Associate Dean for Religious and Spiritual Life 🔍Office for Religious Life, Stanford, California, United States📁Administration📅Apr 23, 2021 Post Date📅89290 Requisition #The Associate Dean for Religious and Spiritual Life will serve as a key member of the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s multifaith team to guide, nurture, and enhance spiritual life at the University. Reporting to the Dean for Religious and Spiritual Life, the Associate Dean will engage the broader University community, providing opportunities to facilitate religious practice, foster communities of belonging and engagement across difference, and promote spiritual wellness in line with our departmental values. The Associate Dean will be an especially close and collaborative partner with the broader Jewish community at Stanford, including the Taube Center for Jewish Studies, Hillel@Stanford, and all Jewish Stanford Affiliated Religion groups to foster a vibrant community of belonging on campus. Equally importantly, they will work with the entire Stanford community to coordinate ORSL programs that explore the intersection of faith and justice and to provide opportunities for academic engagement with spiritual life.

The Associate Dean will join a vibrant and engaged spiritual life team that works together in an interdependent team model. This position will work with the team across all programs and portfolios and participate in University events. This includes leading University multi-faith rituals, supporting University sponsored religious observances of diverse holy days, coordinating and teaching ORSL supported courses, and occasionally preaching at multi-faith services in our Sunday morning University Public Worship, which takes place in Memorial Church at the heart of the campus.

CORE DUTIES*:

Articulate and reflect the values of the Office for Religious Life across campus.
Participate as an active member of a multi-faith team to guide, nurture and enhance spiritual and religious life across the University.
Serve as a religious leader and advisor with and for all students while supporting and fostering vibrant Jewish life on campus. Related activities may include leading Shabbat and holiday celebrations, officiating students’ lifecycle ceremonies, and fostering students’ exploration of Jewish text, values, and meaning.
Cultivate close and collaborative partnerships within the Jewish community of Stanford, including the Taube Center for Jewish Studies, Hillel@Stanford, and our Jewish Stanford Affiliated Religions organizations.
Coordinate ORSL programming that explores the intersection of faith and justice.
Coordinate ORSL academic offerings led by ORSL staff in collaboration with other offices and departments.
Design and lead a wide range of range of engaging and diverse programs at Memorial Church in collaboration with ORSL staff.
Provide opportunities for religious access and spiritual care to underserved and underrepresented communities on campus, working in close collaboration with colleagues in Student Affairs. This includes engaging and caring for students who have felt alienated or marginalized in religious spaces, including Refuge, our multi-faith queer spirituality student organization.
Provide thoughtful and compassionate spiritual care for students, faculty, staff, alumni and other members of the university community.
Console bereaved members of the community through attentive and sensitive spiritual care, including shaping meaningful services, providing a calm, non-anxious presence in times of tragedy.
Respond immediately and comprehensively to campus crises. Design, organize and implement highly visible communal ritual responses to crises in the world and in the community.
Serve on University committees at the request of the Dean to support the work of the broader campus community.
Other duties may also be assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Experience:

Master’s degree in Religious Studies and five years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience. Master of Hebrew Letters preferred.

Applicants from diverse communities and with experience working in and among historically marginalized communities are encouraged to apply.

Certifications and Licenses:

Rabbinic ordination preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Acute pastoral sensitivity and discretion.
Experience in a role of religious leadership. Thorough understanding and performance of ritual and ritual practices.
Commitment to serving as a chaplain in higher education.
Demonstrated effectiveness in leading public worship (including religious teaching/preaching), in moderation of discussions, and in intelligent presentations of religious, spiritual and societal questions and challenges.
Enthusiasm and capacity for working imaginatively with people of diverse cultural backgrounds and religious traditions.
Enthusiasm and capacity for working imaginatively with people with diverse Jewish experiences, backgrounds, and commitments.
Demonstrated effectiveness in counsel, support, and inspiration of young adults.
Knowledge of multiple religious traditions.
Ability to work independently, complete assignments, accomplish administrative tasks, and exercise sound judgment in determining priorities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*:

Frequently sitting.

Occasionally perform desk-based computer tasks, stand/walk, writing by hand, use a telephone, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh 11-20 pounds.
Rarely sort/file paperwork or parts, rarely twist/bend/stoop/squat.

How to Apply

We invite you to apply for this position by clicking on the “Apply for Job” button. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and resume along with your online application.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Stanford is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

Additional Information

• Schedule: Full-time
• Job Code: 4166
• Employee Status: Regular
• Grade: I
• Requisition ID: 89290