Catholic Recruiter Associates

Chief Development Officer | DIOCESE OF ST. AUGUSTINE

This mission-driven charismatic leader provides forward-thinking strategic leadership to

successfully implement a comprehensive best-in-class development program to support the

mission of the Diocese of St. Augustine by actively seeking the financial resources and funding

opportunities needed to support and advance the Church’s pastoral programs and ministries.

The Chief Development Officer’s primary focus is on major gifts working closely with the Bishop,

the Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, the development team, the Executive Director of the

Catholic Foundation and its Board of Directors, diocesan curia leadership, pastors and parish

staff, donors, and other key constituents to advance the diocese’s development goals. The

Executive Director will establish department priorities and oversee, manage, and grow current

and future fundraising programs (including diocesan campaigns) while also supporting entity based campaign efforts. The Executive Director will actively manage a donor portfolio by

personally participating in cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, and will assist the Bishop

with an elevated portfolio of existing and prospective donors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Plans, designs, implements, coordinates, and manages an annual comprehensive

development plan that describes the development mission of the diocese as well as

goals and objectives for various development programs consistent with the Bishop’s

vision and diocesan objectives. This development program shall include, but not

necessarily be limited to, major gifts, grant solicitation, capital campaign support,

Bishop’s Annual Stewardship Appeal (BASA), annual diocesan appeals (National Shrine

of Our Lady of La Leche, Catholic Schools tuition assistance, cemeteries, etc.), offertory

enhancement, planned giving, and the endowment program.

• Grows the individual major gifts program, including identification, cultivation, and

solicitation of major gifts; manages a portfolio of qualified major gift prospects;

maintains current donors and builds on the individual donor base; and meets the

diocese’s major gift fundraising goals as established with the Chancellor for

Administrative Affairs by the Bishop.

• Arranges face-to-face, personalized, group meetings, and family meetings between top

prospective benefactors and the Bishop. Provides regular updates and follow-up

reports to the Bishop and Chancellor for Administrative Affairs.

• Fosters a ministry-oriented accountable work environment, providing strong

leadership, management, and supervision to the following direct reports:

o Director of Annual Giving

o Database & Donor Relations Coordinator

o Administrative Assistant

o Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation

• Provides performance management feedback and goal setting with her/his team.

Promotes a team environment and articulates the purpose and vision with staff, develops goals with each of them, and follows up to ensure that the mission is accomplished.

• Advises the Bishop, Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, Chief Financial Officer, and

the appropriate advisory boards on all issues related to development, while providing

comprehensive, accurate, and timely status reports on performance, financial updates,

goals, initiatives, and the success of the campaigns, as well as building support for

future strategy.

• Works closely with the Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation and its Board of

Directors, the Bishop, Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, and Chief Financial Officer

to set the priorities and strategic direction of development and the Catholic Foundation

of the Diocese of St. Augustine.

• Oversees all planning of donor appreciation events.

• Works cooperatively and diligently with professionals in the technology arena, legal,

planning, trust, investment, and marketing fields to involve them in the development

activities of the diocese to achieve successful outcomes.

• Serves the Bishop, priests, and all parishioners to enhance the expansion of resources

necessary for the ministries of the Diocese of St. Augustine. Activities include building

constituent relationships through various contacts and events.

• Works closely with other diocesan stewardship and development colleagues to

organize and synchronize development efforts.

• Assembles a team of professionals to provide consultative advice, support, materials,

tools, publications, education/training workshops to parishes and other diocesan

institutions so that they can develop their own development, fundraising, grant writing,

offertory enhancement programs, and capital campaign initiatives, and increased

giving and stewardship programs that are right for their own unique needs based on

their available personnel and volunteers.

• Maintains a high degree of professionalism and credibility with the diocesan staff,

department heads, clergy, the public, and all media through knowledge, forthrightness,

and truthfulness, with a high focus on building effective and positive relationships.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business

Administration or Non-Profit Administration or related field. Certified Fund-Raising

Executive credential or equivalent is a plus.

• Minimum of seven years of progressive development experience overseeing successful

fundraising programs; five or more years in major gifts; demonstrated ability to

identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, corporations and foundations.

• Three or more years in stewardship education is a plus; experience of setting and

administering departmental and campaign budgets within a large, complex

organization, preferably the Catholic Church, with some work at a diocesan level; personal track record of integrity in fundraising and building successful development

operations.

• Familiarity and fluency with the use of technology and the ability to know how to team

with others to creatively use technology in development and stewardship, marketing,

media relations, and to continually stay abreast of how other organizations, particularly

dioceses use of technology, marketing, and the media to communicate, reach donors,

and allow for ease-of-donation/giving, etc.

• Must be a practicing Roman Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church and

registered member of a Catholic parish faith community. Must have the ability to

respect, promote, accommodate, and not be in conflict with the mission, moral and

social teachings, doctrines, and laws of the Roman Catholic faith.

• Must have at least five (5) years of supervisory, management, and leadership

experience; preferably in a Catholic environment. Must have a collaborative style;

proven team builder with effective employee-relations skills. Proven ability to lead and

motivate teams through recognition, participation, and delegation. A leadership style

that is approachable, engaging, as well as results and action-oriented

• Pursues this ministry with energy, drive, and a need to produce results, especially in

the face of resistance or setbacks. Must be flexible, self-confident, assertive, and

persuasive.

• Required to have excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills,

skilled at public speaking. Ability to produce concise reports and recommendations,

make presentations to varied groups, and articulate and inspire commitment to a

shared vision.

• Must be a goal-oriented and self-motivated individual who can demonstrate

accountability, initiative, creativity, and focus in a rapidly changing and intellectually

stimulating environment. Must be able to organize and prioritize work, be proactive,

resolve complex problems, follow through, and simultaneously manage multiple

priorities.

• Ability to respect and value the cultural richness that makes up the Church and society

and strives to celebrate commonalities and differences among various groups.

• Must be able to maintain confidential information, exercise good judgment and work

independently as well as in a team environment; excellent supervisory and

interpersonal skills is required.

• Exercises considerable independence and judgment with a high level of confidentiality.

• Must successfully pass the required criminal background check prior to employment

and every five years.

• Proficient with information technology including Microsoft Office Suite, social media

usage, web site contributor level should be proficient.

• Continues ongoing professional development.