Vice President, Philanthropy

Endeavor Talent Solutions is partnering with Catholic Charities Fort Wayne-South Bend to identify their new 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.

• 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.

This senior leadership role directly manages the Mission Advancement Associates. 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.

• 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.

• 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…