James Spencer professional photo

Consulting. Christian first advising and strategy.

Christian institutions face an impossible choice: operational excellence or mission fidelity. I help you achieve both. With extensive higher education experience and a Christian First approach, I guide organizations through complex decisions without compromising their calling.

Starting in online education, I have directed strategy across a broad range of business and academic operations, including marketing, CRM, enrollment management, business model development, financial modeling, and curricular and program design and development.

Known as a creative thinker who approaches questions and challenges from unique angles, I combine operational experience with theological insight to help clients discover strategies that allow them to distinguish themselves within their competitive space while maintaining mission integrity.

Experience and Expertise
  • Over a decade of experience in higher education leadership
  • Eight years experience as an Associate Consultant with Ruffalo Noel-Levitz
  • Seven years of service on the ABHE Commission on Accreditation
  • Completion of Harvard's Institute of Education Management
  • Completion of Harvard's Institute of Education Management
  • Participant in the ATS Working Group on Online Education Policy
  • Participant in ABHE's Biblical Integration and Pedagogy Working Group
  • President of the D. L. Moody Center and Managing Partner of Useful to God Ministries
  • Currently engaged in education start-ups pioneering artificial intelligence integration for instruction and student communications
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Services
  • Organizational Capacity Analysis
    Organizations don't just run on good strategy. They must develop systems, policies, processes, and secure a variety of other resources to build strength and resilience. The Organizational Capacity Analysis evaluates eight factors: purpose, governance, structure, infrastructure, information, culture, processes, and policies
  • Strategic Positioning and Planning
    Determining how an organization, product, or program best fits within the market is crucial to developing a strategic approach to marketing and design. This service helps Christian institutions position themselves authentically while remaining competitive, offering insights that standard market research studies typically don't provide.
  • Enrollment Management Analysis
    Specifically focused on educational institutions that utilize recruitment to build enrollment, this service evaluates admissions funnel data and recruitment procedures. Through analysis of available data, interviews with front-line staff, and product analyses, recommendations are made to guide clients toward stronger enrollment management practices.
  • Product and Program Evaluations
    Developing viable products involves achieving "fit" within an organization's mission and capacity. The Product and Program Evaluation offers clients insight into their offerings based on factors deemed relevant during the initial phase of the consulting engagement.
  • Instructional and System Design
    With the rise of artificial intelligence there are new opportunities for designing effective instructional and administrative systems. This service focuses on developing efficient and effective systems that serve both institutional goals and student needs.
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“If you are looking for someone to leverage his proven enrollment management and operational experience in service to your institution, come to James. If you are looking for a typical consulting dog and pony show PowerPoint and deck that sits on your shelf, go elsewhere.”
—Chun Lai, VP/COO, Westminster Theological Seminary
James knows how to put everyone at ease the moment he joins a meeting. He insists on developing not only solutions, butmodels for thinking through future challenges. His professional and refined approach makes his work invaluable. Excellent experience.
—Alin Vrancila, CEO, Jessup Global
“Dr. Spencer did a fantastic job helping our team navigate some very complicated decisions that were vital to our next phase of growth. His experience, wisdom, and patience helped make what could have been a very challenging process smooth and enjoyable.
— Julia Nelson, COO, The Woodson Center
Some Institutions I've Helped
Westminster Theological Seminary logoWheaton College logoDenver Seminary LogoEmory's Candler School of TheologyEvangel University LogoMinnesota State University Mankato LogoConcordia Theological Seminary LogoNorthern Seminary logoAssociation of Biblical Higher Education logoKairos University LogoWoodson Center Logo