Assistant Director, Spiritual Formation

Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university located six miles from downtown Boston with an enrollment of 9,484 full-time undergraduates and 5,250 graduate and professional students.  Ranked 35 among national universities, Boston College has 888 full-time and 1,281 FTE faculty, 2,711 non-faculty employees, an operating budget of $1.4 billion, and an endowment in excess of $3.5 billion.

Job Description

Role Summary

Spiritual formation is integral to the CSTM mission of preparing graduates for ministry and service in the Church and world. As a vital member of the Student Affairs team, the assistant director participates in envisioning, developing, and implementing spiritual formation opportunities for all degree programs in the academic year and summer sessions. Under the guidance of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Career Services, the Assistant Director for Spiritual Formation is responsible for coordinating programs related to spiritual formation, including retreats, spiritual direction, faith-sharing groups, and service opportunities. The assistant director works with the associate dean to support the liturgical life of the school, facilitating the integration of prayer and worship into a comprehensive program of spiritual formation. 

Reporting Relationship

Reports to the Associate Dean, Student Affairs and Career Services

Scope

Working with the Associate Dean, the Assistant Director will serve approximately 350 graduate students and work collaboratively with the associate deans, administrative team, faculty, and graduate assistants.

This role requires occasional evening and weekend responsibilities.

Essential Functions

Spiritual Formation:  50%
Lead or collaborate on initiatives integral to spiritual formation:

Collaborates with Associate Dean in strategic programming related to spiritual formation and degree-specific spiritual formation requirements.
Serves as a facilitator for the one-credit seminar Spiritual Formation for Ministry, and assists with course planning, implementation, and assessment.
Co-leads and organizes degree-specific formation events, e.g. Lay M.Div. Formation Nights and M.Div. Cohort gatherings.
Prepares and coordinates a holistic retreat program for students and oversees the logistical elements of planning.
Oversees and ensures student access to spiritual direction: develops and maintains a list of spiritual directors and serves as the central contact person for this ministry at the STM.
Oversees and ensures student access to retreats: develops and maintains a list of local, national, and international retreat centers.
Collaborates with the Associate Director, Supervised Ministry and Global and Community Engagement in providing service opportunities and cultivating relationships with external partners.
Manages the budget and allocates funds for spiritual direction and retreats.
Facilitates the formation of student-led faith-sharing groups
Contributes to the leadership, direction, and execution of programming for the STM  Learning-Living Communities and other formation initiatives.
Provides support for the annual STM learning immersion experience; assists with recruitment, collaborates with associate dean, faculty,  and student participants on pre-trip formation, and may accompany the group, typically during Spring Break.
Works with associate dean to design new spiritual formation programming and delivery formats as needed.
Regularly attends and supports events related to Student Affairs and Career Services.
Serves as a resource and/or advisor for Student Forum programming related to spiritual formation, social justice, and liturgy. 

Liturgy: 30%
Assist the associate dean in
Planning all liturgical offerings for the academic year and summer session.
Orienting and supervising the graduate assistant(s) for liturgy, overseeing the work of recruiting. and scheduling ministers for daily Masses and other worship services.
Coordinating daily Masses in STM Chapel, weekly Thursday Liturgy, bi-monthly Eucharistic Adoration, monthly Evening Prayer services, and other worship services.
Planning prayer services for Continuing Education events as needed.
Formation of new liturgical ministers. 

Pastoral Care: 15%
Available for one-on-one conversations with students related to discernment, general pastoral care, and spiritual formation
Offers guidance and referrals to students for spiritual direction, psychological counseling, retreat opportunities, service, and worship communities.

Administration: 5%
Prepares reports for assessment, brochures, announcements, promotional materials
Participates in school-wide and departmental meetings, orientations, events, and celebrations
Participates in weekly or monthly meetings, including but not limited to professional staff meetings, administrative team meetings, student staff meetings, area meetings, Student Forum meetings, and various committees as assigned.

Decision Making and Problem Solving

The Assistant Director will assess the spiritual needs of students to determine the frequency and content of formation opportunities offered through the STM, including retreats, workshops, faith-sharing groups, and worship opportunities. On the basis of these needs, and, in consultation with the Associate Dean, the Assistant Director develops comprehensive formation programming for the fall, summer, and spring semesters. The Assistant Director manages the allocation of funds for school-sponsored retreats, student subsidies for individual retreats, and spiritual direction. Respectful of the STM’s mission as a Catholic Jesuit theologate in service of the Church, the Assistant Director will exercise sound judgment in the selection of speakers for presentations, and students for committee work and leadership. The Assistant Director will think creatively when designing program offerings related to formation outcomes, display sensitivity when making decisions about the various needs of students, and be flexible in accommodating different expressions of faith and piety.

Must be able to multi-task, prioritize the workload, and demonstrate flexibility and teamwork within a community-oriented environment.
Proactively informs the Associate Dean of any issues of concern with students.
Must be comfortable operating in a matrixed environment in which demands from multiple constituents must be balanced.
A high level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality is necessary.

Requirements

Requirements:
Bachelors’ Degree required
Master of Divinity or equivalent preferred
Practicing Catholic, committed to a life of prayer and service
3-5 years of progressive leadership experience in campus or parish ministry, particularly retreat planning, social justice outreach, and liturgy
Works well independently and with others in a team-oriented environment
Knowledge of Ignatian Spirituality, Catholic Social Teaching, discernment, and synodal process.
Direct experience assisting with Roman Catholic Liturgy; familiarity with the Church’s liturgical documents
Excellent skills in program management, supervision, and overseeing online and in-person events
Proven ability to accompany, mentor, and empower students
Competency in DEIB and ability to work with diverse groups
Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
Proven ability to assess programs through data collection and analysis
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Canva, or other graphic design software

The position requires regular (3 or more times per month), but predictable, evening and weekend work. This position may also require some travel throughout the year.

Position Details:
Department: 051200 - STM Administration
Position: 00011515 - Assistant Director, Spiritual Formation
Grade: 3RD

Full-Time Equivalent Hiring Range: $61,650 to $77,050; salary commensurate with relevant experience.

Closing Statement

Boston College offers a broad and competitive range of benefits depending on your job classification eligibility:

• Tuition remission for Employees
• Tuition remission for Spouses and Children who meet eligibility requirements
• Generous Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Low-Cost Life Insurance
• Eligibility for both University-Funded 401k and Employer-Sponsored 403b Retirement Plans
• Paid Holidays Annually
• Generous Sick and Vacation Pay
• Additional benefits can be found on https://www.bc.edu/employeehandbook

Boston College conducts pre-employment background checks as part of the hiring process.

Boston College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. In concert with our Jesuit, Catholic mission, Boston College is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications for women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and covered veterans. To learn more about how BC supports diversity and inclusion throughout the university please visit the Office for Institutional Diversity at https://www.bc.edu/diversity .

Boston College's Notice of Nondiscrimination can be viewed at https://www.bc.edu/nondiscrimination .