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Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean

Campus Locations: Leawood, Kansas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Job Overview and Summary:

The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean serves as the Chief Academic Officer of ������٠and provides strategic and administrative leadership for the Seminary's academic mission across its Kansas and Oklahoma locations and online learning environments. Reporting to the President and serving on the senior leadership team, the VPAAD provides leadership across faculty, curriculum, academic policy, assessment, accreditation, academic planning, and educational quality.

Working collaboratively with the faculty and through established structures of shared governance, the VPAAD advances an academically rigorous, contextually responsive, and distinctly Wesleyan vision for theological education. The VPAAD also works collaboratively with the President and other institutional leaders to align academic priorities with enrollment, financial resources, institutional strategy, and the evolving needs of the Church and communities SPST serves.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• A record of strong integrative leadership in on-campus and online environments, preferably in a seminary context.
• Demonstrated experience with community-building and communication that support interpersonal relationships.
• Practiced leadership through collaboration, consultation, and shared problem-solving with respect for the expertise of faculty and staff, including building partnerships with staff to address intersecting responsibilities.
• An articulate understanding of academic excellence and student success as institution-wide responsibilities.
• Evidence of strategic, innovative curricular leadership addressing and responding to the changing contexts of the Church and world.
• A vibrant Christian faith and commitment to personal and social holiness.
• Active participation in a denomination or congregation within the Wesleyan movement; denominational connection to The United Methodist Church preferred.
• Experience with pastoral and spiritual mentoring; preference for ecclesial leadership experience.
• Proven ability to adapt to innovative technological resources used for administration and teaching/learning in higher education; preferred experience with multi-campus, hybrid, and online educational modalities.
• Record of excellence in classroom teaching, productive scholarship (evidenced by research and publications), and a passion for academic leadership.
• Commitment to social justice and demonstrated experience promoting a variety of cultural and theological perspectives in the pursuit of theological education.
• Strong attention to detail and proven ability to facilitate committee work, create and implement policies, manage budgets, and ensure compliance with accreditation standards and compliance requirements.

Education:

• The qualified candidate will possess a doctoral degree, Ph.D. or equivalent in a theological discipline preferred.

Office Location:

• The VPAAD will be located at the Saint Paul campus in Leawood, KS (part of the Kansas City metropolitan area).

Compensation:

• Comparable to other freestanding seminaries with similar student enrollments and endowments.

Additional Information:

• Strategic Plan

Application Instructions and Due Date:

• Prospective candidates should include a letter expressing interest, a current curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for three references. Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the search process. While nominations and applications will be accepted until a new VPAAD is selected, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials before November 1, 2026, to ensure full consideration. View the complete VPAAD Job Description.

Nominations and Expressions of Interest:

• Send application materials to . Inquiries and nominations may be emailed directly to Nancy R. Howell, Chair of the VPAAD Search Committee, at .

Saint Paul is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military service, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

***

������٠(www.spst.edu) is a seminary of The United Methodist Church with campuses in Leawood, KS, and Oklahoma City, OK. The seminary is unique in its relationships with Leawood United Methodist Church of the Resurrection and Oklahoma City University, each of which contributes to the quality of the curriculum. Faculty are committed to rigorous education of students from diverse denominational contexts, to common interests in social justice, and to flexible course delivery. The seminary offers MACM, MATS, MDIV, and DMIN degrees shaped by action/reflection approaches and committed to equipping students for Christian leadership in diverse contexts. In addition to teaching and scholarship, faculty are engaged in service to the seminary, the church, and to peace and justice efforts. ������٠is an EEOC employer.

������٠prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental, family, or marital status, pregnancy or related conditions, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. This applies in all areas of the Seminary, including all educational programs, experiences, activities, and opportunities.

Human Resources Contact: Matthew Mills, or (913) 253-5060

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