Assistant Director & Coordinator for Muslim Life

Department
CSL Office of Spiritual Life

About the Department
Completed in 1928, Rockefeller Memorial Chapel is the ceremonial and spiritual center of the University of Chicago. As such, it hosts ceremonial and spiritual events for the entire campus, from the offices of the president and provost to student driven and led initiatives. Rockefeller and Bond chapels also serve as one of several artistic and visitor centers on campus, welcoming over 200,000 visitors to the campus per year for musical performances and other events. The Office of the Dean supervises both chapels, as well as the office of Spiritual Life in Ida Noyes hall, which fosters student religious and spiritual life and provides programing, prayer, and meditation spaces appropriate for the full range of religious and spiritual traditions.

Job Summary
Spiritual Life addresses the practicalities of diverse religious and spiritual encounters in the campus setting and in the broader context of the 21st century world. It speaks to the complex and often contradictory issues related to religious and spiritual practice, providing support to members of the campus community of any religious affiliation (or none) and also to those who seek spiritual life beyond the strictures of particular traditions, and nourishing the spiritual life of the campus community. Consonant with the great intellectual strengths of the University of Chicago, the Spiritual Life team engages questions such as what it means to live in an interreligious era and what it means to understand the spiritual as integrative for human life and endeavor.

Spiritual Life is part of Campus and Student Life. The Dean and Assistant Dean of Rockefeller Chapel—of which Spiritual Life is a component part—provide spiritual leadership to the campus as a whole, work in close collaboration with the University of Chicago Divinity School and with the 25+ recognized religious advisors of various traditions.

The Assistant Director/Coordinator for Muslim Life works with the Assistant Dean of Rockefeller Chapel / Director of Spiritual Life in addressing the needs of students of all traditions and of Muslim students in particular, and in facilitating understanding across traditions through meaningful encounter and shared scholarship.

Responsibilities

• Assist in forwarding the mission and vision of Spiritual Life on a daily basis, encouraging lively and robust student involvement in organizations, programs, and initiatives related to spiritual and religious life; addressing diversity and inclusion; responding to campus concerns; and collaborating with colleagues across the institution as directed. 
• Address the religious, cultural, and individual concerns of Muslim students, staff, and faculty (of all backgrounds and sects); provide for the observance of obligatory daily and Friday prayers and holidays; collaborate with other University offices as needed in relation to the needs of the Muslim community on campus (e.g. dining, housing, counseling, deans of students, news service, international affairs); establish strong working relationships with Muslim and other partners in the wider community. 
• Develop community by working with Muslim students and alums across campus to build connections between schools and divisions.  The long-term goal is to help the community build an independent center for Muslim life in Hyde Park.
• Mentor student organization leadership, and work with student leaders and academic and other units to create multi-faith programs that address the role of religion in the world today in the context of civic engagement, ethics, politics, arts and culture, etc. 
• Assist in leading monthly religious advisors’ meetings, and collaborate with other religious advisors in offering programming, crisis response, and spiritual care. 
• Assist in providing spiritual guidance to the University community at times of need or crisis.  
• Collaborate in other projects and initiatives as directed. 
• Coordinates with the students and staff to develop activities, programs, and initiatives related to student life, and/or community involvement. Develops and implements straightforward programming.
• Advises, supports, and recommends concepts for programming to leaders of various organizations and programs.
• Markets student activities programming throughout the year. Develops and implements protocols for evaluating the effectiveness of programs.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualification

Education:

• Master’s degree in Divinity, Islamic Studies, or similar field.

Experience:

• Two years of experience working with students and others in an academic setting.
• Knowledge of diverse religious and spiritual traditions, and a demonstrated enthusiasm for working with students in the arena of the issues addressed by Spiritual Life.
• Strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills, along with an ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of constituencies within the University and beyond.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with undergraduate and graduate students and with individuals of diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to be an effective community builder.
• Skills in crisis management and conflict resolution.
• Demonstrated event planning experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with others on deadline and under pressure, and to take initiative. 
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and work effectively in a team environment.

Preferred Competencies

• Diversity & Inclusion.
• Partnership & Collaboration.
• Strategic Vision.
• Emotional Intelligence.

Working Conditions

• Some evening and weekend availability is required.  

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Posting Statement
Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward.

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.