Job Description

Elmhurst University seeks an experienced, empathetic, and inclusive leader to serve as its next University Chaplain. This is a unique and influential role that calls for a dynamic individual ready to build upon a well-established legacy of multifaith and multicultural engagement, fostering an environment where people of diverse faiths, different perspectives, and secular worldviews feel welcomed and supported.

The Chaplain will be responsible for creating a vibrant and inclusive spiritual life on campus that fosters the recruitment and retention of students. Reporting to the Vice-President for Student Affairs, the University Chaplain is an essential presence on campus, serving as a strategic partner supporting students towards success. This is a multifaceted leadership opportunity that includes chaplaincy, a student success focus, internal and external engagement through formalized programming, and collaboration among the many constituencies served by the university.



The University Chaplain serves as the spiritual leader, pastoral caregiver, and advocate for the holistic well-being of the Elmhurst University community, primarily focused on student support and success. Rooted in the traditions and values of the

United Church of Christ (

UCC

)

, the Chaplain also fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment for individuals from all faith traditions, spiritual perspectives, and secular worldviews. The Chaplain provides leadership in worship, pastoral care, interfaith engagement, and community outreach, while supporting the University's mission to educate the whole student--intellectually, spiritually, ethically, and socially.

This position is integral to helping the university live out its meaning and purpose within the campus community, the region, the nation, and the globe. It also supports the university's vision as a liberal arts institution committed to the education of the whole person with a positive impact on the community. We welcome candidates from any tradition or none who can authentically advance these values and provide the needed expertise to do so.
Salary Range $65,000-$75,000. This is the expected salary range for this position. The actual salary offered will depend on a candidate's experience and education, and departmental budget. Essential Functions

Pastoral Care:

Provide pastoral care and community development with the student as the highest priority, focusing on student success, retention, and recruitment, while also supporting all university constituents. Provide referrals to other campus resources as needed, while maintaining appropriate pastoral confidentiality. Uphold freedom of conscience during pastoral care; provide care without proselytizing or coercion.

Recruitment and Retention:

Foster a sense of belonging by actively participating in, and leading, efforts that bolster recruitment and retention, with primary focus on collaborative efforts with the division of student affairs and admissions. High visibility at signature events and meaningful student-success driven rapport with students.

Crisis & Incident Response

: Coordinate with Counseling, Title IX, and Public Safety during bias/hate incidents, grief, and community crises; facilitate trauma-informed gatherings.

Program Leadership:

Lead and develop opportunities for service and ministry on and off campus. This position also serves as a curator and coordinator, connecting students, faculty, and staff with local leaders and communities of their different faith traditions and expressions.

Academic Engagement:

Stimulate exploration of ethics, faith, and reason through workshops, convocations, and guest lectures.

University-wide Involvement:

Participate in major campus events and serve on institutional committees as directed by the Vice President of Student Affairs. The chaplaincy also serves a ceremonial and public visibility role to communicate the school's connection with its values and spiritual life, both personally and collectively.

Interfaith, Secular & Ecumenical Relations:

Encourage strong relationships between the university and the broader United Church of Christ, as well as other faith and secular communities, through communication and mutually beneficial programming. The role also champions the multi-faith commitments of the school and is grounded in the United Church of Christ's spirit of extravagant hospitality.

Advancement & Fundraising:

Assist in fundraising activities with alumni, donors, and community partners through the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Continuous Improvement:

Demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous improvement in all aspects of the role.

Uphold University Mission:

Uphold and advance the mission, vision, and values of Elmhurst University, including its affiliation with the UCC and its commitment to interfaith inclusivity.
Other Duties and Responsibilities

The Opportunity: Leadership and Challenges

The next University Chaplain will step into a vibrant office, building on the 28-year tenure of the recently retired former chaplain. This is a chance to deepen and broaden the chaplaincy's impact, taking on several key leadership expectations:

Provide Spiritual Leadership:

Serve as a resource and strategic counselor to the Elmhurst University community and beyond, offering wisdom and moral guidance, with students as the primary focus.

Cultivate a Welcoming Environment:

Foster a sense of belonging for diverse experiences, perspectives, and forms of expression, encouraging students of all beliefs to examine their values, confront moral questions, and prepare to lead meaningful and purposeful lives.

Serve the Community:

Maintain the chaplaincy's vital presence on campus during times of celebration, crisis, and tragedy by institutionalizing a sense of care and support.

Expand Partnerships:

Extend current collaborations and innovate new opportunities with a highly complex student body.

Lead the Chaplaincy Team:

Provide strategic direction, professional management, and mentorship to volunteer chaplaincy staff and student organizations affiliated with spiritual life.

Serve as a Moral Conscience:

Act as a trusted ethical voice and convener of values-centered dialogue for the entire university.
Minimum Qualifications
The ideal candidate for the University Chaplain position must possess a unique blend of pastoral empathy, spiritual depth, thought leadership, a student-centered focus, and a commitment to high-impact practices of university chaplaincy.

Master of Divinity degree or relevant masters (Theology, Religious Studies, etc.) from an accredited institution. Ordination, authorized ministerial standing, or equivalent endorsement. 5 or more years of pastoral leadership experience, with a minimum of two years in an educational setting. Demonstrated commitment to the United Church of Christ's core values, including extravagant hospitality of all people, belonging and equity, spiritual growth, co-creating a better world, social responsibility, and ecumenical/interfaith collaboration. Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Doctorate of Ministry from an accredited institution. 5 or more years of pastoral leadership experience in higher education. A minimum of one Clinical Pastoral Education unit.

Preferred Professional and Personal Qualities:

Leadership:

An empathetic leader, facilitator, convener, and listener with unwavering moral authority and high emotional intelligence.

Inclusion:

A deep understanding of the value of a diverse community with a proven track record of advancing inclusion and belonging. Training/experience in intergroup dialogue or restorative practices.

Communication:

An excellent communicator who can gain trust and engage diplomatically with a wide range of stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, trustees, religious leaders, and community partners.

Strategic Thinking:

Proven experience as a strategic thought leader with the ability to envision a future for the Chaplaincy and the historic Hammerschmidt Chapel.

Program Management:

Experience facilitating diverse and inclusive programs and services with discretion, integrity, and a sense of responsibility.

Mentorship:

Exceptional management skills with a demonstrated ability to mentor and support a team.
Working Conditions/Physical Requirements
The essential functions of this position are primarily performed in an indoor setting with limited exposure to outdoor weather conditions. Work is sometimes sedentary in nature and requires remaining in a stationary position for extended periods. Required abilities include speaking and hearing for in-person and virtual communication, using close and distance vision when reading documents or viewing screens, and performing tasks with repetitive fine motor skills. Work may require occasional lifting, bending, carrying, or otherwise moving objects weighing up to 15 pounds. Qualified applicants who can perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodations will be considered.
Work Hours
This is a full-time and year-round position. Work will sometimes require evening and weekend events and activities.
Posting Date 10/26/2025 Closing Date Open Until Filled Yes Special Instructions to Applicants
Elmhurst University is a leading four-year institution of higher education that seamlessly blends a liberal arts education and professional preparation to help students acquire knowledge and skills for enduring success. Founded in 1871, Elmhurst now offers more than 70 undergraduate programs of study; more than 20 master's, doctoral and certificate programs in flexible formats; and the Elmhurst Learning and Success Academy for young adults with differing abilities. Elmhurst University ranks among the top 10 best regional colleges and universities in the Midwest, according to U.S. News & World Report, and has been recently ranked as the top school in the Midwest for veterans.

The campus is a 48-acre oasis: a nationally recognized arboretum nestled in a vibrant suburb that is located just 30 minutes from downtown Chicago and is easily accessible via Metra rail and other public transportation. Elmhurst's diverse student population, alumni base, and faculty and staff form a caring community that enables students to excel academically and in careers through supportive experiences. With an enrollment of more than 3,800 students, the university boasts a student-faculty ratio of just 13:1. The alumni community of more than 40,000 is filled with passionate "Bluejay backers" who take pride in the institution and wish to see it thrive. Inspired by the university's mission to make meaningful contributions to their local and larger communities, the students, faculty and staff thrive as adaptive leaders.

Elmhurst University is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment. We do not discriminate against employees or applicants based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, genetic information, veterans' status, or any other characteristic protected by law.