Grant Director

Oral Roberts University is a non-profit organization whose staff and faculty actually make a difference in the lives of its students. We pride ourselves on our culture and the values we uphold. Our team is passionate about what we do, and we want you to make us even better!

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR ALL POSITIONS UNTIL FILLED.

The Graduate School of Theology and Ministry (GSTM) Grant Director provides full-time executive leadership for the Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative and the Institute for Spirit-Empowered Ministry Resilience at Oral Roberts University's Graduate School of Theology and Ministry. This position is responsible for the comprehensive oversight of all grant activities, Institute operations, personnel, budget, partnerships, evaluation, and strategic communications throughout the five-year grant period. This position terminates at the end of the grant period in December 2030.

Grant Administration & Compliance

• Serve as the primary point of accountability for all grant activities under the Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative.
• Maintain fidelity to approved goals, timelines, and deliverables
• Prepare annual narrative and financial reports
• Coordinate with the Lilly Endowment program officer; and ensure all expenditures align with the approved budget.

Institute Leadership & Operations

• Provide day-to-day executive oversight of the Institute for Spirit-Empowered Ministry Resilience.
• Manage and supervise all Institute staff
• Establish office policies, workflows, and communication systems to support smooth operations

CEU, Workshop & Lecture Series Development

• In consultation with the Dean, design, schedule, and oversee all grant-funded continuing education units (CEUs), workshops, seminars, and the Institute lecture series.
• Coordinate faculty presenters, external speakers, and institutional partners to ensure events meet professional standards for ministry formation and continuing education.

Digital Resource Repository

• Oversee the creation, curation, and ongoing maintenance of the Institute's online resource repository.
• Ensure that content is accessible, theologically sound, and aligned with grant goals
• Manage the Repository Content Manager
• Monitor subscription growth and usage metrics

Mental Health & Counseling Services

• Coordinate grant-supported counseling initiatives in partnership with professional therapists and ORU's Graduate School of Counseling.
• Ensure services are ethically supervised, professionally executed, and responsive to the mental health needs of Spirit-empowered pastoral leaders and their families.

Mentoring & Coaching Network

• Lead the design, implementation, and oversight of the mentoring and coaching network connecting students, alumni, and experienced pastoral leaders.
• Coordinate mentor and coach recruitment, training, matching, stipend administration, and ongoing quality assurance.

Alumni Engagement & Pastoral Liaison Oversight

• Direct strategy for strengthening alumni relationships
• Provide supervisory guidance to the Pastoral Liaison to ensure effective outreach, database management, and cultivation of alumni giving and participation

Strategic Partnership & Collaboration

• Cultivate and steward relationships with key internal and external partners.
• Represent the Institute in external ministry and academic communities.

Budget Management & Sustainability Planning

• In consultation with the Dean, oversee the annual Institute budget and monitor all revenue streams.
• Develop and implement plans for long-term financial sustainability beyond the grant period.

Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• In collaboration with an ORU faculty, implement evaluation strategies including surveys, focus groups, and program assessments determined by faculty.
• Analyze data to measure progress toward grant outcomes; provide data-driven reports to ORU stakeholders and the Lilly Endowment on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.

Communications & Visibility

• Oversee the Institute's comprehensive communication strategy, including the website, social media channels, and promotional materials.

EDUCATION: Master's degree in Theology, Ministry, Divinity, or a related field required. Doctorate (D.Min., Ph.D., or Ed.D.) preferred.

EXPERIENCE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in ministry leadership, theological education, or nonprofit/grant administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to the Spirit-empowered/Pentecostal-Charismatic movement.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects, multi-year budgets, and diverse teams.
• Experience with grant reporting, compliance, and donor relations preferred; familiarity with Lilly Endowment initiatives a plus.
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to represent the Institute to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to cultivate strategic partnerships with churches, ministry organizations, academic departments, and community leaders.
• Proficiency with digital tools for project management, communications, and data tracking (e.g., email platforms, CRM, project management software).
• Strong interpersonal skills; pastoral sensitivity and ability to relate to ministry leaders experiencing burnout, crisis, or transition.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Oral Roberts University promotes equal employment opportunities for all individuals regardless of differences in race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.