction with the other seminaries of the ELCA.

Read all internship reports, consulting with the faculty advisor and, as appropriate, with the Vice President for Leadership Formation about particular issues that arise in those reports.

Submit recommended grades for internship to the Academic Dean.

Compile a list of strengths and growth areas for each intern based on the final internship evaluations throughout the year to be used by the faculty in the approval process.

Maintain communication with the Contextual Education Committee about the quality and ongoing status of internship sites.

Facilitate the internship matching process with the Contextual Education Committee.

As needed, actively recruit internship sites for interns with geographical restrictions or other special requirements. Work with deacon candidates to identify internship sites appropriate to their specialization.

In working with interns, supervisors, and internship committees, wherever conflict or other serious issues need deliberation, these concerns shall be communicated to the Vice President for Leadership Formation, who provides consultation in adjudicating the disposition of the internship.

Clinical Pastoral Education and the Clinical Program of Wartburg :

Provide annual orientation to students who are applying to CPE or CPW.

Communicate opportunities for completing CPE as they become known and organizing opportunities for CPW.

Receive and review final CPE and CPW reports, consulting with the academic advisor, as necessary. Submit recommended grades for CPE / CPW to the Academic Dean.

Member of the Department of Vocation and Formation :

Represent Wartburg Seminary at meetings involving the collaboration of ELCA seminaries in the work of Contextual Education.

Participate in regular department meetings and projects as the contextual education representative.

Qualifications :

Education & Experience Required :

A theologically educated, rostered leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church is required.

Additional education, particularly in fields related to spiritual formation, leadership development, and mentoring, is preferred.

Skills Required :

Commitment to the mission of Wartburg Theological Seminary.

Effective collaboration with seminary faculty and staff.

Conversant with WTS academic programs, ELCA judicatory polity, and candidacy processes.

Maintains professionalism in guiding and evaluating students.

Efficient administration skills related to implementing and integrating policies and procedures.

Clear communication in written materials and spoken presentations to interpret WTS programs in compelling ways.

Organization and self-motivation to ask key questions of other administrators, while working independently.

Competence to arrange meetings, travel, and connect with bishops, synod and Churchwide staff persons, pastors and congregational leaders.

Team player to draw on the strengths of others and coordinate work in a system.

Skills in conflict resolution and maintaining a non-anxious presence in high anxiety situations.

This position requires the ability to travel to synods and congregations for meetings 25% or more of the time.

This position requires that the person have weekly office hours onsite in Dubuque. A full-time Dubuque presence is preferred.

Work Environment :

This position operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, software applications, phones, photocopiers and filing cabinets.

Physical and Mental Demands :

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, see and move around. Arms, hands and fingers will be needed to handle and reach. Extensive sitting is required. Employee will occasionally need to lift boxes or materials up to 10 pounds. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Note : Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

To apply please submit cover letter, resume, and three references to hr@wartburgseminary.edu.

Wartburg Theological Seminary recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

Primary Contact

1732360294960

Phone

HR@wartburgseminary.edu

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Job Details

Director of Contextual Education

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