Director of Mission and Integral Ecology Initiative (IEI)

Why Cristo Rey? Cristo Rey Kansas City High School serves a growing student population from 9ᵗʰ-12ᵗʰ grade. We are the only school in the Kansas City Metropolitan area with a Corporate Work-Study Program embedded in our curriculum. In addition, we pride ourselves in providing a private Catholic and Career Preparatory education to all our students. We are one of Missouri’s top-rated high schools. We are rooted in the mission and charism of our sponsor, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL). We offer an exceptional benefits package and outstanding work/life balance. Join our organization and be a part of something great!

Cristo Rey Kansas City (CRKC) is looking for a person to serve as Director of Mission and to represent CRKC in a three-year pilot project of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth called the Integral Ecology Initiative  (IEI).

The Director of Mission oversees the programming and staff that ensures the spiritual formation and faith development of the CRKC community in order to prepare leaders in service for the Church and society. Essential and fundamental to the position is the responsibility for identification and implementation of the activities associated with the Integral Ecology Initiative in collaboration and partnership with other members of the IEI team, as described subsequently in this position description.

STAFF POSITION 

Responsibilities related to and on behalf of Cristo Rey Kansas City (CRKC)

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• As a member of the executive team, oversees and collaborate to ensure that mission, prayer, and service are integral to school life.
• Develop and implement a strategic vision for the Integral Ecology Initiative and the spiritual formation of the CRKC community.
• Assigns responsibilities to, collaborates with, and oversees the Pastoral Associate and Christian Leaders Students.
• Ensures Pastoral Associate engages high-quality community service programming for students, including short, local events and multi-day, overnight trips, and supports all students in meeting the annual community service requirement.
• Ensures Pastoral Associate collaborates with administration and chaplain to develop faith-centered programs involving alumni, benefactors, and parents.
• Approaches work through a developmental lens: enthusiastically participates in spiritual formation and professional development, seeks and applies feedback, and independently accesses resources to further growth.
• In collaboration with Human Resources, integrate the mission into initial orientation and hiring policies for new employees, including the history, values, and meaning of CRKC's mission. 
• Serves as the liaison from the Mission Office to the executive team on matters related to mission and ministry viability. 
• Is visible and present on the school campus and at school activities.
• Manages the mission budget.
• Ensures that programs, systems, structures, and accountabilities needed to carry out the identified objectives are vetted and approved through appropriate CRKC governance processes
• Reports regularly to the Board of Trustees or designated oversight Committee on the IEI

Responsibilities to and on behalf of the Integral Ecology Initiative

For the Initiative to move forward effectively, a focused, executive-level staff position will be hired by each of the four Organizations comprising the Initiative to work collaboratively with their counterparts in this Initiative and within the individual hiring organization. This Initiative is a direct expression of the SCL mission and the mission commitment of each ministry. The Initiative is intended to further the Just Cause statement developed by SCL.  Oversight of an Organization’s expression of mission is the primary responsibility of its Board of Directors/Trustees. The reporting structure for the position will support this. 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work collaboratively with counterparts in other SCL ministries to identify test opportunities to animate the Just Cause Statement
• Work with leadership of the Organizations and other constituencies to co-create strategies and tactics to further the Initiative
• Promote the development of systems and structures within the Organizations to align and implement what is needed to carry out the identified objectives
• Determine the structure, responsibility, empowerment, and accountability for mission integration activities with the leadership of the Organizations
• Develop a curriculum for a series of education (formation) experiences
• Develop a process for conducting educational modules with Boards and organizational leadership
• Foster communication among all constituencies regularly
• Develop case statements and implementation plans for approval by the appropriate governing body or bodies for large and small projects/efforts that promote the Initiative
• Develop processes for measurement and accountability and a method for evaluating progress and determining the need to adjust or adapt programming

POSITION CHARACTERISTICS:

• Mission focused
• Creative and flexible
• Collaboration oriented
• Good communication skills
• Root-cause and systemic-focused
• Understanding of human networks and motivating factors
• Ability to work across generations and cultures
• Familiarity with/willing to be educated in the concepts of integral ecology and the intersection of social and environmental justice
• Willingness to work outside of traditional structures and adapt to new methods of accountability
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish is preferred or a willingness to gain an intermediate level of proficiency in Spanish through courses or language immersion is required.

EDUCATION AND PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• A Master's Degree is required.
• Five plus years of professional experience in mission or executive leadership or Catholic ministry 
• Leadership in mission-based human service, justice advocacy, or educational organizations
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing strategic initiatives, programs, and organizational change.
• Experience in and comfort with promoting and supporting multicultural and diverse settings
• Background in community organizing and advocacy
• System and process design
• Background in entrepreneurial initiatives related to environmental stewardship and sustainability

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

• Maintains Catholic identity 
• Exhibits strong professionalism with a Christ-centered approach towards all people.
• Received or can complete Safe Environment Training VIRTUS.
• Exhibits creativity, takes initiative, and is a proactive problem solver.
• Able to work in a team setting.
• Committed to working with underserved students.
• Ability to work with all backgrounds, cultures, and levels of faith/religion.
• Ability to create and implement effective and engaging programming.

Cristo Rey Kansas City is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students, faculty, and staff. 

Addendum – Description of Integral Ecology Initiative (IEI)

BACKGROUND

 The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (“SCL” or “Community”) and its Sponsored Ministries (San Vicente Pastoral Center, Cristo Rey Kansas City, and University of Saint Mary) ("the Ministries"), collectively referred to as "the Organizations", have the commitment and capacity to continue the mission and tradition of the Sisters of Charity.

Centro Pastoral “San Vicente de Paul” is a non-profit institution that promotes the dignity of the human person and the improvement of the quality of life of children, women, youth and the elderly, providing health, education and advocacy, and lovingly serving people in the style of Jesus.

Cristo Rey Kansas City provides a Catholic college and career prep education enhanced by an innovative corporate work study program to culturally diverse, ambitious students with economic needs.

The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth is a Roman Catholic congregation of women religious who, as Gospel-centered women, share a tradition of responding to the needs of the time, ministering to the vulnerable and marginalized, and caring for the fragile Earth.

The University of Saint Mary is an applied liberal arts Catholic university founded in 1923 by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. It offers more than 30 undergraduate programs, numerous master's programs, and three doctoral programs.

The Community has discerned its mission call in the context of the principles of integral ecology, as expressed in the Papal Encyclical, Laudato Si, and other related documents.  The essence of the document is a call to respond to the “Cry of the Earth, and the Cry of the Poor” recognizing the interrelationship between the two.

The Community has developed the following Just Cause Statement to focus and guide its efforts:

We imagine a world…

in which learning communities are focused on systemic social and environmental change, beginning with empowering the impoverished and marginalized youth and their families to participate fully and with equality in improving lives and neighborhoods.

The Organizations are mutually interested in creating a collective vision to express the SCL mission into the future. The expectation is that an initiative focused on integral ecology (the “Integral Ecology Initiative” or “Initiative”) that involves the Organizations actively and collaboratively will serve to further the mission of each Organization, deepen relationships among the Organizations, and strengthen the Organizations in ways that are consistent with the values and direction of SCL and the Vincentian Mission. The intent of this Initiative is to have a long-term impact on the Organizations and the people with whom they are in a relationship.

In collaboration with the Community, the Ministries have committed to pursuing this vision.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE INTEGRAL ECOLOGY INITIATIVE

The Organizations have the following mutual expectations:

• A new approach is needed to extend the Charity mission and legacy, one that promotes:

1. Integral thinking
2. A high degree of collaboration and integration
3. A focus on systemic change

• Opportunities to advance the intent of the Just Cause will be identified and considered within the framework of integral ecology, and the principles of integral ecology will be applied in method and purpose
• The initial exploratory period for the Initiative will be approximately three years, during which time opportunities will be identified and assessed, projects will be launched and evaluated, and future expressions of the Initiative will be defined
• A broader base of collaborators needed for effective systemic transformation will be identified
• Continuing formation in the mission and charism of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and education in the principles and application of integral ecology will be essential for success
• There will be Board-level involvement and leadership in the Initiative as reflective of the Board’s responsibility to attend to furthering the mission and charism of the Ministry as well as that of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth
• An executive-level position at each Organization will have as its purpose and focus to engage collaboratively with their counterparts at the other Organizations in this Initiative to advance this exploratory process