Director of Talbot Strategic Initiatives

BIOLA UNIVERSITY - LA MIRADA, CALIFORNIA

Address of Job Location: 13800 Biola Ave, La Mirada, CA 90639

Website page of the Job Posting.

Job Summary: Position Description
The Director of Strategic Initiatives provides executive-level leadership and professional services for creation, development, implementation, and integration of Talbot’s initiatives. This position is responsible for managing complex projects, supervising multiple administrative teams, assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of the initiatives, event planning, marketing, budgeting, administrating, and networking. The Director is responsible for the direct leadership of new initiatives and the supervision and management of established initiatives. This position may also have opportunities for adjunct teaching.

Alignment with Theological Positions
Alignment with Theological Positions: The person who fills this position must be someone who personally agrees with Biola’s Articles of Faith, Statement of Biblical Principles, and Eschatology Teaching Position. As such, this person may not speak against or act in a manner inconsistent with these positions during the course of their employment at Biola.

Talbot School of Theology is one of eight schools that comprise Biola University. As a part of the University, Talbot serves both graduate and undergraduate students.

Biola University is a protestant evangelical Christian university in which faculty affirm personal faith in Jesus Christ, endorse a university statement of Christian faith and community values, and are committed to the integration of faith and learning. Candidates must be willing to support Biola’s mission and preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate a clear commitment to the integration of faith into their scholarship and teaching. See Biola's Theological Positions and Talbot's Statement on Men and Women. Applicants for this job must believe to be true all of the tenets contained in each of those documents.

Department
Talbot

Supervisor
Dean of Talbot

Supervision Over Others
Program Administrator
All Initiative Directors and Talbot Embedded Directors, including but not limited to:
Director of the Center for the Study of the Work and Ministry of the Holy Spirit Today
Director of the Biola Initiative for Chinese Theology
Site Coordinators and Assistants of Talbot Embedded Cohorts

Hiring Range: $92,000.00 - 114,291.00 annual

Job Responsibilities:
The Director of Strategic Initiatives is responsible for the direct leadership and execution of all new initiatives until the initiative is financially self-sustaining and new leadership has been implemented. This includes, but is not limited to:
Talbot Embedded
Grants (New Applications, In Review, and Awarded)
Talbot Marketing Road Tours
Talbot Marketing and Publicity
Talbot Annual Ministry Conference
Talbot Ministry Advisory Board

The Director of Strategic Initiatives is also responsible for the oversight and management of established initiatives, including the correlating initiative director and their administrative team. This includes, but is not limited to:
Talbot Korean Masters Programs (TKMPs)
Kids From Hard Places Initiative (KFHP)
Talbot en Español (TES)
Biola Initiative for Chinese Theology (BICT)
Center for Marriage and Relationships (CMR)
Center for the Study of the Work and Ministry of the Holy Spirit Today (CSWMHST)
General Duties

Collaborate with various offices (Talbot Leadership Team, Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Accounting, Registrar’s Office, Student Accounts, Talbot faculty and academic staff, etc.) on the creation and implementation of new initiatives with Biola’s systems and protocols.
Build and maintain relationships with key churches, networks, and parachurch organizations as collaborators for Talbot’s initiatives.
Develop and manage MOAs and commitments between Talbot and external relationships (donors, foundations, churches, parachurch organizations, independent contractors, vendors, etc.).
Draft and manage grant applications, including, but not limited to, drafting proposals, creating budgets, managing correspondence with the foundations or donors, drafting and submitting reports, hiring grant administrators, and providing oversight and accountability for the start up phase of the initiative.
Ensure the set-up of key logistics at Talbot Embedded cohort sites, including, but not limited to, academic appropriate classroom space, technology, communication, and hospitality.
Manage all aspects of the Talbot’s Marketing Road Tours, including, but not limited to, publicity, van maintenance, scheduling road crews, coordinating with tour stop locations, collaborating with and coordinating various administrative teams, and managing promotional items.
Develop and manage Talbot’s Annual Ministry Conference.
Develop and manage Talbot’s Ministry Advisory Board.
Evaluate and manage the progress of each initiative.
Develop and implement promotional marketing strategies.
Assess and recommend opportunities for new initiatives and partnerships.
Supervise the Directors and administrative teams of established initiatives, ensuring goals are being met and directives are well implemented.
Review and manage initiative budgets.
Review and approve annual reports as they are prepared for grants and donors.
Provide monthly reports to the Dean on each initiative.
Attend monthly Talbot Faculty Meetings and Talbot Faculty Forums.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:
Understanding of and commitment to the mission of Talbot School of Theology.
Five (5) years full-time pastoral ministry experience highly preferred.
Strong management and administrative experience highly preferred.
Some experience working in an academic environment is preferred.
Self-initiating person who is organized and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
Excellent written and verbal communication, grammar and spelling skills, and telephone manners.
Ability to formulate and articulate sound policies.
Demonstrate capacity to identify, resolve, and consult on a wide range of administrative and personnel issues.
High level of computer skills with working knowledge of Mac and PC computers, Microsoft Office, Google Applications, and Adobe Acrobat.
Type a minimum of 50-65 words per minute with accuracy.
Demonstrated experience in successful completion of multiple significant projects, events and responsibilities.
Warm, interpersonal skills, personable, cordial, professional demeanor, and works well with a team.
Ability to work with many different people and handle a variety of tasks, all with a good sense of humor.
Dependability, integrity and ability to receive and implement suggestions from supervisors.
Willing to be flexible and sustain a learning posture.
Open to supervision with a teachable spirit.
Ethical competence.
Ability to work with a diverse constituency and promote an effective work environment.
Strong, stable and mature Christian faith.
Maintain a lifestyle consistent with sound Christian principles and the standards of conduct of Biola University.
Willing to work at occasional evening or weekend events.
Willing and able to walk substantial distances and climb stairs on campus without accommodation.
Willing and able to serve as interdepartmental courier, making frequent deliveries and pickups and performing other jobs that require substantial walking around the campus and climbing stairs. Able to lift heavy boxes and packages while sorting and delivering the mail.

Expiration Date of Job Posting: May 31, 2026