Job DescriptionThe Director of Spiritual Care and Education provides strategic, clinical, educational, operational, and administrative leadership for the Department of Spiritual Care and Education. Reporting to the Vice President, this position is responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-informed spiritual care services across the Hospital and affiliated clinical settings. The Director oversees departmental operations, personnel, education programs, quality initiatives, community partnerships, and fiscal management while advancing the integration of spiritual care within the institution's mission of patient-centered care, staff wellbeing, education, research, and health equity.
Responsibilities- Provide vision, leadership, and strategic direction for the Department of Spiritual Care and Education.
- Develop and implement departmental goals, priorities, and initiatives aligned with the Hospital's mission, values, and strategic objectives.
- Serve as an advisor to Hospital leadership on matters related to spiritual care, religious accommodation, ethical concerns, staff support, and organizational wellbeing.
- Represent Spiritual Care and Education on institutional committees, task forces, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
- Ensure the delivery of comprehensive spiritual care services to patients, families, caregivers, and staff across inpatient, outpatient, emergency, and ambulatory care settings.
- Establish standards of practice and monitor the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of spiritual care services.
- Participate in direct clinical care as needed and maintain competency in spiritual assessment, intervention, crisis response, bereavement support, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Collaborate on educational activities of the department, including Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), and continuing education initiatives.
- Ensure compliance with accreditation standards and requirements of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) and other relevant professional organizations.
- Foster a culture of reflective practice, clinical excellence, and professional development.
- Recruit, supervise, mentor, evaluate, and support chaplains, educators, contractors, residents, interns, and volunteers.
- Establish staffing models and schedules to ensure effective coverage across clinical areas.
- Conduct performance evaluations, coaching, disciplinary actions, succession planning, and staff development activities.
- Lead quality improvement, program evaluation, and outcomes assessment initiatives related to spiritual care services.
- Promote evidence-based spiritual care practices and support research, scholarship, publication, and professional presentations.
- Develop, manage, and monitor departmental budgets, resources, contracts, and expenditures.
- Ensure compliance with institutional policies, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and professional ethics.
- Develop, implement, and maintain departmental policies, procedures, and operational workflows.
- Analyze operational data and utilize metrics to improve service delivery, staffing, and program effectiveness.
- Serve as a resource regarding religious, cultural, and spiritual considerations and observances that impact patient care and organizational practices.
- Adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Association of Professional Chaplains and other applicable professional standards.
- Maintain board certification through a nationally recognized professional chaplaincy organization.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications- Graduate theological degree (Master of Divinity or equivalent) from a college, university, or theological school accredited by an organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
- Completion of a minimum of four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) or equivalent recognized training.
- Minimum of three years of experience providing spiritual care in a healthcare setting.
- Minimum of two years of leadership, management, supervisory, or program administration experience in healthcare chaplaincy, spiritual care, pastoral education, or a related field.
- Current board certification through the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), Neshama: Association of Jewish Chaplains (NAJC), National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), Spiritual Care Association (SCA), or another nationally recognized certifying body.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
- Experience with electronic health records (Epic preferred), data reporting, and virtual communication platforms.
- Demonstrated leadership ability with experience managing complex clinical, educational, and operational programs.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with patients, families, staff, physicians, administrators, community leaders, and diverse faith communities.
- Advanced spiritual assessment, crisis intervention, grief support, and pastoral counseling skills.
- Ability to foster a culture of compassion, collaboration, inclusion, and professional excellence.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to assess program outcomes, interpret data, and implement quality improvement initiatives.
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and public speaking skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to evidence-informed and outcomes-oriented spiritual care.
- Ability to navigate complex ethical, cultural, religious, and organizational issues with professionalism and sensitivity.
- Commitment to ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.
- Ability to work primarily in patient care, administrative, educational, and meeting environments.
- Requires sustained emotional resilience, sound judgment, and the ability to provide leadership during crises, emergencies, and organizational challenges.
Non-Bargaining Unit, 258 - Dept of Spiritual Care & Ed - MSH, Mount Sinai Hospital
