Job Details
Main Work Location: Historic Stanford Campus
Schedule: On-site
Budgeted Salary Range: The expected pay range for this position is $83,888 to $84,669 per annum.
One-year fixed term until August 31, 2027
The Office for Religious & Spiritual Life (ORSL) is seeking candidates for the position Chaplain Associate and Advisor for Hindu Life in higher education chaplaincy to foster the spiritual health of students on campus.
The Chaplain Associate will offer spiritual care, as well as programmatic development and facilitation for students that draws on the wisdom of diverse religious, philosophical, and ethical traditions to promote spiritual wellness and flourishing.
The Chaplain Associate will spend 30% of their time working one on one with students to provide spiritual care as an chaplain associate. This will allow them to provide coaching, as well as an opportunity to learn more about the pressing challenges facing students. The position will spend 70% developing curricular and programmatic interventions within ORSL programs to implement the wisdom, teachings and practices that can help students enhance their own spiritual wellbeing and promote individual and communal flourishing.
Duties include:
- Support the renovation, stewardship, and ongoing development of the Hindu worship space to support student religious practice and community life.
- Navigate relationships with local Hindu communities, temples, religious leaders, alumni, and other partners to strengthen support networks for students and create a sustainable model for organizational support for Hindu student organizations.
- Advise and support Hindu religious observances, festivals, rituals, and educational programming while serving students from diverse Hindu traditions and backgrounds.
- Serve as a resource to university leadership, faculty, and staff regarding Hindu traditions, values, practices, religious accommodations, and issues affecting Hindu students.
- Support Hindu student organizations, Stanford Associated Religions (SAR) Hindu student groups, helping student leaders navigate university policies, organizational requirements, event planning, risk management, and leadership development.
- Support the spiritual well-being of Hindu students through counseling, crisis support, religious guidance, and appropriate referrals.
- Serve as a team member of the Spiritual Care team within ORSL to facilitate religious and spiritual life on campus.
- Collaborate with chaplaincy colleagues and campus partners to advance multifaith engagement, interreligious understanding, and the university's educational mission.
In addition to the minimum education and experience: Ordination or equivalent credentials within an established Hindu order. Strongly Preferred: Qualified candidates should hold an MDiv or equivalent degree in religious leadership, practice, or chaplaincy; have graduated within the last five years; demonstrate experience and interest in student leadership. We are particularly interested in applicants who intend to enter the field of higher education chaplaincy. Applicants from under-represented communities and religious traditions are encouraged to apply.
Preferred Skills:
- A depth of experience in spiritual and religious leadership, particularly in Hindu life. This includes the ability to counsel, teach, create and facilitate dynamic student programming, lead rituals or communal spiritual practices, collaborate across diverse communities, within and between distinct religious traditions
- Demonstrated effectiveness in counseling, advising, supporting, and inspiring young adults
- Experience designing and facilitating curricular and/or co-curricular programming for spiritual life
- Demonstrated skill in facilitating difficult conversations, fostering dialogue across differences, and building collaborative relationships across diverse communities and university departments.
- Strong understanding of higher education, student development, multifaith engagement, and the role of chaplaincy in supporting student well-being and formation.
- Ability to integrate spiritual, theological, ethical, and scholarly perspectives in service to students and the broader university community.
- Ability to work independently, manage administrative responsibilities, exercise sound judgment, and establish priorities in a dynamic environment.
Certifications and Licenses:
- Ordination or professional religious training, through an accredited institution encouraged
- One or more unites of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) encouraged
Responsibilities
Core Duties:
- Oversee, review and administer student records by analyzing data, counseling students and providing recommendations that require interpretation and influence decisions. Make exceptions on issues of eligibility, course enrollment and program requirements.
- Develop recommendations and collaborate with staff, faculty and other offices to resolve programmatic issues within the school and across functional units, (such as strategizing to ensure optimal enrollment).
- Provide advice to students on a range of issues, including, but not limited to, academic progress, academic program policies, career plans, accessibility, community standards, etc., to guide them in making appropriate choices and decisions.
- Apprise students of research, fellowship and scholarship opportunities. Participate in related student recruitment and selection.
- Provide first line response to identify students in crisis and refer to appropriate resources, as needed.
- Collect and analyze data from multiple sources including student feedback, surveys, trend reports, and data analytics. Prepare and summarize reports and make recommendations to enhance offerings, such as programs and courses and to influence current processes and policies.
- Develop, analyze, influence and review, policies, processes and programs by incorporating feedback and trend data learned from first-line interactions with students. Advise manager and team on policy updates and provide recommendation for implementation of changes.
- Identify trends, perform needs analysis, and participate in the implementation and testing of new technology.
- May develop marketing materials and strategies for program activities and outreach functions. Assist in planning and developing webinars, education fairs and other external functions.
- May provide oversight with the administration of financial processes such as financial reimbursements, data entry, reviewing terms and conditions regarding contracts, understanding vendor requirements, and following up and resolving issues.
- May train and supervise other staff, volunteers, student and temporary workers.
Minimum Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree and two years of relevant experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Basic computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Office Suite.
- Basic analysis and problem solving skills.
- Customer service skills.
- Relevant computer systems/technology experience.
- Understanding of financial transactions.
- Ability to learn and understand compliance with legal, financial, and university policies and external regulations.
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