Dean of the School of Ministry

About Palm Beach Atlantic University

Founded in 1968, Palm Beach Atlantic University is a Christ-centered university experiencing a season of remarkable growth, momentum, and expanding influence. PBA now enrolls more than 4,200 students across more than 100 academic programs and draws students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. As a comprehensive Christian university, PBA is an academically rigorous, classically evangelical, and non-denominational university. Our theologically conservative stance is articulated through PBAs Guiding Principles and values statements. Located in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida, PBA has recently undergone a remarkable period of expansion, with seven-fold increase in applications over the last six years, simultaneous with reiterating our long standing orthodox Christian stance. Rooted in a Christ-first mission and guided by biblical conviction, the University stands at a defining moment, expanding its campus footprint and elevating its role as a premier Christian university shaping the next generation of healthcare, marketplace, and ministry leaders.

The School of Ministry

The School of Ministry plays a vital role as the spiritual center of a vibrant university and community. Within the School of Ministry, PBAs faith-based programming and spiritual and theological instruction prepare our students to serve as the next generation of pastors, scholars, chaplains, missionaries, and marketplace leaders grounded in Scripture and the historic Christian faith.

The academic strength and innovation of the School of Ministry is supported by a strong grouping of grants totaling over $17.5M. These grants extend the mission of the school in the following areas:

• Community-based chaplaincy education
• Multi-ethnic church leadership education
• Established a new network of churches in South FL for education resourcing and community.

The school is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and holds accredited status in good standing. Its programs span the baccalaureate through the doctorate, offered in both residential and online formats, and are anchored by a curriculum that integrates the study of the Bible, theology, theological languages, and practical ministry. PBAs apologetics program is among the finest in the country, and the Schools Accelerated Ministry Program allows students to earn a B.A. and M.Div. in as few as five years.

The Role

The Dean reports to the Provost and serves on the Universitys senior academic leadership team. The Dean is responsible for all aspects of the Schools academic life and culture and will cast a compelling vision that aligns with the Universitys overall mission and continue to strengthen the School of Ministry as the heart of PBAs spiritual and intellectual formation. This is a high-trust, high-expectation role that calls for an executive leader who can serve as builder, strategist, shepherd, and ambassador, modeling transparent leadership, collaborative decision-making, and unwavering commitment to the university and training the next generation of Christian leaders.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead faculty recruitment, development, and evaluation, cultivating scholar-teacher-practitioners who unite rigorous scholarship with a pastoral heart by hiring well, mentoring wisely, and evaluating with consistency and care. The dean is tasked with hiring rising star faculty and ministry mentors.
• Steward strategic planning, accreditation, and academic quality, sustaining ATS accreditation and curricular quality across residential and online programs from the baccalaureate through the doctorate. Work with university leadership to build strong public and private partnerships to fund ministry scholarships in the wake of federal means testing for student loans.
• Direct curricular innovation, enrollment strategy, and financial stewardship, advancing student outcomes and program health (academic and fiscal) across the Schools undergraduate, masters, and doctoral offerings. Continue to innovate with grant support and prepare pastors who can lead well.
• Champion faculty scholarship as a missional calling, advancing both the academic reputation of the School and the spiritual influence of its faculty, staff, and students in service to the Church and the academy.
• Cultivate church, denominational, and ministry partnerships, connecting students to vocational formation and the School to the wider body of Christ. Identify ministerial and academic leaders to cultivate a community of mentoring.
• Partner with colleagues in enrollment, marketing, and advancement to fuel sustainable growth and strengthen the operational excellence that supports the success of the School and provide vibrant pastoral leaders needed globally today.
• Represent the School externally to the Church and the academy, engaging pastors, donors, alumni, and ministry partners committed to excellence in Christian theological education in a changing world

Strategic Leadership Priorities

The next Dean will be called to cast and implement a compelling vision that aligns with the Universitys overall mission and strengthens the School of Ministry. Rooted in Scripture and the historic evangelical tradition, the Dean will serve as builder, strategist, shepherd, and ambassador.

• Cast a compelling vision that unites the biblical, theological, and practical disciplines, fostering meaningful integration across the School while respecting the depth of each field and forming students in both conviction and character.
• Cultivate a culture of faculty excellence and collegiality.
• Champion faculty scholarship as a missional calling that serves both the academy and the Church. Steward ATS accreditation and program health across residential and online formats, from the baccalaureate through the doctorate.
• Cultivate church, denominational, and ministry partnerships that deepen vocational formation and extend the Schools witness.
• Lead with authenticity, transparency, and a clear eye toward building trust across the School and the University.
• Partner with enrollment, marketing, and advancement to fuel sustainable growth, bringing systems thinking and executional follow-through to align resources, space, and workload to strategy.
• Represent the School as a thoughtful public voice and institutional ambassador to the Church and the academy, engaging donors, alumni, and strategic partners.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Earned Ph.D. or terminal degree in a biblical, theological, or religious-studies discipline, with a record of scholarship sufficient for appointment as full professor; an M.Div. is strongly preferred.
• Prior leadership experience at the dean, associate dean, or department chair level.
• Demonstrated success leading faculty, managing budgets, and overseeing academic and financial operations.
• Experience with accreditation (ATS familiarity a plus), faculty governance, academic innovation, and institutional complexity.
• Capable of leading vibrant teams of faculty, staff, and students. Experience with grant development, donor cultivation, or external partnership development.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• A mature and deeply rooted Christian faith in alignment with the mission, vision, values, and commitments of PBA.
• Deep experience and maturity as a Christian leader in both ministry and the academy.
• A demonstrated commitment to integrating faith, scholarship, and ministry practice.
• Relational intelligence, emotional maturity, and institutional humility.
• An authentic and compelling communicator who leads with transparency and builds trust.
• A builder and shepherd with a high view of academic calling, collegial culture, and the Church.

Applications and Nominations

Palm Beach Atlantic University invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for this opportunity to lead the spiritual heart of a rising Christian university. All conversations and submissions will be handled with complete discretion. Please send a CV and a letter describing your faith commitment, leadership approach, and qualifications for the role, addressed to the School of Ministry Dean Search Committee. Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications should be submitted toPBA Dean Search@pba.edu. The priority application date is October 1, 2026.

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