Chaplain

Yale University seeks an experienced, relational, and inclusive leader to serve as its next University Chaplain. Now in its 95^th year, the university chaplain’s office is a critical resource and influential presence on Yale’s campus. Reporting to the president, secretary, and vice president for university life, the next University Chaplain will build upon a respected and well-established set of programs and expand connections across the university and the New Haven community.

Yale University encompasses Yale College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and 13 professional schools; it is home to more than 14,500 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, over 5,000 faculty, and over 10,000 staff. As the needs and diversity of the Yale community continue to evolve, the next University Chaplain will embrace and enhance the spirit of collaboration across campus to ensure a continuously welcoming environment for all identities, beliefs, and backgrounds represented in the Yale community, with a particular focus on students. 

Guiding the work of staff and affiliated chaplains across numerous faith communities, this position calls for a leader ready to assume an all-encompassing role at a highly respected institution that prides itself on fidelity to traditions and commitment to innovation. As an essential leader in the campus community, the University Chaplain will serve as a trusted counselor to and partner with senior university leadership and will also work strategically to advance partnerships across Yale’s campus and the New Haven community. Additionally, the next University Chaplain will build upon a long-standing legacy of respect and support while engaging with other chaplains and various campus departments during times of celebration, crisis, and tragedy. 

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced, empathetic, and creative leader who is energized by supporting, leading, and bringing together people of diverse religious and spiritual beliefs and those with none. The successful candidate will have a graduate degree in an area relevant to religious, spiritual, and moral leadership and show evidence of strategic leadership in diverse, complex environments, ideally in a college or university setting. Additionally, the candidate will have pastoral empathy, moral authority, strategic perspective, and a broad understanding of all faith traditions, with demonstrated experience that embraces a multifaith and multicultural awareness and approach in which diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are central.   

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be submitted below. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Ernest Brooks and Rebecca Kennedy are leading this search with Rachel Brown, Alexis Ditaway, and Melanie Shiree.


Yale University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and affirmatively seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons of diverse backgrounds. In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual's sex, race, color, religion, age, handicap, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

University policy is committed to affirmative action under the law in the employment of women, minority group members, disabled individuals, special disabled veterans, and veterans of the Vietnam era.