Dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies

Job Description

The Invitation
The Catholic University of America invites applications and nominations for the position of Dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies. The School is the University's founding faculty and the only pontifical faculty of theology in the United States situated within a major research university. The University seeks a theologian and leader of proven administrative ability who honors the School's venerable history, brings the tenacity to build on it, and can represent the School with credibility to the Church, to the academy, and to the wider public. This is an international search.

You can access the full prospectus here: https://provost.catholic.edu/_media/faculty-position-ads/trs_dean_prospectus_fall2026.pdf

The Opportunity
The School enters this search from a position of real strength: a distinguished faculty, an unmatched breadth of graduate and ecclesiastical programs, a singular role in the formation of the Church's future priests and lay leaders, a University with Research 1 standing and a record fundraising year behind it, and a President and Provost who regard theology as central to the University's mission and are committed to the School's growth. Recent hires have brought new energy and talent to the faculty, and new programs have shown the School's capacity to reach students it has not reached before.
The Dean will have a unique opportunity for supported growth of the School along with a renewed commitment to the University's mission and strategic plan. As the only pontifically chartered R1 institution in the United States, deans at the Catholic University of America must be able to uphold the tenets of faith and reason that are at the core of an institution that is both "boldly Catholic" and "academically rigorous." This is particularly true for the School of Theology and Religious Studies, which is seeking a dean that will keep one foot in the School's venerable tradition and one foot in innovation. It is vital that this leader is a theologian who is inquisitive, tenacious, and proactive, able to procure the resources, internal improvements, and relationships with seminaries and dioceses necessary for the School's future. The dean must be willing to hire invigorating new voices, expand the School's enrollment opportunities via new educational modalities, and bolster the balance between scholarly and pastoral and catechetical work. Such a leader will strengthen the School's standing, raise faculty morale, and honor and build upon the School's image and history.
The Dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies
The Dean reports directly to the Provost and is responsible for the functioning and strategic direction of the School. Working closely with other administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the School's ecclesial partners, the Dean serves as the School's chief executive and academic leader by promoting excellence in research, teaching, and service in fidelity to the Church. The Dean upholds and articulates the School's mission and vision; generates resources in support of that vision; increases the School's external visibility; manages planning, operations, admissions, and budgeting; superintends academic development and review, including the School's obligations to the Holy See as a pontifical faculty; oversees the hiring, promotion, and tenuring of faculty; and oversees the hiring and development of a professional staff.

Priorities
In addition to maintaining smooth day-to-day operations, the next Dean's responsibilities will include the following:
Articulate and advance a vision for the School that encompasses both rigorous scholarship and the broader work of theology in service to the Church - teaching, formation, and engagement with the wider public - and hold the two in balance;
Recruit, develop, and retain a faculty of accomplished scholars and teachers committed to the School's mission; recognize outstanding candidates and advocate effectively for their hire; and develop the next generation of faculty leadership;
Cultivate and deepen the School's relationships with Theological College, with the religious houses of formation it serves, and with their rectors, formation directors, and superiors, and with the bishops and dioceses who send students to the School;
Grow enrollment in the School's graduate, ecclesiastical, and pastoral programs, including through new programs, modalities, and partnerships that extend the School's reach without diluting its standards;
Develop, together with the Division of University Advancement, a sustainable program of philanthropic support for endowed chairs, scholarships, and fellowships;
Strengthen the School's external reputation and visibility, and represent it with credibility to the Church in the United States, to the Holy See, to the academy, and to the wider public;
Engage the breadth of the Catholic theological tradition and the range of voices within the Church in the United States, and sustain the School's ecumenical and interreligious commitments, including its engagement with the Christian East and the Orthodox Churches;
Build morale and maintain and promote collegiality among faculty, staff, and students, and cultivate a culture in which good administration frees the faculty to pursue their scholarly and teaching goals;
Oversee the ongoing renewal of the School's self-understanding and the ongoing assessment of its programs, operations, structures, and policies, and ensure the School's continued compliance with the norms of Veritatis Gaudium and the expectations of the Dicastery for Culture and Education;
Coordinate the School's cooperation with the University's other schools - above all the Schools of Philosophy and Canon Law - and with University-wide initiatives in Catholic formation and the Catholic intellectual tradition;
Support the School's international students and religious, including the practical demands of visa sponsorship and compliance;
Strengthen relations with alumni.
Qualifications
The University's first and indispensable criterion is a deep and demonstrated commitment to the mission of the School of Theology and Religious Studies and of The Catholic University of America. That commitment is necessary but not sufficient. An ideal candidate will also:
Hold an earned doctorate in theology or a cognate sacred science and fulfill the degree requirements indicated in the norms of Veritatis Gaudium or be willing to enroll in the expedited STL program at Catholic University;
Qualify to receive the nihil obstat for tenure and the confirmation of appointment as dean from the Dicastery for Culture and Education (see Veritatis Gaudium, Art. 18 and Art. 27 2);
Hold tenure at the rank of Ordinary (Full) Professor, or possess a record of scholarship and teaching that qualifies for tenure and appointment at that rank at the University; candidates whose scholarly trajectory places them clearly on the path to that rank and whose administrative record meets the School's needs are also encouraged to apply;
Have substantial experience in academic administration, including responsibility for budgets, personnel, and strategic planning, and a demonstrated record of getting things done;
Have a demonstrated ability and willingness to carry out significant fundraising efforts in partnership with University Advancement;
Understand the formation of seminarians and the work of seminaries and houses of formation, and be able to cultivate relationships of trust with rectors, formation directors, religious superiors, and bishops;
Have a deep understanding of the significance of theology for the life of the Church and for intellectual life in general, and a broad familiarity with the history of theology and its bearing on contemporary theological inquiry;
Be able to articulate a compelling vision for the School's future with respect to research, teaching (undergraduate and graduate, lay and seminary), enrollment, and the School's place in the academy and the Church;
Value both scholarly and popular theological work and be able to lead a faculty engaged in both;
Have the personal virtues needed to manage a range of personalities, to connect people and build bridges, to maintain and foster collegial relations among the faculty, and to encourage them to strive for ever-greater excellence;
Exhibit energy, honesty, transparency, an entrepreneurial and innovative outlook, and a consultative and collaborative spirit;
Possess a vision for the diversification of the academic portfolio of the school
Be able to represent the School both inside and outside the University, in secular and ecclesial contexts (e.g., engagement with the USCCB); in particular, be able to engage with the media as an expert as needed
Be a committed Catholic in good standing.

Nominations and Applications
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027. Applications should include a letter of interest addressing the qualifications and priorities above, a curriculum vitae, a brief statement on the candidate's understanding of and commitment to the mission of the University and the School, and the names and contact information of at least three references, who will not be contacted without the candidate's permission.

The University is conducting this search directly. Interested candidates, and those desiring to nominate candidates, should contact Dr. Lynn Mayer, Vice Provost and Chair of the Search Committee, at STRS-deansearch@cua.edu. All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be held in confidence.

The Catholic University of America is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As a Catholic institution, the University reserves the right to give preference in hiring to Catholic candidates in accordance with applicable law. All employees must be able to affirm and support the mission of the University in performing their duties.

About the Employer

As the national university of the Catholic Church in the United States, founded and sponsored by the bishops of the country with the approval of the Holy See, The Catholic University of America is committed to being a comprehensive Catholic and American institution of higher learning, faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ as handed on by the Church. Dedicated to advancing the dialogue between faith and reason, The Catholic University of America seeks to discover and impart the truth through excellence in teaching and research, all in service to the Church, the nation, and the world.