Lecturer and Academic Dean of the Catholic Theological Institute

The Catholic Theological Institute (CTI) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, is seeking an academic dean to take full responsibility for the institution's academic programmes. The Institute serves primarily Catholic seminarians studying Philosophy and Theology at the university level, along with a few lay students. As one of the two primary administrators on campus, the dean works alongside the president to maintain institutional operations, balancing teaching and administrative needs with long-term academic planning. The dean, who lives on campus, is a visible presence, providing direct support for both faculty and students while ensuring the institution meets changing regulatory demands.

Timeline: Ideally, the incoming academic dean would begin in term 3 of 2026, which begins on 24 August. This will allow the incoming dean to overlap with the current academic dean. We will also consider applicants who cannot start until later in 2026.

Primary responsibilities

Programme delivery

• Teach one course per term, coordinate comprehensive exams for graduating Theology students in term 3, and advise research paper writers in Philosophy or Theology, according to specialty.
• Devise course distributions among available faculty and timetables for weekly class meetings; assign each individual student to a set of courses each term to enable completion of their programmes of study.
• Respond creatively to lecturer absences and scheduling conflicts.
• Manage the application of the academic honesty policy.

Administration duties

• Chair various committees within the shared governance structure and participate in weekly administrative meetings.
• Oversee student record-keeping, confirm the accuracy of the work of the registrar and bursar, and produce term reports for bishops, religious superiors, and benefactors (3 times per year). This includes communicating with past students who need references.
• Manage ongoing communication and reporting to the Department of Higher Education (PNG) and the University of Santo Tomas (Manila, Philippines).

Faculty & student support

• Orient new faculty, co-ordinate student feedback to faculty, and propose moderation of marks in accordance with marking policies. Help inexperienced faculty develop particular teaching skills.
• Organise opening day, graduation, and internal/external guest lectures. Assist the president with planning other special events as needed.
• Help recruit faculty, track potential future students in the seminary pipeline, and maintain records of PNG seminarians studying abroad.

Institutional support

• Provide general support to library and IT staff and oversee campus operations (e.g., unlocking classrooms and operating the generator) when necessary.
• Fill in for the president, especially regarding money, when he is not on campus.

Required skills and qualifications

• Academic qualifications: Expertise to teach and to advise research at bachelor’s level in Philosophy or Theology. Master’s degree in Philosophy or some branch of Catholic Theology required, with teaching experience; Licentiate or Doctorate with teaching experience preferred.
• Commitment to seminarians’ vocational discernment and to maintaining high expectations.
• Reliability: Roughly 130 students and 20 faculty depend on you for the academic programme to run. If you don’t do something (or delegate it and oversee the delegation), it won’t get done.
• Administrative diligence: A high level of accuracy in record-keeping and the ability and patience to audit the work of the registrar and some of the bursar’s work. Basic competence with Excel.
• Adaptability and prioritisation skills: The ability to manage unexpected practical challenges in a small institution in a developing country while maintaining stamina and a collegial atmosphere, including the ability to admit your own failures and move on without getting discouraged.
• Communication: Proficiency in drafting formal reports for ecclesiastical and governmental accreditors. Cleverness in navigating multi-lingual environments, where English is the standard but accents and English competence vary widely.

Salary & benefits

Transportation to and from the country at beginning and end of contract, on-campus housing and utilities, use of shared vehicle, and sufficient remuneration in local currency to live comfortably, even if cooking for yourself.