Director of Elite Initiatives

The Elite Initiatives Director is responsible for leading AIA nationally and through serving as part of the National Leadership Team to help people know Jesus and experience his power to change the world through sport. This person is also responsible for the effective leadership and management of the elite initiatives domain. This includes fulfillment and accountability of the ministry plan through OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), oversight of finances (budget, fundraising), visioning for the future, and expanding the current influence of their domain. They will work in conjunction with other AIA leaders to ensure intentional care and development of staff (MPD, training), recruit new staff, and to build strategic partnerships with other ministries and churches.

Specifically, the Elite Initiatives Director will look to increase the influence and impact of chaplaincy within the elite athletic community in Canada. There are many leagues and other opportunities to expand chaplaincy and this leader will envision and work out a plan to step into these areas. Their mandate is also to continue, alter, or transition the current impact our chaplains have in various sport leagues and with national athletes.

Athletes in Action (a division of Power To Change) is a ministry that seeks to collectively as well as individually, help people know Jesus and experience his power to change the world through sport. No matter what type of work those involved with AIA do, whether they are staff or volunteers, we understand that our work collectively is to further this overall mission. Athletes in Action is a team on mission who lives out three Core Values: We are passionately committed, live in authentic community, and we play together.

Primary Objectives:

Provide vision, leadership, and management for AIA chaplaincy with the goal of increasing influence and impact

• Cast vision and dream future possibilities to inspire current team
• Create and implement a ministry plan, including OKRs, for your domain and regularly analyze the effectiveness of the plan and strategies
• Research and identify untapped ministry opportunities in elite sport
• Prototype ideas for solutions to needs within your domain
• Establish partnerships with churches and other organizations
• Recruitment plan in order to expand to new areas of chaplaincy
• Manage the team in order to ensure clear direction and accountability

Equip, empower, and enable staff to flourish in their roles

• Work with Director of Staff Development to ensure staff receive ministry training
• Identify leaders who can step into leadership roles
• Provide care and spiritual leadership for staff through working with Director of Staff Care and AIA Managing Director
• Ensure MPD health of entire staff team and provide support and accountability in conjunction with the Director of Staff Partner Development
• Live out Acts 6:4 (Direction, Devotion, Dependence) and equip staff to do the same

Contribute to overall success of AIA

• Actively working with other domain leaders to ensure the AIA mission is being fulfilled
• Lead up to AIA leaders and discern what the Spirit is saying for AIA as a whole
• Provide spiritual leadership to AIA as a whole
• Oversight and accountability of finances for your domain including managing budget, raising ministry funds
• Track national measurements and identify whether your domain is effectively fulfilling the mission and living out the AIA values
• Attend national events (Summit, Staff Conference) and support Grey Cup Breakfast and NTC

Education and Experience:

• You have university degree or equivalent
• You have experience leading and managing a team ideally in a ministry setting
• You have experience with chaplaincy (an asset but not mandatory)
• You have experience with fundraising (an asset but not mandatory)

Required Skills and Abilities:

• You have strong leadership skills and are able to lead and manage a team
• You have the ability to lead through influence and get the best out of your team
• You lead spiritually and challenge others to a deeper relationship with Jesus
• You understand that team success is paramount over individual success
• You have networking skills and the ability to meet new people
• You understand sport culture and sport trends in Canada
• You have the ability to communicate effectively in a variety of settings

Preferred Skills and Abilities:

• You have an understanding of and passion for the athletic world
• You have a heart for Evangelism and the ability to communicate the gospel clearly
• You have a self-starter mentality and like variety in tasks and schedules