Chief Philanthropy Officer

For more than 175 years, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has served neighbors in need one person at a time. A global Catholic lay organization founded in Paris in 1833 and active in the United States since 1845, the Society empowers volunteers to offer tangible aid with dignity and respect while growing in faith themselves. Today, some 80,000 to 90,000 Vincentians in more than 4,000 local Conferences and Councils serve over five million people in the United States every year through home visits, thrift stores, food pantries, charitable pharmacies, dental and veterinary clinics, housing programs, and disaster services.

The US Society ranks number 45 on Forbes' list of America's top 100 charities.

The National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdP USA), headquartered in St. Louis with an advocacy office in Washington, D.C., supports this network through national programs, advocacy and public policy, Vincentian formation and training, communications, and fundraising. Its staff of roughly 30 serves Councils and Conferences, and a 25-person board of directors governs the Society.

Under a new National President, a new CEO, and a largely new leadership team, SVdP USA has embarked on an ambitious path of renewal:

• A Washington, D.C. advocacy office (opened 2025) and the first national Poverty Institute (August 2026)
• Vision SVdP, a Society-wide synodal planning process to chart the Society's direction
• A digital transformation, including a new national website, Council microsites, a storytelling platform, and a new donor CRM rolling out over
• A two-year independent evaluation of the Motel to Home housing initiative by the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame
• National fundraising conferences that have trained more than 100 Council and Conference staff and volunteers since spring 2026

Philanthropy is central to this ambition. SVdP USA aims to grow national fundraising substantially over the next three to five years and to build a culture of philanthropy across the entire Society. The foundational pieces are in place; what the program needs now is a leader.

The Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO) will build, lead, and evaluate a comprehensive national fundraising program spanning major and principal gifts, annual and mid-level giving, planned giving, foundation and corporate giving, donor stewardship, advancement services and prospect research, and fundraising communications. The CPO will bring both the science of fundraising (clear portfolios, metrics, and accountability) and the art of it (relationships, stewardship, and a compelling case for national support).

For a builder with a heart for the mission, this is a rare opportunity to put a lasting stamp on one of the nation's most venerable charities.

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive national philanthropy strategy that integrates every giving channel.
• Serve as the CEO's chief advisor on philanthropy strategy, donor engagement, fundraising priorities, campaign readiness, and long-term revenue growth.
• Lead, supervise, and develop the philanthropy team, including three regionally based Directors of Philanthropy (major gift officers), a Director of Philanthropy, the Director of Annual Giving, the Director of Foundation and Corporate Giving, and administrative support for the National Leadership Council.

• Grow philanthropic revenue across individual, corporate, foundation, annual, planned, major, and principal gifts, with an emphasis on sustainable, unrestricted, mission-aligned support.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement new fundraising strategies, donor engagement models, and revenue opportunities.
• Over…