President

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United, UTS) seeks a visionary, relational, and theologically grounded leader to serve as its next President. This is an opportunity to lead one of the most distinctive institutions in theological education: a progressive seminary rooted in the Christian tradition and shaped by a deep commitment to justice and interreligious engagement. United has emerged as a place where students from a wide range of faith traditions, spiritual identities, and vocational callings come to be formed as leaders.

The next president is charged with guiding a seminary that has emerged from a period of significant transformation and now seeks to build on growing enrollment, renewed financial strength, and a distinctive identity within theological education. Over the past 6 years under the leadership of retiring president Dr. Molly T. Marshall, United has strengthened its finances, rebuilt donor confidence, and grown its reach well beyond the Twin Cities. A key element of UTS’s enrollment growth has been the adaptation of a fully hybrid academic program model that offers both in-person and synchronous virtual courses drawing a diverse population of students from across the country. This combination of ecumenical foundation and institutional commitment to justice has positioned United within a distinct segment of theological education, one that has continued to attract students even as enrollment across the seminary sector has generally contracted. The institution enters its next chapter of leadership from a position of strength, building on a founding vision it has consistently reaffirmed. United is well-positioned to strengthen its reputation as a leading voice among progressive and interreligious seminaries, and to expand its influence as study and practice of spirituality, theology, leadership, and public life continues to evolve.

The seminary is also navigating questions that are reshaping theological education more broadly: how best to cultivate community and formation within a predominantly distributed student body, how to steward physical resources in an era increasingly defined by digital engagement, and how to prepare leaders whose callings extend beyond traditional congregational ministry. The next president will join a community committed to an adaptive and creative approach to theological education that is responsive to the changing environment while preserving the core values and sense of belonging that have set United apart.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the president serves as chief executive officer and provides leadership across the institution. The president is United’s public voice and ambassador, deepening relationships with the seminary’s many constituencies, and makes the case for its distinctive model of theological education for people who haven’t yet encountered it. The successful candidate will bring a genuine appreciation for theological education and the role it plays in shaping spiritually-informed leaders for social transformation. United seeks a leader ready to build on a strong foundation and carry the seminary into its next stage of growth.

To assist in this important search, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has engaged Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Ernest Brooks is leading this search with Annah Wells and Lisa Landis.