Job ID

MJ9942-5004-1499

Position Classification

FT Administrator - Major Director 

Position Summary

University of Detroit Mercy, Michigan’s largest Catholic university, requests nominations and applications for the position of Vice President for Mission Integration (VPMI). The VPMI is responsible for a) the stewardship of Catholic, Mercy and Jesuit identity of the institution and b) strategic leadership for mission integration across the university.   

In 1990, University of Detroit, founded in 1877 by the Society of Jesus, and Mercy College, established by the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1941, consolidated to form University of Detroit Mercy. As a member of the President’s Council and reporting to the President, the Vice President  for Mission Integration leads the Office of Mission Integration and is responsible for providing strategic guidance  for mission integration across the university, and stewardship of our distinctive identity as a Catholic, Mercy, and Jesuit institution. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Create and oversee programs and opportunities to develop a shared understanding and commitment to the distinctive mission that arises from collaborative sponsorship to strengthen the culture and climate for mission;
• Assess and advise for mission effectiveness and integration into all campus decision-making including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, budgeting, strategic planning, equity and access, marketing and communication, labor relations, and environmental sustainability; 
• Supervise and collaborate with University Ministry, the Office of Mission Integration Faculty Fellows and the Jesuit & Mercy OMI Affiliates; 
• Collaborate with faculty and administrators in academic affairs to support mission integration within unit strategic plans, programming, curriculum and other academic and student support endeavors; 
• Collaborate with administrative units to support/facilitate mission integration into student co-curricular experiences, including and especially through campus ministry, student affairs, residence life, and civic engagement; 
• Work with faculty to support/facilitate mission integration into teaching and sponsored research; 
• Provide orientation and ongoing development opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators and trustees; 
• Cultivate strong community relations rooted in mission and Catholic, Mercy, and Jesuit identity; 
• Work closely with the President and Advancement to build endowment for mission-and-ministry-related programs and initiatives; 
• Serve as a mission liaison to the Board of Trustees; 
• Represent the University as Chief Mission Officer in regional, national and international organizations of Catholic, Mercy and Jesuit higher education; 
• Collaborate on mission-related initiatives with representatives of the Jesuit and Mercy sponsors as well as other Jesuit, Mercy and Catholic universities.
• This key administrator will ensure that trustees, employees, and students across the university will develop a shared mission language and an appreciation of how mission impacts their work and study. 

• A terminal degree in any discipline and advanced degrees in theology, spirituality or religious studies; 
• Minimum of seven years of senior-level administrative experience in a mission focused area in Catholic Higher Education.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep understanding of and commitment to Mercy and/or Jesuit higher education, the Catholic intellectual tradition and Catholic social thought;
• A record of leadership to advance understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, belong and justice goals as mission-critical;
• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills; 
• Strong communication and presentation skills. 

Physical Requirements

Job may require lifting light weight objects (1 to 10 pounds) with no repetitive bending or stooping. Occasionally lift average weight objects (1 to 10 pounds).

Work Environment

Regular exposure to favorable conditions such as those found in a normal office. 

Salary/Pay Information

Commensurate with Experience 

Anticipated Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Interested candidates should submit  a cover letter of interest should indicate how the applicant’s qualifications relate to the responsibilities and required qualifications; a complete CV or resume; and the names and contact information (phone and e-mail) of three references, none of whom will be contacted until a later stage of the search nor without the formal permission of the candidate. The position will remain open until filled.