Associate University Chaplain and Director of Dharmic Life

The Office of Religious and Philosophical Life (RPL) at Tufts University is home to a multifaith team of chaplains and staff committed to supporting the religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life for all members of the Tufts community across our campuses. Our team provides spiritual care to individuals and communities in times of celebration, change, or crisis support many distinct religious and philosophical communities, educate about spiritual and ethical issues and civic engagement in our religiously diverse world, and promote interfaith friendship, dialogue, and service.  

Reporting to the President, the University Chaplain leads the RPL team, which currently includes one Senior Associate University Chaplain and five Associate University Chaplains responsible for Africana Spiritual, Christian (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant), Dharmic (Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Sikh), Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, and interfaith life. The team also includes an Associate Director of Programs, Administrative Coordinator, Music Director, Graduate Student Interns, and undergraduate student workers. RPL works with 15-20 undergraduate and graduate religious and philosophical communities that offer over 30 weekly gatherings and many special programs. Beyond its work supporting these communities, RPL offers its own tradition-specific and multifaith programming and services for the whole University. The Office also manages the care and use of Goddard Chapel and the Tufts Interfaith Center and maintains an active office space in Posner Hall on the Health Sciences campus. Our University partner, Tufts Hillel, manages the Granoff Family Hillel Center on the Medford campus. 

Associate University Chaplains contribute to the overall support of religious and philosophical life at Tufts by providing primary leadership, organization, and advising for the distinct communities they serve. Cultivating a community that is supportive of a pluralistic approach to their particular tradition, they develop and implement programs and events in collaboration with students and other Tufts community members and coordinate regular university ritual and spiritual gatherings in the tradition(s) as well as for holiday/seasonal observances. Chaplains arrange a wide variety of educational programs related to the tradition(s) for a diverse spectrum of practitioners and for the general university community. They also facilitate graduate and undergraduate interfaith student programs and serve as interfaith liaisons to various schools, departments, offices, and centers across Tufts Chaplains also provide spiritual care to individuals and with small groups, as well as to the larger community in times of both celebration and crisis.  

Community and Tradition-Specific Leadership (40%)

• Support and develop inclusive and pluralistic communities on all Tufts campuses, in partnership with Tufts’ various undergraduate and graduate student organizations.
• Plan and lead weekly gatherings, as well as holiday celebrations and communal life observances in partnership with the RPL team, student leaders and campus partners
• Organize regular spiritual formation and educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, such as study programs, retreats, community service opportunities, and holiday celebrations

Specifically, the Director of Dharmic Life:

• • Leads meditation and programs consistent with their own practice and expertise within Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, or Jainism
  • Coordinates schedule for guest leaders
  • Coordinates the Dharmic Spirituality Series each semester
  • Partners with student organizations (Tufts Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha, Graduate TBMS, Hindu Student Association and Graduate HSA, Sikh Student Association) to offer dynamic and diverse programs and campus events
  • Maintains and promotes use of the Dharmic Shrine Room at the Interfaith Center
  • Maintains regular communication outlets with Dharmic communities, including overseeing social media and weekly newsletters

Interfaith Engagement and Campus Presence (10%)

• Attend and participate in RPL signature events that highlight pluralism and interfaith cooperation
• Support and co-facilitate specific graduate or undergraduate student councils/groups as assigned 

Specifically, the Director of Dharmic Life:

• • Co-facilitates the Graduate Interfaith Circle, a stipended leadership program for graduate students

Liaisons to Schools, Departments, Offices, and Centers (20%)

• Communicate and educate about resources and programs offered through RPL 

• Affirm existing collaborations and strengthen partnerships with student-facing offices at Tufts  

• Integrate the cultural, intellectual, and spiritual dimensions of living and learning at Tufts 

• Build collegial relationships and deepen our own connections to the Tufts community 

• Serve on specific committees or workgroups as invited 

Specifically, the Director of Dharmic Life:

• • Serves as a liaison to:
    • The School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA)
    • The Office of Sustainability
    • The Office of Health Promotion

Spiritual Care and Leadership (15%)

• Provide short-term spiritual care to individuals and groups as requested
• Offer spiritual guidance and leadership during times of celebration, transition, and crisis; this may at times include officiating at memorial services, celebrations of life, planning and participating in campus vigils, and other major ritual observances for students, faculty, staff, and potentially alumni
• Participate and offer leadership in campuswide rituals, rites of passages (offering invocations and benedictions at Matriculation, Baccalaureate, and Commencement Day events, etc.)
• Participate in campus-wide responses to critical incidents and community needs, such as student deaths and tragedies, coordinating responses with chaplain colleagues and key university stakeholders

Communications and Administrative Leadership (10%)

• Manage annual budgets, communications, and program logistics
• Maintain active communication through email, social media, and publications
• Prepare an annual report to assess programming, use of funding, and effectiveness
• Participate in scheduled RPL team meetings and supervisor meetings
• Serves on university committees as they pertain to the RPL mission

Community Leadership (5%)

• Engage alumni, families, and community partners in support of the RPL mission
• Maintain and build relationships with local congregations, denominational partners, and faith leaders in ways that can appropriately support spiritual life at Tufts
• Participate actively in professional organizations, conferences, and collegial groups, submitting work for publication if desired, and seeking professional development opportunities in conversation with University Chaplain

• Master’s degree in Divinity, Theology, Religious Studies, or related field
• Practitioner of one of the Dharmic traditions, with ability to lead spiritual and educational programs specific to that tradition
• Minimum of two years of experience working with young adults (experience may include campus ministry, university chaplaincy,community-based spiritual care, clinical pastoral education, and internships)
• Demonstrated experience in:
  • Spiritual and ritual leadership, reflective of one’s tradition
  • Spiritual care
  • Program development
  • Community building
• Understanding of the internal cultural, religious and philosophical diversity within each tradition
• Commitment to interfaith collaboration and pluralism
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; excellent leadership, administrative, and organizational skills; excellent professional judgment and discretion; ability to work as part of a team; understands when to lead and when to seek input and support others; actively seeksfeedback and continuous improvement; knows how to advocate within multiple responsibilities; maintains appropriate confidentiality; models integrity, honesty, trust, and professional ethics

• Multicultural knowledge and skills, commitment to nondiscrimination and social justice, anddemonstratedexperience working in spiritually and culturally diverse settings 
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or equivalent degree
• Ordination or similar institutional recognition of spiritual leadership within one’s tradition
• At least one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)