The Chalmers Center for Economic Development (“the Chalmers Center”) equips the church to address the broken relationships at the root of material poverty, living out Jesus' Kingdom today. The Center, founded in 1999 and known well for the pivotal work of its founder in When Helping Hurts, seeks a VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives as it embarks on a strategic growth phase to expand its product reach, influence, and outcomes. The VP will drive the organization's product vision and growth strategy as a member of the senior leadership team, and report to the CEO. The organization has trained thousands of churches and organizations, has revenues of just under $3 million, and a team of 19 full and 4 part-time staff, most of whom are located in Chattanooga, TN.
OVERVIEW
Organization
The Chalmers Center for Economic Development (“the Chalmers Center”) equips the church to address the broken relationships at the root of material poverty, living out Jesus' Kingdom today. Since 1999, the Chalmers Center has been helping God's people rethink poverty and respond with practical, biblical principles so that all are restored to flourishing. Over the past two decades, the Chalmers Center has expanded its impact and influence throughout North America and the Majority World through products including Faith & Finances, Work Life, RESTORE, Innovate, and Helping without Hurting in Benevolence Ministry.
Each year, Chalmers trains thousands of people in principles of biblical poverty alleviation. Together with online, on-demand courses, the Chalmers Center provides learners with practical, biblical, and effective ways to care for their community. In addition, Chalmers influences thousands of organizations through books, speaking engagements, and workshops.
Chalmers works directly with thousands of churches and nonprofit organizations, and partners with kingdom-minded ministries to expand its reach and impact throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including partners such as Compassion International, TearFund, Hope International, Convoy of Hope, Five Talents, CityGate, STCH Ministries, Life.Church and Prison Fellowship.
Opportunity
Chalmers is embarking on a strategic growth phase over the next five years to expand its product reach, influence, and outcomes. The VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives will drive the organization’s product vision and growth strategy. Reporting to the CEO, this leader oversees all aspects of the product life cycle, is responsible for driving product growth, and will work alongside the executive leadership team to identify new opportunities aligned with the organization’s mission.
Collaborating with functional leads across marketing, curriculum, training and partnerships, a successful candidate will foster constructive relationships with organizational stakeholders, including partners, donors, staff, and lead trainers. The VP will manage a team of four product leaders and participate as a member of the leadership team, helping to shape the organization’s strategic direction, fostering impactful outcomes through effective process management and cross-functional coordination.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Since 1999, the Chalmers Center has been helping God's people rethink poverty and respond with practical, biblical principles so that all are restored to flourishing. The organization’s mission is to equip the church to address the broken relationships at the root of material poverty, living out Jesus' Kingdom today. They have helped thousands of churches and ministries take a different approach to poverty by addressing the broken relationships at poverty’s root instead of just treating symptoms.
The Chalmers Center team includes 19 full-time and 4 part-time staff. Of Chalmers’ staff, 15 work locally at the head office in Chattanooga, TN. Given the management responsibilities and core contributions to the organization’s mission, the Chalmers Center has a strong preference that this role will work from the home office in Chattanooga.
The 2023 budget was just under $2.9 million, with the majority of revenue coming from donor contributions. Approximately 10% of revenue comes from sales of curriculum and training materials. As part of the growth strategy, the organization is engaging in a significant, multi-year capital campaign to support capacity development, expand the organization’s influence, and scale its products. For their most recent annual report, go to chalmers.org/finance.
The Chalmers Center is governed by its board of directors. The board is responsible for overseeing the organization’s long-term strategic direction, mission, and finances, while ensuring that the organization operates sustainably and transparently. Through its committees, the Chalmers Center’s board plays a critical role in supporting fundraising, managing finances and risk and ensuring accountability to stakeholders and the integrity of operations.
God's Story of Change
One of the key areas of alignment for the role will be the candidate’s understanding and support of Chalmers’ theory of change, which is rooted in God’s story and the concept of transformational development.
Core to the Chalmers Center’s organizational practice is an approach to poverty alleviation that is rooted in God’s story of change. Chalmers recognizes that poverty is more than a lack of material goods, and the solution is not simply to attempt to baptize the American Dream. Jesus isn’t just saving souls so that we can go to heaven when we die, but is reconciling all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross (Col. 1:20). Chalmers believes the gospel should permeate all aspects of our work as we walk alongside people living in material poverty and experience mutual transformation.
Because the local church is where God dwells, it plays a central role in restoring people to flourishing. All who are involved in the work of poverty alleviation, both those living in material poverty and those who are not, need the ministry of the local church. In Chalmers’ work in the U.S. and around the world, they desire to see all stakeholders involved in the life of the local church where they can hear the gospel preached, participate in the community of God’s people, and receive the sacraments.
The Chalmers Center’s Ministry Design Principles weave together biblical principles, holistic ministry best practices, and a commitment to long-term relational ministry. We aim for these relationships to be mutually transformative as our organization and staff walk alongside our neighbors, partners, staff, and other stakeholders. Chalmers believes all have gifts to contribute to the work of poverty alleviation.
ABOUT THE CHATTANOOGA, TN AREA
The successful candidate will either live in or relocate to Chattanooga. Given the role's importance, Chalmers believes that in-person management will be a significant factor for success. The Chalmers Center strongly prefers that the candidate be open—and preferably commit—to relocating after a period of time that is negotiated in the offer. The office is located in the center of Chattanooga, which is central to many neighborhoods and creates the opportunity for a short commute, as well as proximity to restaurants and cafes.
Staff who have moved to Chattanooga describe it as a “wonderful town.” Several who moved there have been won over by the area’s charm and now have decided to make Chattanooga their long-term home. Chattanooga was recently named the "Friendliest City in the US" and is known for its growth and innovation. Like any other metropolitan area, the neighborhoods vary in terms of socioeconomic factors and can transition within one block. Being so close to the Georgia border, housing prices vary significantly depending on the area you look into--some 3-bedroom houses are as low as $250K, while others in nicer areas are going for $550K.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives drives the organization’s product vision and growth strategy. Reporting to the CEO, this leader oversees all aspects of product lifecycles, is responsible for driving product growth, and identifies new opportunities aligned with the mission. Collaborating with functional leads across marketing, curriculum and training, and partnerships, the VP will foster constructive relationships with organizational stakeholders, including partners, donors, staff, and lead trainers. Managing a team of product managers and participating in the leadership team, this role shapes strategic direction and impactful outcomes through effective processes and cross-functional coordination.
What might the ideal candidate be doing today? They are working in an upper management position at a large faith-based NGO or at a corporation. They are passionate about using their talents at a mission-driven organization like Chalmers. They have high emotional intelligence and experience managing complex teams. The candidate may have a management consulting or operations background, ideally having a history of driving operational improvements and efficiencies. They are comfortable using technology to develop solutions.
The preferred leadership style for this role is that of a “transformational leader.” That is, an excellent manager and leader who can motivate teams with positive energy to stretch their goals, gently pushing them toward continuous improvement and their longer-term strategic objectives. A successful candidate will have high EQ, balancing holistic management while supporting others to move the organization forward. This individual will be a:
Leader
Encourager
Relationship builder
Team developer
Operations improver
Galvanizer of others
Public advocate, passionate about expanding Chalmers’ influence and the reach of its programs while speaking on behalf of those in material poverty.
This leader does not need to have pastoral or fundraising experience. By contrast, the desired qualifications and characteristics for this role include:
Proven experience in senior leadership roles with a track record of building strong teams and delivering measurable outcomes.
Expertise in managing diverse and complex programs, including both established and emerging initiatives.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to foster collaboration and navigate conflict constructively.
A demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion in leadership practices.
Ability to balance strategic vision with practical implementation, turning innovative ideas into sustainable solutions.
In addition, these words or phrases describe the traits, gifts, or abilities of the ideal candidate:
Motivating leader
Operational guru
Insightful strategist
Team player
Advocate
Listener
Problem solver
Flexibly focused—Discerning when to flex and when to focus on the current course.
The VP will manage four direct reports who each head a product area:
Majority World (MW) Programs – The direct report heads up West Africa Operations.
US Programs – Reporting to this VP is the Senior Director of US Economic Development Programs. Within this team and working closely with the VP are also the Director of the WorkLife Program and a US Support Specialist.
Innovation—The Director of Innovation is the direct report. Other team members include a Senior Innovation Specialist and Coordinator of Innovation Operations.
Foundational Products – The Director of Foundational Products and Strategic Partnerships reports to this VP role. This team includes a Fellows Intern.
The role reports directly to the President and CEO, Coy Buckley. Coy’s leadership approach combines elements of empowerment and guidance, fostering a supportive environment where leaders and staff are encouraged to take initiative, leverage their strengths, and manage their responsibilities independently. During periods of change or uncertainty, Coy adopts a more hands-on coaching style, offering strategic guidance in goal setting, delegation, and planning to ensure clarity and alignment across the organization.
JOB DESCRIPTION
TITLE: VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives
REPORTS TO: President and CEO
DIRECT REPORTS: Four (4) Product Directors
LOCATION: Chattanooga, TN
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Reporting to the CEO, the VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives manages the organization’s existing products and all aspects of the product design lifecycle. Chalmers has a broad portfolio of products in the poverty alleviation space, including domestic programs such as Faith and Finances and Work Life, their majority world programs, RESTORE Savings Groups, Business & Home, and their design-thinking suite of products, INNOVATE. The role will include identifying opportunities to scale existing products, developing organizational processes to support growth, and efficiently coordinating across functional areas. In addition to scaling existing products, the role will entail working with the executive leadership team and product managers to identify strategic opportunities that align with the organization’s mission. The VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives will manage a team of product directors and liaise with various functional leads, including global strategic partnerships, marketing, fundraising, curriculum, adult education specialists, and IT.
The VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives will seek to foster constructive relationships
with organizational stakeholders, including Chalmers’ representatives, partners, donors,
and staff, furthering the organization’s visibility in key sectors and actively extending their influence as a leader in Christian poverty alleviation.
The VP of Products and Strategic Initiatives will be expected to adopt and integrate
organizational best practices, such as the Chalmers’ Integrate Handbook and Becoming
Whole ministry design principles. The role will engage with Chalmers’ programs in the
majority world, and demonstrated experience in a majority world context is a plus. This role will include participation in the organization’s leadership team.
REQUIRED COMMITMENTS
Committed to the Vision, Mission, and Values of the Chalmers Center
Adheres to the Chalmers’ Leadership Statement of Belief and Staff Commitments
Committed actively to a local church
Applies the gospel to all areas of life, including interpersonal relationships
Acts courageously to overcome obstacles and remains hopeful for people in poverty
Depends on the Holy Spirit and seeks God’s guidance when making decisions
Thrives in a team that practices excellence, humility, hope, and unity.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Develop core processes that support the efficient scaling of their products
Oversee product lifecycle from inception, development, testing, roll out, and revision
Lead a team of product managers responsible for the day-to-day operations
Manage budgets, including evaluating gross margins and pricing
Evaluate products to identify opportunities to scale while achieving outcomes
Support the organization’s monitoring and evaluation team with data collection and analysis
Prepare and report on product outcome metrics
Collaborate to identify funding opportunities and supporting information for grants and proposals
Work with the Global Strategic Partnerships team to implement partnership strategies for expanding the Chalmers Center's global program, reach, and influence.
Oversee the development of product-related communications, brochures, blogs, and other information.
QUALIFICATIONS
Passionate to serve Christ’s Kingdom, the church, and the materially poor
A bachelor’s degree or above with 7-10 years of relevant experience
A track record of exceptional leadership and driving operational growth while promoting staff flourishing
Facility with data-driven approaches to monitoring and evaluation
Significant experience in representing organizations in external settings
Meaningful cross-cultural experience, including work in majority world contexts
Outstanding oral and written communication skills
A flexible, creative thinker, a curious problem-solver with a desire to learn, a self-starter
Ability to travel both domestically and internationally up to 20%.
SALARY & BENEFITS
Salary: Competitive salary geared to industry standards.
Benefits:
Medical: individual or family coverage options
Free dental and vision
HSA & life insurance options
401K with a 3% match
Free employee assistance program and workers’ compensation
PTO on top of a significant holiday schedule (~20+ holidays off per year)
Paid leaves: Sick, parental, bereavement, medical
Relocation: Up to $10,000.
Travel: Up to 20%, both domestically and internationally.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Opportunities
This is a unique opportunity to join a mission-driven organization at a critical juncture and contribute to its enduring impact. Under the leadership of a new CEO (more information here), the organization is solidifying a leadership team to navigate this pivotal phase and position for sustainable growth. The Chalmers Center is eager to welcome a leader who shares their values and brings the skills and vision needed to guide the organization forward.
The organization sees the following opportunities:
Leadership and Management Excellence: Provide clear and inspiring leadership, empowering managers and teams to excel in their roles while fostering a positive, collaborative environment.
Scaling and Growth: Lead efforts to expand the Chalmers Center’s influence and outcomes, including participating in a forthcoming capital campaign to support organizational growth.
Donor Engagement and Funding Growth: Collaborate with the CEO and Chief Development Officer to cultivate donor relationships and secure funding for programmatic organizational priorities, including capacity development.
Operational Effectiveness: Develop and implement processes that improve consistency and effectiveness across programs, balancing the needs of established initiatives with emerging innovations.
Global and Domestic Insight: Leverage both majority world and U.S.-based experience to enrich program development and execution, including translating academic research into actionable resources.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the Chalmers Center’s dynamic and holistic organizational culture. Team members consistently describe the culture as collaborative, friendly, and supportive. Colleagues value the opportunity to build meaningful relationships through shared experiences, such as team meals, walks, and discussions on theology and other topics of mutual interest. The Chalmers Center fosters an environment that celebrates diverse personalities and perspectives, encouraging open dialogue, mutual care, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth.
Challenges
The successful candidate will need to embrace the challenge of helping to guide, alongside the leadership team, the organization into its next phase of growth and impact. This role will build upon a strong foundation while addressing key areas for development and furthering Chalmers’ commitment to operational excellence.
The incoming VP will step into a role previously held by a valued leader whose dedication to organizational knowledge, adaptability, and team culture was widely appreciated. While honoring this legacy, the new VP will bring their own expertise and perspective to further the organization’s mission and vision.
As with any organization, there are opportunities for growth, and the VP will play a vital role in areas such as enhancing communication, fostering consistency, developing capacity to scale, and advancing conflict-resolution strategies. The organization’s four product teams have recently been unified under one division, and the VP will collaborate with these teams to identify and implement systems that enhance support and efficiency across the portfolio. Additionally, the VP will guide a collegial and committed team in fostering open dialogue and addressing challenges constructively to achieve shared goals.
After prayerfully reviewing this information, if you sense this position opportunity could be a good fit for you, please click on the APPLY NOW button below. Or, if you know someone who may be interested and a fit, please share this opportunity using the social media and email buttons at the top of this page.
The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements.