Academic Dean at Carey Theological College

Introduction

Carey Theological College invites applications for the position of Academic Dean — a strategic, pastoral, and academic leadership role central to the College’s renewal as a classical, confessional, evangelical seminary. Located on the campus of the University of British Columbia, Carey exists to form Christian leaders in wisdom, virtue, and truth. Carey is the denominational seminary of the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada (CBWC).

This is a transformational leadership role for someone eager to help re-shape the organization.This is not a maintenance role. Carey is rebuilding around theological clarity, academic excellence, and institutional courage. The Academic Dean will play a defining part in re-establishing a centre of evangelical and Baptist thought in Canada, rooted in Scripture and historic Christian orthodoxy.

A Distinctive Calling: The Scholar as Builder and Voice

This role is unlike any other in theological education. The Academic Dean will not only lead Carey’s academic renewal but also help build its growth engine, serving as a public voice and thought leader who communicates Carey’s vision with clarity and conviction.

The successful candidate will be a prolific writer, speaker, or podcaster who can share Carey’s strategic narrative in a compelling manner that inspires pastors, donors, and students alike. Their influence will extend beyond the classroom, leveraging a broad and trusted network to foster partnerships, raise visibility, and advance Carey’s reach across Canada and the global evangelical community.

Working closely with the President, the Academic Dean will contribute to business development and fundraising efforts, articulating Carey’s mission in ways that attract investment and participation. They will combine theological depth with technological fluency, using digital platforms, data, and creative communication tools to expand Carey’s impact.

Ultimately, this leader will embody Carey’s vision of forming “leaders who won’t drift,” helping to anchor the College’s future in courage, wisdom, and truth.

Key Responsibilities

1. Academic Leadership & Curriculum Development

• Lead the renewal of Carey’s graduate programs (MA, M.Div., and D.Min.), embedding classical theological and confessional foundations and targeting higher enrollment.
• Ensure theological coherence, pedagogical excellence, and vocational relevance across all languages in all programs.
• Guide program design for certificate and diploma pathways serving constituencies such as homeschooling parents, pastors, and church leaders.
• Supervise academic policy, Senate reports, accreditation processes (ATS, EQA), and educational effectiveness measures.
• Maintain active teaching in biblical studies, history, theology and related fields.

2. Faculty Oversight & Formation

• Mentor, evaluate, and support core and adjunct faculty toward academic, theological, and pastoral excellence.
• Build faculty ownership of Carey’s theological vision through workshops, retreats, and regular reviews.
• As enrollment increases, recruit additional core faculty, adjuncts and emerging scholars who share Carey’s confessional commitments and formation goals.

3. Strategic & Institutional Development

• Collaborate with the President in shaping Carey’s identity within the CBWC, in Canada and the global evangelical community.
• Represent Carey at academic societies, denominational gatherings, and public forums.
• Contribute to strategic planning, fundraising, and partnership development.

4. Teaching & Scholarship

• Depending on needs and workload, teach at least 2–3 graduate courses per year in theology, biblical studies, or church history.
• Maintain an active research and publishing agenda aligned with Carey’s mission.
• Supervise theses and guide student scholarship that integrates rigorous study with pastoral wisdom.
• Develop theological and academic leadership within the CBWC and other partners.

Desired Profile

The ideal candidate is a scholar-pastor, someone whose academic work is deeply connected to the life of the church, who thinks confessionally and leads with integrity. This person embodies conviction without rigidity, clarity without arrogance, and a love for both truth and people.

Canadian applicants preferred.

Spiritual & Theological Commitments

• Meets the character qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
• Ordained or ordainable in a Baptist church
• Affirms the CBWC Identity Statement, Nicene Creed, and the Australian Creed for Sexual Integrity.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Biblical Studies, Theology, or Church History, with demonstrated ability to develop theological education from a historic, orthodox, Baptist, and Protestant framework. Candidates should show primary or secondary expertise in ante-Nicene, Nicene, and Reformation exegesis, theology, or history.
• Proven record of scholarship, teaching, and publication, with at least one major published academic monograph and at least 5-8 peer-reviewed journal articles or book chapters, suitable for appointment to the rank of Associate Professor.
• Extensive experience in academic leadership, curriculum design, and theological formation.
• Teaching and mentoring at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
• Teaching Bible, theology and church history to non-degree students, both men and women.
• Demonstrated ability to bridge the academy and the church through teaching, preaching, and public theology using digital media such as podcasts, Substack or equivalents.
• Active engagement in scholarly societies, publishing and editorial leadership.

Pastoral & Institutional Leadership Experience

• Pastoral leadership within Baptist churches.
• Strategic engagement with North American and global networks and organizations that could support faculty academic development and student recruitment.
• Leadership capacity to avoid extremes and unite faculty and stakeholders under a shared theological framework.
• Demonstrated capacity for fundraising (at least $50,000 annually), conference organization (100+ attendees), and launching financially sustainable initiatives aligned with Carey’s mission

Appointment & Compensation

• Start Date: January 1, 2026
• Location: Vancouver, BC.
• Compensation: Competitive salary (CAD $100,000 - 110,000) with benefits, pension, and professional development funding.

About Carey Theological College

Vision Statement: To be a leading institution in the recovery and cultivation of the classical Baptist intellectual and spiritual tradition for the renewal of the church

Mission Statement: Carey’s mission is to form resilient leaders marked by wisdom, courage, and meekness anchored in the truth of God’s Word.

We train leaders who won’t drift, equipped with theological clarity, pastoral strength, and lives anchored in the unchanging truth and wisdom of Scripture for faithful service in the church and the world.

Application Process

Please submit the following:

1. Cover letter describing your alignment with Carey’s mission and theological vision
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. If selected for an interview, you will be asked to present a 10-15 minute response to a case study:
4. Interview Case Study. Carey Theological College has long faced challenges with enrollment and institutional identity, which have persisted despite generous tuition subsidies, course delivery in multiple languages, and a fully online delivery model. As Carey redefines itself around a Bible-centred, Classical, Protestant, and Baptist framework, evaluate the potential of this renewed identity within the contemporary seminary landscape. Propose a staged, financially sustainable plan to increase enrollment, focusing on instructional models, program design, faculty engagement, and strategic partnerships with CBWC and other partner churches.
5. Full criteria for the case study will be provided in advance of the interview.
6. Two references

Qualified candidates are warmly invited to apply and join Carey in this season of renewal and theological clarity. Applications will be received until the position is filled.