Program Director, Exploration Team – New Ministries

This posting will close November 26, 2026, at 11:00 pm central time.

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,600 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.

The Lutheran Center (national office) is located in Chicago, Illinois. A staff of approximately 400, under the leadership of the Presiding Bishop, serve as administrators, advisors, conveners, partners, and resource people for the ELCA and its ministries. Staff lead the work of national, domestic, and global ministries and programs including Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA World Hunger, Service & Justice, Christian Community and Leadership, and Innovation. We are also home to five of our separately incorporated ministries: The Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA, Women of the ELCA, Lutheran Men in Mission, the ELCA Foundation and the ELCA Federal Credit Union.

About the position

The Innovation Unit seeks to be a space for the church to generate ideas, unleash creativity, and create positive change in the world God so loves. It champions and drives:

1. organizational change and innovation culture;
2. the development of new and useful solutions; and
3. the people and partnerships needed to bring those solutions to life.

This position is part of the Exploration team within the Innovation unit and provides leadership in the implementation of a donor-funded proposal that seeks to develop new, non-congregational, lay led ministries that engage new people in a life of discipleship. This position has primary leadership and responsibility for the development of 100 new ministries by 1/31/31. This role works in collaboration with the wider Innovation unit, Research and Evaluation team, and other partners in the churchwide organization, and ELCA ecology, and seeks to discern the viability of scalable models to grow the church’s capacity to reach new people.

This is a full-time, term-contract (ending 12/31/31 or once the grant/project is completed), exempt, Chicago-based, hybrid position. This role requires being in the office 2 days each week and more as needed.

The eligibility of a candidate for remote or hybrid positions may depend on the residency of the candidate, and the budget for the role, including salary or pay, insurance coverage, and/or tax burden. Candidates for this position must reside within the fifty United States or the District of Columbia and be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

1. In partnership with other leaders and teams in the churchwide organization, including the Leadership team and New Ministry Development and Evangelism team in CCL and other leadership development work/teams in the churchwide organization, or broader context, oversee the development of 100 new ministries, including Gather, micro-church, Fresh Expressions, and college graduate Ministries, and other new, emerging, or innovative ministry models and ideas that may fall outside these identified areas.

2. Explore other ministry models for testing through “early ideas,” responding to emerging ideas and developing prototypes in partnership with Innovation Team.

3. Steward the “grants” program, ensuring a strong applicant pool, solid proposals, and a clear process resulting in the development and testing of five new ministry models.

4. Partner with the Program Director – Exploration - Leadership Development to align ministry experimentation with the recruitment, formation, education, coaching, and ongoing support of leaders who develop and lead new ministries.

5. Develop a communication plan, in partnership with the Strategic Communications team, to tell the stories of learning, growth, and development of these new ministries.

6. Ensure regular communications with new ministries, working with congregation and synod partners to support and problem solve as needed.

7. Develop and continuously improve support systems for emerging ministries, identifying needs across their experience and coordinating resources, relationships, tools, and organizational partners that help ministries move from early development through implementation and learning.

8. Work with the Senior Director Exploration and Innovation to explore new prospective ministry models for testing. Assess and communicate the progress and learning of ministry models, making recommendations to the Senior Director regarding adaptation, continued investment, transition, conclusion, or opportunities for broader testing and application.

9. Assist in the evaluation of all aspects of these ministries and help assess their viability for scaling.

10. Other duties as assigned.