Lutheran Disaster Response Implementation Grant Project Manager

Posting will close August 2, 2026, at 11:00 pm central time.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.7 million members in more than 8,300 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world.

The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.

The Lutheran Center (national office) is located in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA churchwide staff of approximately 400, under the leadership of the Presiding Bishop, serve as administrators, advisors, conveners, partners, and resource people for the ELCA and its ministries. Staff lead the work of national, domestic, and global ministries and programs including Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA World Hunger, Service & Justice, Christian Community and Leadership, and Innovation.

We are also home to five of our separately incorporated ministries:
The Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA, Women of the ELCA, Lutheran Men in Mission, the ELCA Foundation and the ELCA Federal Credit Union.

Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR), a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), accompanies communities impacted by disaster through response, recovery, preparedness and resilience-building efforts in the United States and globally. Grounded in Lutheran theology, LDR works alongside congregations, synods, community organizations and global partners to share God’s hope, healing and renewal with people whose lives have been disrupted by disaster.

This position serves as the grant program manager for a three-year Lilly Endowment‑funded capacity‑building initiative focused on strengthening storytelling, engagement and communication infrastructure related to long‑term disaster recovery. This role will coordinate work across Lutheran Disaster Response, Development (Development Communications), Strategic Communications and external partners to support sustainable donor engagement and ethical storytelling practices connected to disaster recovery ministries.

The role will oversee grant implementation; coordinate consultant‑led marketing and engagement work; manage timelines, reporting and budgets; and support the development and integration of trauma‑informed storytelling systems, workflows and consent practices across Lutheran Disaster Response. This position also plays a key role in connecting ministry impact, storytelling infrastructure and donor engagement strategies to support sustainable, long‑term accompaniment of disaster‑affected communities.

Working across programmatic, communications and engagement functions, this position will help align storytelling, donor engagement and ministry impact communication strategies in support of long‑term disaster recovery efforts. The role focuses on coordination, assessment, implementation and systems integration rather than primary content creation.

This is a full‑time, term‑contract, exempt, Chicago‑based, position.

The eligibility of a candidate for remote or hybrid positions may depend on the residency of the candidate, and the budget for the role, including salary or pay, insurance coverage, and/or tax burden. Candidates for this position must reside within the fifty United States or the District of Columbia and be authorized to work lawfully in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

• Serve as a project manager who will oversee the implementation and coordination of a three‑year Lilly Endowment‑funded grant initiative related to storytelling, engagement and communications infrastructure for Lutheran Disaster Response.
• Manage grant timelines, deliverables, reporting requirements, and budget and track project outcomes, implementation progress and evaluation measures…