Program Executive for Global Lutheran Theology, LWF Department for Theology, Mission and Justice

Program Executive for Global Lutheran Theology, Department for Theology, Mission and Justice

Place of Assignment: Geneva

Starting date: ideally January 2026

Contract period: initial contract of 5 years, renewable once

Work time: 100 %

Average travel days per year: more than 20 days

Closing dates for applications: 22 September 2025

Organizational Context

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a communion of churches living and working together for a just, peaceful, and reconciled world. The role of the Communion Office (CO) in Geneva is to serve these churches in different ways.

The Department for Theology, Mission, and Justice (DTMJ) leads four programs advancing the priorities of the LWF strategy 2025-2031, namely:

Theology for Transformation

Leadership for Thriving Churches

Churches in Diaconal Action

Action for Justice

DTMJ collaborates with member churches and partners through thematic networks, hosts LWF’s advocacy unit Action for Justice, and facilitates theological reflection rooted in local realities. It addresses issues requiring intercultural engagement and equips churches in holistic mission, leveraging LWF’s faith-based commitment to human rights and UN partnerships.

Purpose of the Position

The Program Executive for Global Lutheran Theology coordinates and facilitates the work of transformative theology that is contextual, critical, creative, and concrete.

The primary role and responsibility of the position is to strengthen the LWF’s confessional Lutheran identity, communal life, and global witness by:

Advancing Theological Reflection and Foundations: Defining and developing priority theological issues for global Lutheranism identified and highlighted at the 2023 Assembly in Krakow and leading towards the 2030 LWF Assembly in Augsburg.

Fostering Global Theological Education: Supporting strategic initiatives that strengthen theological institutions and theological faculty members as well as theological scholarship holders, innovative learning, countering harmful theologies/ideologies, and providing constructive theological resources for a polarized world.

Enabling Communion-Wide Collaboration: Serving as the focal point for Lutheran theology, enriching discourse with theologians from the LWF and facilitating trans-contextual reflection.

Strengthening Theological Integration: Embedding responsible theology across DTMJ programs and promoting interdepartmental cooperation.

Key Focus Areas

Theology for Transformation Program (70%): Coordinating shared theological themes, partnerships with theological institutions, and priority-setting.

Leadership for Thriving Churches Program (30%): Strengthening theological formation for church leaders, lay leaders, women and youth.

Required Qualifications

Theology degree from university (PhD or equivalent).

Conversant in the Lutheran theological tradition with a good knowledge in systematic theology as well as other classical theological disciplines relevant to this position.

Ability to work effectively and collaboratively within a diverse, global, and intercultural environment.

Excellent dialogical working skills and knowledge in coordination and facilitation methodologies, including excellent communication and facilitation skills to lead/facilitate theological reflection, foster respectful dialogue, and promote mutual learning across varied groups and regions.

Ability to work effectively to promote theological work through conducting online, hybrid and in-person events.

Proficiency in English, a working knowledge of German, French, Spanish, or another language that is frequently used in LWF work is an asset.

Knowledgeable about the Office Suite, CMS, and social media.

Church Endorsement.

Additional Study and Experience

A minimum of three years of experience working in an international setting for a church that is a member of the LWF, a university, a seminary, or a center for theological or ecumenical research.

A good understanding of the rich variety of cultural, historical and sociological realities that have shaped the lives of the LWF member churches.

Demonstrated ability to make the complex theological and confessional tradition of Lutheranism relevant to contemporary social, ethical, religious, and technological challenges, with particular sensitivity to diverse contextual expressions of Lutheran theology.

Experience in developing innovative learning resources and facilitating participatory learning events.

Experience writing grants for theological initiatives where religion plays a significant role.

LWF Core Skills

Analytical thinking - Level expert

Initiative - Level expert

Leadership - Level expert

Working effectively with others - Level expert

Achieving results - Level expert

Accountability - Level expert

Required Skills

Communication / Networking - Level expert

Facilitation / Negotiation - Level expert

Innovation - Level expert

Training - Level advanced

Fund raising - Level advanced

Project management - Level advanced

Position Environment and Dimensions

Internally, as a member of the theology and leadership team, mainly interacts with staff in DTMJ programs and with Regional Secretaries in the Office of the General Secretary, with staff in communication and in World Service programs.

Externally, engages and collaborates with member churches, donors, ecumenical partners, theological research institutions and universities, as well as any other LWF stakeholders that may be relevant.

Serves as a resource person on Lutheran theology within the Communion Office, providing theological support to the General Secretary as needed. This includes coordinating and contributing to the LWF’s work on Lutheran identity, education, and formation—helping to identify emerging challenges and opportunities while fostering theological coherence across initiatives.

Main duties

Coordination

Supports the various objectives and facets of the Theology for Transformation program and Leadership for Thriving Churches Program in DTMJ and the Communion office in a cogent manner.

Serves as the focal point for theological projects and processes with emphasis on the theologies of the cross in the 21st century, the Augsburg Confession, and other themes around Lutheran theology that come up in the life and work of the LWF, working collaboratively with relevant partners in the communion.

Coordinates various strategic initiatives and procedures in consultation with the Director and the General Secretary in order to strengthen the theological aspects of the work across the LWF communion office.

Studies

Monitors proactively emerging theological developments and promotes relevant theological processes within the communion.

Identifies possible leads to further research and projects.

Initiates, plans, and coordinates theological study processes, such as the theologies of the cross, Augsburg Confession.

Subject Expertise

Develops and implement education/trainings, workshops, seminars and consultations in the area of Lutheran theology and practice, as approved by the LWF Council or as contribution to program activities within the LWF Communion Office.

Supports member churches and theological institutions in incorporating theological developments into Lutheran theology, worship, congregational life, organizational structures, and practices.

Gives a particular attention to issues such as Lutheran identity and theological education and formation, and to the contribution of specifically Lutheran insights to the various areas of church life and social responsibility amidst cultural and political diversity.

Provides subject expertise to LWF member churches, World Service country programs, and other CO departments/offices.

Facilitates knowledge/research/practice sharing with all LWF departments, LWF member churches, ecumenical partners, related agencies, universities, seminaries, and other study and research institutes.

Provide content support to the General Secretary in preparing presentations by conducting thorough background research, drafting initial materials, and editing for clarity, impact, and alignment with theological and strategic priorities.

Communication

Composes accessible texts and documents, as requested, both for theological audiences and for more general readership.

Ensures continuous and appropriate communication with all relevant internal and external stakeholders on key topics, particularly with the Assistant General Secretary for Ecumenical Relations, the Action for Justice unit, and colleagues in the Department of World Service, in relation to specific areas of work involving ecumenical and global partners. In cooperation with the LWF Office for Communication provides content material for and promotes news stories relating to the portfolio.

Project Management and Fundraising

In consultation with DTMJ director and other CO colleagues, plans, develops, and implements programs contributing specifically to theological reflection, studies, and development within the LWF communion.

In collaboration with the DTMJ Support Team contributes to identifying sources and opportunities for possible new funding, as well as the monitoring and reporting on theological reflection and development programs.

Special duties

As may be assigned by the supervisor.

Major Challenges

Strengthen Global Lutheran Theological Perspectives

To enhance the integration of global Lutheran theological perspectives within the work of the LWF CO in Geneva, as well as theological institutions and member churches across the Lutheran communion. To support the deepening of communion self-understanding among LWF member churches, while remaining attentive to the realities of available human and financial resources.

Develop Theological Education Resources

To facilitate initiatives and collaborative efforts that design and disseminate materials and frameworks that support theological education and formation across the LWF communion. To ensure these resources address the diverse theological concerns and contextual issues identified as relevant by member churches and contributes the grass-rooting of LWF’s theological work across the Communion.

Link Theology with Leadership Development

To establish more systematic and strategic connections between theological reflection, education, and leadership development within member churches. To foster a holistic approach that equips leaders to engage faithfully and effectively with the theological dimensions of their ministry.