Senior Program Director, Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network

Princeton Theological Seminary Inc.; Princeton (NJ); On-site; USD 99,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Princeton Theological Seminary seeks a Senior Program Director to lead the Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network. The role directs program strategy, design, and delivery of youth-adult leadership initiatives on campus and nationwide, with a focus on belonging, theological formation, and leadership practice.

Reporting to the Executive Director, you will supervise a program team, partner with faculty and offices across the institution, and steward grant-funded activities while advancing the

Qualifications

• Requires Master of Divinity or equivalent from an ATS-accredited seminary.
• Graduate training in education, leadership, or related field is a plus.
• Minimum 7 years of program leadership experience in ministry or organizational leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement multi-program portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and implementation of Polaris programs, events, and initiatives serving young adult Christian leaders across the U.S.
• Oversee program staff supervision, onboarding, and ongoing professional development.
• Collaborate with institutional partners across offices to align Polaris priorities and program calendar.
• Manage grant-funded initiatives, including reporting and budgeting, with strong stakeholder engagement.
• Represent Polaris and Princeton Theological Seminary at events and in academic settings.

Skills

Program leadership

Staff supervision

Public speaking

Relationship building

Grant-funded programs

Education

Master of Divinity or equivalent (ATS-accredited)

Graduate training in education or leadership (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Monday

Asana

Salesforce

Slate

Job description

Title: Senior Program Director, Polaris Young Adult LeadershipNetwork

Position: Senior Program Director, Polaris Young Adult LeadershipNetwork

Department: Continuing Education (Polaris)

Full-time or Part-time: FT Exempt, Grant-Funded 5-Year TermPosition (2027-2031)

Hours per week: 35

Months per year: 12

Salary Range: $99,000-115,000 (commensurate with education,experience, and professional credentials)

Work Schedule: On-Campus; PTS Office Hours

Reports to: Executive Director, Polaris Young Adult LeadershipNetwork

Job Purpose

The Polaris Young Adult Leadership Networkat Princeton Theological Seminary cultivates connections among young adult Christian leaders across the United States,amplifying the scope and impact of their leadership through relationships and resources. The Senior ProgramDirector provides senior leadership for all programming of the Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network,overseeing the design, development, and implementation of a growing portfolio of programs,events, and initiatives serving young adult Christian leaders ages 23–32. Reporting to theExecutive Director, this position leads and manages the program team, holds primary responsibility for programquality, and serves as a key partner in advancing the mission and vision of the Polaris Young AdultLeadership Network at Princeton Theological Seminary. Because several positions supporting Polarisare embedded in other Seminary offices, this role also serves as the program team's primary pointof coordination with other offices across the institution, ensuring that grant-funded staff and sharedinstitutional resources work in alignment with Polaris's priorities and calendar.

Essential Functions

Program Development and Leadership 40% of time

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of all Polarisprograms, events, and initiatives serving young adult Christian leaders, including programs forleaders age 23-32 in diverse professional and volunteer contexts, across spheres of influence inthe United States.
• Oversee the refinement and scaling of existing programs includingthe Polaris Leadership Summit, Polaris Fellowship, micro courses, and micro certificate;ensure alignment with the Polaris theory of change and formation framework.
• Lead development of new programs in collaboration with theExecutive Director, faculty, and key institutional partners, including new certificate programs and thePolaris Ambassadors program,with particular attention to the integration of a culture ofbelonging, the development of spiritual and leadership practices, and intellectual engagement intheology.
• Ensure that all program and event design incorporates appropriatelearning objectives, participant assessment, and practices of hospitality and inclusion for diverseyoung adult audiences.
• Cultivate and deepen relationships with PTS faculty, engagingthem as partners in the development of offerings that reflect the Seminary’s theologicaldepth and scholarly expertise.
• Present, speak publicly, and teach during on-campus programs andevents as needed, serving as a senior representative of the Polaris Young Adult LeadershipNetwork.
• Collaborate with the Office of Digital Learning on the design anddelivery of online certificates and digital offerings, and with the Marketing and Communicationsoffice on program promotion and recruitment strategies.
• Liaise with the Associate Dean of Continuing Education ensuringalignment and coordination with the broader non-degree program priorities.
• Draft and submit program narrative reports for the ExecutiveDirector, funder, and institutional leadership, as requested.

Staff Leadership and Supervision 40% of time

• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and support all program teamstaff, including Associate Directors, and Administrative Assistant, fostering a collaborative, inclusive,joyful, and high-performing team culture.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports; provideongoing coaching, real-time feedback, professional development, and performance managementacross the program team.
• Oversee onboarding and orientation of all new program staff,ensuring alignment with Polaris values, institutional policies, and program priorities.
• Manage part-time staff and consultants associated with programdelivery, in coordination with Associate Directors. May also supervise student workers.
• Collaborate with the Associate Dean to cultivate stronginterdepartmental relationships with directors and staff across Marketing and Communications, Events andHospitality, the Office of Digital Learning, the Business Office, the Office of ContinuingEducation, and the President'sOffice, serving as the primary point of coordination between theprogram team and institutional partners on Polaris-related work. Strong interdepartmentalrelationships are essential to the success of this position.
• Provide dotted-line supervision and coordination for Polarispositions embedded in other Seminary offices, including the Communications and Content Manager(embedded in Marketing and Communications) and the Events Coordinator (embedded inHospitality & Events), setting Polaris-related priorities and ensuring their work stays alignedwith the program calendar, even though each reports within their own office.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director on organizationalplanning, team structure, and staffing needs as the initiative scales across the grant period.

Network Cultivation and Support 10% of time

• Cultivate and sustain relationships with young adult leaders,congregations, faith-based nonprofits, denominational partners, and peer institutionscommitted to young adult faith formation and leadership development. Develop collaborativepartnerships with organizational leaders through young adult serving Polaris programs.
• Lead the program team in offering hospitality to all programparticipants, embodying welcome,empowerment, and authentic engagement consistent with theseminary’s values.
• Represent Polaris and Princeton Theological Seminary inecumenical, denominational, and professional gatherings, interpreting the mission and learningobjectives of Polaris programs to academic, ecclesial, and organizational audiences and keystakeholders.
• Identify and cultivate emerging young adult leaders for furtherengagement with Polaris programs, including the Ambassadors program.

Administrative and Institutional Leadership 10% of time

• Work closely with the Business Manager on program and eventbudgets, ensuring financial stewardship and alignment with grant requirements.
• Collaborate with an external evaluation consultant to manage andenhance programs through ongoing formative assessment, using data and participant feedbackto inform program improvement and institutional reporting.
• Integrate learnings from the Polaris Research Initiative intoPolaris programs.
• Serve on committees and task forces and perform occasionaladministrative duties in support of the broader mission of Princeton Theological Seminary and theOffice of Continuing Education.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and institutionalpartners to plan for the longevity of select programs beyond the grant period.

Qualifications and Skills

• Master of Divinity, Masterof Arts, Master of Theological Studies, or equivalent degree froman ATS-accredited seminary or divinity school required (Master ofDivinity preferred); additional graduate training in education, leadership, or a related field aplus.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in program leadership, ministry, ororganizational leadership, with demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-programportfolios.
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory experience, with proven ability todevelop high-performing teams.
• Deep commitment to and experience with young adults, leadershipformation, or faith-based programming; familiarity with the landscape of young adulthood,Chrisitan religious institutions, theological education, and leadership strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement programs thatintegrate theological formation, relational community, and leadership development for diverseaudiences.
• Experience presenting, preaching, speaking publicly, and teachingin program, event, or educational contexts required.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain stronginterdepartmental and cross-institutional relationships; experience working collaboratively across multipleoffices / teams necessary.
• Experience with grant-funded initiatives, including programreporting, budget stewardship, and funder relations, strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and project managementtools (Monday, Asana, or similar); experience with LMS platforms, CRM systems (Salesforce, Slate, orsimilar) a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with theability to represent the Seminary andPolaris professionally across academic, ecclesial, and publiccontexts.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, andbelonging, with experience designing programs that center and welcome participants fromdiverse racial, ethnic, denominational, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Must be willing to relocate to or reside within commutingdistance of Princeton, NJ. This position requires regular in-person presence on-campus and travel forevents.
• Other duties as assigned.

Physical / Environmental Demands

Ability to be mobileon campus with any needed accommodation. Works in an officeenvironment; lifts up to 20 lbs. Remains in a stationary position approximately 50% ofthe time; wrist and hand movement related to computer work. Position requires occasional evening andweekend availability for program events and travel.

Prepared by Shari Oosting, September 2026