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Career Opportunities
Chief Advancement Officer
Sep 3, 2021
The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia (CFGP) is an independent, nonprofit community foundation committed to growing philanthropy according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Grounded in the principles of faith and service, CFGP meets the diverse needs of donors and Catholic institutions through charitable fund management and development consulting. Our services ensure an investment in the future of our faith.
CFGP was founded on July 1, 2013 by a dedicated group of Philadelphia Catholics who wanted to help preserve the goodness of our faith. What started as an idea transformed into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on the principles of transparency and accountability. Since then, CFGP has been working to become the leading resource for Catholic and faith-based philanthropy.
Today, CFGP works with donors to manage their charitable funds, helping them choose investment opportunities that meets their needs. Through our consulting services, CFGP helps parishes and Catholic organizations grow and sustain their important work. By assisting both groups, CFGP helps multiply the impact of Catholic ministries for the people of the Greater Philadelphia region.
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Position Objectives:
The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) is a senior-level, administrative position, established to advance the mission of the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia (CFGP) to the general and philanthropic community. The CAO will be responsible for the planning, management, and oversight of a Comprehensive Development Program with primary emphasis on Charitable Gift Planning, Fund Development and Major Donor Relations. This professional will be responsible for achieving philanthropic goals, increasing the level of philanthropic support, and building community engagement to expand programs and services to allow for charitable outreach and impact within the Catholic community.
The CAO will work with major donors and advisors to increase awareness of the CFGP in the Catholic philanthropic community and provide opportunities for the management of their charitable funds through endowments, donor-advised funds and other charitable gift planning options. This professional will also work with Catholic organizations to match donor intent with community need for greater charitable impact. Working with donors, Catholic organizations and leadership, the CAO will lead a sophisticated, growing and expanding development program to secure the resources need to advance and sustain the mission.
The CAO is a member of the leadership team, reporting to the President/CEO, and working directly with the Board of Trustees, Development and Advancement Committee, and Grant Committee. This professional will represent CFGP in the community, working with key stakeholders, philanthropic and community leaders, groups, and Catholic organizations to build and sustain relationships integral to the support of current programs and long-term sustainability of the mission.
Specific Responsibilities
Management Responsibilities
- Oversees a Comprehensive Development Program, with emphasis on major donor development, fund development and major donor relations in compliance with short and long-term goals.
- Meets with President/CEO and Board Committees on a regular basis; attends meetings and provides reports, updates, and other information to keep the President/CEO and others appraised of current activities and the overall status toward the accomplishment of goals.
- Creates a positive working environment, promotes open communication, and facilitates a team approach toward the accomplishment of goals.
- Works in collaboration with CFGP staff, Board and Committee members, clients and others as required to assure that donor needs and organizational goals are achieved.
- Work with the CFO in the management of fund development and charitable gift planning activities to assist donors in the selection of investment opportunities to meet their personal financial and philanthropic goals.
Development Program
- Develops, implements, and monitors a Comprehensive Development Plan to meet the immediate and long-term needs of CFGP, including major gift and planned giving programs, grant development, major donor and prospect relations, and other activities designed to secure increasing levels of philanthropic support.
- Identifies potential donors and prospects; plans and facilitates the cultivation, solicitation, and engagement of these prospects/donors, especially at the major gift level; and manages and administers all activities leading to the successful achievement of goals.
- Develops annual philanthropic goals and strategies, in concert with the President/CEO, monitors progress, makes modifications as needed, and makes reports on progress to the President/CEO, Board of Trustees, Development Committee, and others as required.
- Works with the President/CEO and Board of Trustees to identify priorities; writes compelling and inspirational Case Statements to support the work of CFGP and its fund-holders; customizes Case elements to the needs and interest of the prospect/donor; and presents Case during cultivation and solicitation meetings as needed.
- Works with the President/CEO, Board members and Development Committee to plan and execute an ongoing Major Gift Program including prospect identification, evaluation, and targeted cultivation, solicitation, and ongoing relationship-building strategies.
- Works in collaboration with CFO and other staff to promote and manage a Planned Giving Program to address the charitable planning needs of donors, provide council to donors regarding their charitable giving options, and facilitate the investment of their charitable funds in the CFGP.
- Works with CFGP staff and committees to plan and execute educational and outreach programs focused on increasing awareness and engagement of the general and philanthropic community, cultivation of prospects and donors, and increased support of CFGP.
- Works with Board members, committee members, CFGP staff and others to identify prospects, evaluate gift capacity, and determine ask amounts and strategy; develops cultivation plans and conducts lunches, receptions, meetings, and other cultivation activities for potential donors; and participates in gift solicitation activities as appropriate.
- Maintains an ongoing donor relations program including personal visits and calls, correspondence, and other forms of communication leading to continued engagement and donor support of the mission of CFGP.
- Develops a donor recognition program; identifies recognition opportunities for various interest areas and levels of giving; creates policies for gift recognition and administers its implementation.
- Adheres to policies and accounting procedures for the proper receipt, acknowledgment, and posting of charitable gifts; assures the timely acknowledgment of gifts and assures accuracy of donor files and information.
Professional Standards
- Serves as a representative of CFGP in the community; participates in community events, makes presentations, seeks involvement in Catholic, professional and civic organizations; and identifies opportunities to strengthen the presence and position of CFGP in the community.
- Maintains a professional demeanor in dress and behavior, treats people with respect and dignity, maintains all donor and prospect information in the strictest confidence.
Personal Traits
The successful candidate must exemplify the following characteristics:
- A deep commitment to the Mission of CFGP, and a passion for serving those in need.
- A strong understanding and dedication to the Roman Catholic faith.
- The ability to effectively build and maintain relationships with philanthropic and community leaders, and have a proven record of accomplishments with major gift fundraising, charitable gift planning, and the management of a Comprehensive Development Program.
- An outcome-oriented and strategic thinker with a strong work ethic for high quality performance and attention to detail.
- Adept at planning, monitoring, and implementation of traditional and innovative strategies to assure the achievement of goals.
- The ability to present an inspiring Case for Support, be able to motivate donors and prospects to heightened levels of engagement and support, and must be fervent about follow-up and ongoing donor relations.
- Able to work collaboratively as a member of a team, bringing Board, Committees, staff, and philanthropic leadership together into a singular focused effort toward the achievement of goals.
- The CAO will represent CFGP in the community and must reflect the mission and values of the organization and present the highest standards of professionalism in behavior and demeanor.
Key Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred. Advanced training in gift planning and major gift programs a plus.
- Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in Development, with a proven track record of accomplishments in major gifts, planned giving, annual giving, and grants.
- Understanding and experience with the management of planned gifts, donor advised funds and other charitable gift planning options.
- Track record of successes in the cultivation and solicitation of major gifts, including demonstrated successes in the closing of 6-figure gifts and above.
- Experience with nonprofit organizations and knowledge of Catholic community and philanthropic resources in Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
- Progressive leadership experience in the supervision and management of a Comprehensive Development Program.
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills are essential.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and donor CRM packages is required.
Addendum
During this period of COVID-19 and physical distancing, this position will utilize a hybrid remote and on-site work schedule. CFGP utilizes Outlook and Microsoft Teams for email, weekly check-ins, meetings, donor visits, and on-boarding and training when necessary. We also utilize Comcast Business for remote phone access and Zoho People to update work hours and PTO. CFGP will provide staff with a laptop and other reasonable resources that would support a comfortable remote work environment. The overall role of this person may vary at times from the exact position description above, while the core responsibilities will remain the same.
Application Instructions
Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter and resume. Completed applications should be sent by clicking the “Apply Now” button below. When prompted, please include the subject line "CFGP: CAO Application."