Program Director, Testify! Grant

Christian Theological Seminary

Job Location:

Indianapolis, IN - USA

Monthly Salary: USD 70000 - 72000

Posted on: 11 hours ago

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Position Title: Program Director Testify! Grant

Department: Testify! Initiative

Reports to: Grant Director

Classification: On-site; Full-time Salary Exempt 37.5-hour workweek

Anticipated Start Date: March 1 2025

Help Revitalize a Sacred Tradition At a National Scale

What if your leadership could help restore one of the most powerful spiritual practices in the Black church-testimony-for generations to come

Christian Theological Seminary invites applications for Program Director of Testify! a landmark Lilly Endowmentfunded initiative designed to reclaim and revitalize testimony as a living formative practice in Black churches nationwide. This is more than a program management role-it is a vocation at the intersection of faith culture leadership and large-scale impact.

JOB SUMMARY

The Program Director serves as the operational heart of Testify! translating bold theological vision into day-to-day execution. Working closely with the Grant Director you will steward 250 national church partnerships oversee staff and budgets and bring multi-city gatherings digital campaigns and creative resources to life-while honoring testimony not simply as content but as sacred practice requiring care credibility and cultural fluency. The ideal candidate brings exceptional organizational capacity and is equally comfortable negotiating venue contracts and engaging pastors in theological conversation about formation. Can also discern when the Spirit disrupts your timeline.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Manage daily implementation of Testify! ecosystem: Toolkit Live Events Digital Campaigns and Convention Booth
Recruit and maintain relationships with 250 covenant church partnerships over five years
Oversee event planning and logistics for five major city-wide gatherings (2400 attendees each)
Supervise the Administrative Assistant and Digital Media Manager
Prepare quarterly reports for the Grant Director Lilly Endowment and external evaluator
Manage a $5 million project budget ensuring grant compliance
Coordinate artist-lay retreats and convention booth presence at 8 annual gatherings
Serve as primary liaison with church leaders denominational partners and community stakeholders
Facilitate peer learning networks across participating churches
Represent Testify! at conferences and denominational gatherings

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will report to the grant director and should possess the knowledge skills and ability to fulfill the essential functions of the position and demonstrate successful experience and proficiency in the following:

Masters degree in theology ministry nonprofit management or related field
Minimum 3 years of program management experience in religious or nonprofit contexts
Cultural fluency in Black church traditions across denominational lines
Strong project management and budget oversight skills
Experience supervising staff and coordinating multi-stakeholder projects
Excellent communication skills for diverse audiences
Proficiency with project management software and Microsoft Office
Ability to travel (25-30%)

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS

Experience with Lilly Endowment or foundation-funded initiatives
Existing relationships within Black church networks
Background in arts ministry or worship planning
Familiarity with CTS programs (Compelling Preaching Initiative PhD in African American Preaching)

APPLICATION PROCESS

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter CV/resume names of three professional references and a brief statement (500 words or less) on testimony as spiritual formation in Black church contexts. Apply via the application link. Questions about the position: Dr. Nick Peterson .

ABOUT CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

CTS equips leaders to embody Gods liberative restorative and life-affirming message. As a national leader in training Black clergy CTS pioneered the nations first PhD program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric. CTS is a fully accredited ecumenical academic learning community offering graduate programs through its School of Theology and School of Counseling as well as accessible mental health services through the Counseling Center. Learn more at .

ABOUT TESTIFY!

Testify! is a five-year initiative addressing the spiritual formation crisis where Black churches risk losing testimony traditions. Through Toolkit resources city-wide events digital campaigns and testimony collection the project empowers 250 churches to reclaim testimony as a vital spiritual practice while reaching 5 million digital impressions.

CTS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate with respect to recruitment hiring or any other status of employment based on race color religion sex sexual orientation national origin disability or any other category protected by law.

Required Experience:

Director

Position Title: Program Director Testify! GrantDepartment: Testify! InitiativeReports to: Grant DirectorClassification: On-site; Full-time Salary Exempt 37.5-hour workweekAnticipated Start Date: March 1 2025 Help Revitalize a Sacred Tradition At a National Scale What if your leadership could help r...