Vice President For Academic Affairs

Franciscan School of Theology; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

403(b) retirement with match

PTO + holidays

Job summary

Franciscan School of Theology seeks a visionary Vice President for Academic Affairs to serve as chief academic officer and second-ranking executive leader. You will guide academic planning, program development, and faculty lifecycle processes while advancing the school's Catholic identity and Franciscan mission.

You will oversee enrollment management, student services, library services, and marketing, aligning resources to support growth, mission, and student success with a $2.4 million

Qualifications

• Evidence of academic leadership and program development.
• Ability to recruit, support, and evaluate faculty with a research and teaching focus.
• Strong communication and consensus-building across diverse groups.

Responsibilities

• Provide chief academic leadership and stewardship of academic excellence.
• Lead curriculum review, assessment, and pedagogy while aligning with mission.
• Oversee enrollment-related functions, student success, and partnerships.
• Coordinate accreditation activities and relationships with accrediting bodies.

Skills

Academic leadership

Strategic planning

Faculty development

Enrollment growth

Education

Doctoral degree in theology

Job description

At the Franciscan School of Theology (FST), education and spirituality intersect to offer a hopeful, Christ-centered approach to leadership, ministry, and service. Rooted in a Franciscan tradition of theological formation that began in California in 1854, FST carries forward the spirit of St. Francis through rigorous scholarship, authentic community, and preparation for ministry in an increasingly complex world.

FST is a Roman Catholic theology school and seminary accredited by both the Association of Theological Schools and the WASC Senior College and University Commission. As a leading Franciscan theology school in the English-speaking world, FST prepares ordained ministers, pastoral ministers, educators, chaplains, formators, and lay leaders to serve the Church and society while advancing the Franciscan Intellectual and Spiritual Tradition.

LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

FST stands at an important inflection point. Under the leadership of Br. Keith Douglass Warner, OFM, who began his presidency in 2026, the institution is building on decades of academic excellence while embracing new opportunities for growth, innovation, and global engagement. The launch of the EdD in Catholic Social Thought in Practice, continued expansion of the online Master of Theological Studies in Franciscan Theology, and a renewed strategic vision have created significant momentum for the institution's future.

The Franciscan tradition shapes every aspect of institutional life. Grounded in the values of encounter, listening, humility, collaboration, and service, FST cultivates a culture that values authentic relationships, intellectual rigor, pastoral engagement, and a deep commitment to human dignity. Faculty, staff, students, and leadership work together in a collegial environment where mission is lived daily and where community is viewed as essential to institutional success.

As a small but highly impactful institution, FST offers the opportunity to lead at a scale where relationships matter and where leadership influence is both visible and meaningful. The next Vice President for Academic Affairs will join a community with extraordinary momentum, a growing national profile, innovative academic programs, and the opportunity to help shape the future of Franciscan theological education during a pivotal moment in the institution's history.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary – $135,000-$145,000
• Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with a 6.5% match
• PTO: 28 days of flexible PTO per year (covering both vacation and sick leave), plus 13 paid holidays and an annual Christmas break. PTO accrues at a rate of 8.16 hours per pay period.

LOCATION

This is an in-person leadership role with an office in the FST building on the University of San Diego’s campus: 5998 Alcalá Park, San Diego, CA 92110. FST requires a consistent on-campus presence, with an expectation of at least four days per week on site.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting directly to Br. Keith Douglass Warner, OFM, President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs serves as FST's chief academic officer and second-ranking executive leader. The VPAA provides strategic leadership for academic affairs, faculty development, enrollment-related functions, accreditation, assessment, institutional partnerships, and student success while advancing the school's Catholic identity and Franciscan mission.

The VPAA oversees academic planning, program development, curricular innovation, assessment, faculty lifecycle processes, and institutional effectiveness. The position serves as the primary liaison to accrediting agencies, coordinates FST's academic relationship with the University of San Diego, and collaborates closely with the Academic Committee of the Board of Regents and institutional leadership.

In addition to academic leadership responsibilities, the VPAA oversees Enrollment Management, Student Services, Library Services, Recruitment, and Marketing, creating a unique opportunity for an experienced higher education leader to align academic excellence, student success, enrollment growth, and institutional strategy.

This role presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of Franciscan theological education while helping guide a growing institution through a period of significant strategic momentum. With responsibility for a $2.4 million operating budget spanning academic affairs, enrollment, student services, and institutional functions, the VPAA will serve as a key strategic partner to the President in aligning resources, priorities, and mission-driven growth.

Year One Priorities:

• Build strong relationships with faculty, staff, students, the Board of Regents, Franciscan Ministries, and partners across the University of San Diego.
• Partner closely with the President to advance institutional priorities and support FST's next stage of organizational growth.
• Evaluate academic programs and identify opportunities to strengthen mission alignment, curricular innovation, and student outcomes.
• Assess opportunities for refinement within the Master of Divinity curriculum and related academic offerings.
• Support continued growth of the online Master of Theological Studies in Franciscan Theology and successful implementation of the Doctor of Education in Catholic Social Thought in Practice.
• Strengthen collaboration across enrollment-facing functions while developing strategies that support enrollment growth and student success.
• Lead ongoing accreditation and assessment efforts while ensuring continued institutional effectiveness.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Academic Leadership, Faculty Affairs & Program Development (40%)

• Serve as the institution's chief academic officer and steward of academic excellence.
• Lead academic planning, program development, curriculum review, assessment, and pedagogical innovation while ensuring alignment between institutional mission, academic programs, and student outcomes.
• Recruit, support, evaluate, and develop faculty while cultivating a strong culture of scholarship and teaching excellence.
• Encourage faculty engagement in research, publication, professional growth, and innovative instructional practices.

Enrollment, Student Success & Administrative Leadership (30%)

• Provide leadership and oversight for Enrollment Management, Student Services, Library Services, Recruitment, and Marketing.
• Support institutional enrollment growth through strategic collaboration, program development, and student-centered practices.
• Foster a culture of accompaniment, responsiveness, and student success across the institution.
• Lead budget planning and resource stewardship within areas of responsibility.

Strategic Leadership, Partnerships & Governance (20%)

• Strengthen FST's academic partnership with the University of San Diego.
• Collaborate with Franciscan Ministries, the Board of Regents, and board committees in support of institutional priorities.
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with Church leaders, academic partners, Franciscan institutions, and professional organizations.
• Represent FST as a visible ambassador for its mission and academic programs.
• Partner closely with the President to help advance institutional strategy, organizational development, and future growth opportunities.

Accreditation, Assessment & Institutional Effectiveness (10%)

• Serve as the principal liaison with accrediting agencies, including Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
• Lead institutional assessment and accreditation activities and support continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Monitor emerging trends in theological education and Catholic higher education and recommend appropriate institutional responses.

BACKGROUND PROFILE

• Earned doctoral degree compatible with and supportive of FST's mission (required).
• Practicing Roman Catholic committed to advancing the mission, identity, and educational ministry of the institution (required).
• Familiarity with the Franciscan Intellectual and Spiritual Tradition and enthusiasm for advancing its influence through academic leadership.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible academic leadership experience (required).
• Demonstrated experience in academic planning, faculty and personnel leadership, curriculum oversight, student success initiatives, institutional partnerships, and accreditation activities (required).
• Exceptional communication skills and demonstrated success building consensus and facilitating thoughtful dialogue across diverse constituencies (required).
• Understanding of current and emerging trends in Catholic theological education and their implications for institutional strategy and student formation.
• Scholarly credibility and academic accomplishment sufficient to earn the confidence and respect of faculty colleagues.
• Experience leading innovation, program development, enrollment growth, or organizational transformation within higher education, including an understanding of enrollment strategy and its relationship to institutional sustainability and student success.
• Strategic, collaborative leader with the capacity to serve as a trusted partner to the President while helping guide institutional growth, innovation, and organizational change.
• Personal authenticity, pastoral sensitivity, and relational leadership grounded in Franciscan values of encounter, listening, collaboration, service, and accompaniment, with the ability to navigate complex conversations with humility and intellectual rigor.
• Commitment to serving a culturally diverse, internationally engaged, and mission-driven student population.
• Ability to build productive relationships with governing boards, ecclesial partners, faculty, staff, students, and institutional collaborators.