Catholic Charities Fort Wayne-South Bend seeks a Vice President, Philanthropy who can inspire generosity, personally secure major gifts, and lead an experienced team to meaningful results.
This is an opportunity for an outgoing, engaging fundraising leader with Catholic organizational experience, practical knowledge of diocesan operations, and a record of managing philanthropic funds totaling more than $2 million.
Working with the CEO, you will build trusted donor relationships across the diocese, lead three experienced professionals, and turn philanthropic opportunity into a practical fundraising plan with clear priorities, consistent follow-through, and measurable community impact.
KEY PRIORITIES- Personally identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, with clear relationship plans and next steps.
- Lead, coach, and develop three experienced professionals across mission advancement and marketing.
- Establish clear priorities, ownership, performance expectations, and accountability across the team.
- Develop an actionable fundraising plan with revenue targets, donor strategies, milestones, and named owners.
- Strengthen donor segmentation, stewardship, acknowledgement, and consistent follow-up.
- Coordinate annual giving, foundation and grant support, planned giving, and targeted campaigns within the fundraising strategy.
- Partner with the CEO and board on significant gifts, including proposals, meeting preparation, asks, and follow-through.
- Improve CRM discipline, donor pipeline tracking, revenue forecasts, and reporting to guide decisions.
- Align marketing, mission advancement, and program teams around a compelling case for support and accurate impact stories.
- Represent Catholic Charities with warmth, energy, credibility, and integrity in donor and community settings.
LEADERSHIP & TEAM MANAGEMENTThis senior leadership role directly manages the Mission Advancement Associates and Director of Marketing. The Vice President will respect their expertise while providing clear direction, coaching, and accountability.
- Clarify roles, decision responsibilities, priorities, and ownership across the experienced team.
- Coach performance, support professional growth, delegate effectively, and address missed expectations.
- Lead regular planning, progress reviews, and problem-solving using clear measures and practical next steps.
- Model a leadership style that combines confidence and initiative with humility, active listening, and collaboration.
- WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
- Major gift opportunities advance through documented cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
- A practical fundraising plan guides priorities, revenue goals, milestones, and progress reviews.
- Three direct reports have clear priorities, ownership, performance expectations, and regular coaching.
- The experienced team delivers with alignment, accountability, and consistent follow-through.
- Donor records, next steps, forecasts, and stewardship provide reliable information and a consistent donor experience.
- Trusted relationships with diocesan leaders, clergy, parishes, and community partners support effective coordination.
- Annual giving, foundation support, grants, planned giving, and campaigns reinforce the overall philanthropic strategy.
- Fundraising activity and results are regularly reviewed against agreed goals, with corrective action when needed.
- Donors and community partners understand Catholic Charities' mission, giving opportunities, and measurable impact.
REQUIRED CANDIDATE PROFILE
- Demonstrated personal success cultivating, soliciting, and securing major gifts.
- Senior leadership experience directly managing an established team of experienced professionals.
- Direct responsibility for philanthropic funds totaling more than $2 million; able to explain the timeframe, funding sources, and personal role in the results.
- An outgoing, engaging presence that builds rapport, communicates a compelling case for support, and confidently invites significant gifts.
- Ability to set direction, coach performance, delegate effectively, and hold experienced professionals accountable.
- Experience working in a Catholic organization and functional knowledge of diocesan operations, parish relationships, leadership structures, and approvals.
- Strong presentation, listening, and relationship-building skills with donors, board members, clergy, and community leaders.
- Specific examples of developing and implementing fundraising plans through donor pipelines, CRM practices, clear ownership, and measurable outcomes.
- Commitment to Catholic Charities' mission, values, and service to the community.
- Ability to build productive Fort Wayne and broader diocesan relationships; existing regional connections add value.
- Sound judgment, humility, resilience, collaboration, and consistent follow-through.
- BACKGROUNDS THAT MAY ALIGN WELL
Relevant experience may include the following settings and specialties, provided the core requirements above are met:
Catholic charities or diocesan advancement.
- Catholic education or Catholic healthcare.
- Human services and other nonprofit development leadership.
- Healthcare or community foundation fundraising.
- Higher education advancement.
- Major gifts, campaigns, annual giving, or planned giving.
- Foundation relations, donor stewardship, and fundraising operations.
Candidates do not need to come from Catholic Charities specifically. Catholic organizational experience, diocesan knowledge, personal major gift success, senior team leadership, and practical execution are required. Candidates should be ready to discuss specific examples and results without disclosing confidential donor names.
WORK STYLE AND ENVIRONMENT
The role balances visible donor and community engagement with disciplined planning and leadership of experienced professionals. The successful candidate will be:
- Proactive in initiating donor conversations, building relationships, and making meaningful asks.
- Organized and reliable in donor stewardship, tracking commitments, and following through.
- Collaborative with the CEO, board, marketing, mission advancement, and program colleagues.
- Comfortable leading experienced staff while staying personally involved in major gift fundraising.
- Engaging and confident, with the humility to listen and respect others' expertise.
- Able to turn strategy into clear tasks, timelines, accountable owners, and measurable results.
- Effective navigating diocesan relationships, communication channels, and approval processes.
- Willing to travel periodically within the diocese for meetings, events, and relationship-building.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Catholic Charities offers a competitive compensation and benefits package aligned with the scope of the role and candidate experience.
Relocation support or signing bonus consideration may be available for the right candidate.
