Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation

Catholic Recruiter Associates; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of St. Augustine seeks an Executive Director to lead development strategies and oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring alignment with the Diocese’s mission.

You will guide boards, manage endowment programs, and strengthen donor relationships to support religious, charitable, and educational initiatives. The role requires Catholic leadership, a strong track record in major gifts, and exceptional governance and fiscal oversight.

Qualifications

• Must be a practicing Roman Catholic in good standing.
• Bachelor’s degree required; CFRE designation a plus.
• At least five years of strategic leadership in development.
• Experience with major gifts, stewardship and endowments preferred.
• Ability to listen, build consensus, and exercise sound judgment.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, and manage a comprehensive development strategy aligned with diocesan objectives.
• Advise the Chief Development Officer, Board, and Bishop on performance, financials, and donor relations; provide timely reports.
• Oversee board governance: agendas, minutes, onboarding, and development of members.
• Lead fundraising initiatives, endowment management, and annual reporting campaigns.
• Provide leadership and supervision to direct reports; promote accountability and mission alignment.
• Collaborate with diocesan and external partners on budgets, communications, and marketing materials.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Fundraising

Donor relations

Governance

Non-profit management

Education

Bachelor's degree

CFRE designation (plus)

Job description

The Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of St. Augustine was created in 1987 to provide a permanent endowment to meet the religious, charitable, and educational needs of Catholics in the 17-county area of the Diocese of St. Augustine. The foundation assists in meeting the long-term needs of the diocese, including funds for expanding existing parishes; establishing new parishes; expanding or establishing centers for religious education and social service programs; expanding or establishing schools; providing an adequate retirement for priests and women religious in the diocese; providing support for the formation of candidates for the priesthood; and programs for youth and young adult ministries. Nearly all parishes, schools, and many other ministries in the Diocese of St. Augustine have established permanent restricted funds. The Executive Director of the Catholic Foundation works alongside the Chief Development Officer to oversee the day-to-day operations of the foundation, managing resources, administration, events, and managing the foundation team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Works with and collaborates with the Catholic Foundation’s Board of Directors, Chief

  Development Officer, the Chancellor for Administrative Affairs, and the Bishop to plan,

  design, and manage a comprehensive development strategy consistent with

  Foundation’s bylaws and diocesan objectives to secure the financial support necessary

  to carry out the ministry and purpose of the Catholic Foundation within the mission of

  the Diocese as animated by the Bishop of St. Augustine.

• Advises the Chief Development Officer, the Board of Directors, the Chancellor for

  Administrative Affairs, and the Bishop on all pertinent issues related to the Foundation,

  while providing comprehensive, accurate, and timely status reports on performance,

  financial updates, goals, initiatives, and the success of the foundation efforts while

  building support for future strategy.

• Stays abreast of Foundation bylaws and ensures that the board adheres to the

  established bylaws.

• Assists with the onboarding of new Foundation board members and provides

  resources and ongoing support for their needs.

• Provides Catholic Foundation Board governance: Reviews/drafts agendas and minutes

  (Executive, Finance, Grants, and Development Committees) while coordinating with

  various chairs; works with the board to recruit new members, reviews/revises bylaws

  as needed, and works to plan and implement board development.

• Provides orientation and training to new board members; communicates expectations;

  develops plans to ensure retention and active involvement of board members.

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

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

  • o Administrator
  • o Administrative Assistant

• Plans the Annual Report; initiates mass mailings and personalized letters to

  constituents; plans and implements the Annual Meeting; participates in endowment

  fund management, including setting up new funds and annual disbursements.

• Oversees and ensures gift acceptance and endowment spending policies established

  by the foundation.

• Works with the Charitable Gift Advisor in research and analysis to identify the goals, net

  worth, charitable donation history, or other data related to potential donors, potential

  investors, or general donor markets.

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

  leadership, management, and supervision to her/his direct reports.

• 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.

• Identifies and builds effective relationships with potential donors and maintains

  effective, long-term relationships with donors.

• Works alongside the Chief Development Officer to establish, monitor, and stay within

  the Foundation’s operating budgets, expense reports, or other financial data related to

  the foundation.

• Works closely with other diocesan stewardship and development colleagues to

  organize and synchronize development efforts.

• Writes reports and prepares presentations and promotional material to communicate

• Designs or produces materials such as posters, updates websites, or letters to

  promote, market, or advertise events.

• Works with the communications office on promotional and awareness materials,

  missions, or goals of organizations seeking funds.

• Identifies and maintains effective working relationships with related professionals such

  as attorneys, accountants, estate planners, trust officers, financial advisors and

  bankers, including board members in these areas.

• Stays abreast of trends in philanthropy and tax legislation affecting charitable giving.

• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• 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.

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is required; CFRE designation a plus.

• At least five years of proven performance in strategic leadership in development, with

  knowledge of estate planning and planned giving strategies and demonstrated success

  with major gift solicitations, stewardship and planned giving programs is preferred.

• Experience with a non-profit or Catholic Church with a background in capital

  campaigns and endowments is preferred.

• Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or

  services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales

  techniques, and sales control systems.

• This role requires demonstrated ability to listen, to exercise mature and independent

  judgment, to build consensus and to make decisions.

• Must have a high degree of interpersonal and social skills; excellent written and

  presentation skills, and ability to articulate vision, mission, and strategy with energy

  and drive

• 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 skills are

  required.

• Ability to pursue this mission 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, exercising charismatic leadership skills.

• Ability to establish business, financial and marketing plans.

• 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.

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

  with others to creatively use technology in the area of operations, data, marketing