Executive Director - Catholic Charities of Lake

Description

The Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Lake County is the senior leader responsible for advancing CCAC's mission, visibility, and impact in Lake County. As the public face of Catholic Charities in Lake County, this role provides operational leadership, drives program performance and innovation, and cultivates key relationships with civic leaders and community partners. The Executive Director oversees all facilities and community-based operations with a focus on optimizing service delivery, improving client outcomes, and ensuring fiscal and regulatory accountability.

Internally, the Executive Director fosters a mission-driven, inclusive, and high-performing culture, championing employee engagement, leadership development, and workplace excellence. The role ensures that Catholic Charities' facilities in Lake County are welcoming, safe, and aligned with organizational values. The role drives high levels of internal collaboration to lead in integrating and aligning Lake County operations with the broader Charities' organization. This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer with a dotted line to the President and Chief Operating Officer.

• Drive performance excellence, client impact, and community partnership for Catholic Charities in Lake County, ensuring alignment with our organizational mission and priorities; as well as strong, collaborative relationships with local community-based peer organizations, government partners, and local priests and parishes.

• Act as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for Catholic Charities in Lake County. Build and sustain relationships with civic leaders, elected officials, faith communities, nonprofit partners, and coalitions to elevate the organization's visibility, influence, and collaborative reach. Actively engage with partners to identify emerging community needs and lead the development of innovative, responsive programs and ministries that enhance CCAC's mission effectiveness and relevance.

• Oversee operations for all community-based programs and facilities in Lake County, including our two community centers in Round Lake and Waukegan that contain all CCAC offices for the region. Ensure community centers are welcoming, safe, and aligned with Catholic Charities' core values.

• Collaborate with peer leaders overseeing program offerings that cross Cook and Lake counties to assure that CCAC speaks with one voice across Lake County and that all Lake County-based staff experience a cohesive and vibrant workplace culture. Foster an engaging and values-based workplace; support staff development, recognition, and retention through coaching and leadership.

• Collaborate and receive guidance from CCAC's Mission Support leaders whose staff will assist in managing finances, data and technology, human resources, facilities, and legal. Use data and performance metrics to enhance service delivery, ensure compliance, and inform decision-making, as well as manage budgets and ensure responsible stewardship of resources.

• Collaborate and receive guidance from CCAC's Outreach and Engagement leaders in fostering strong priest and parish relations and actively supporting our Institutional Advancement team in fundraising for and within Lake County.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Exhibit alignment with the team's clear goals that are mission-focused, grounded in Catholic Charities history, and tied to action.

• Contribute to a joy‑filled culture built upon respect and inclusion, team pride, and community spirit.

• Collaborate effectively to support excellent process, accountability, and constructive conflict.

• Demonstrate a commitment to growth through learning, forgiveness, and reflection.

• Courageous Compassion
  :
  Welcome and serve all with an open heart, empathetic listening, and a commitment to radical hospitality.

• Solidarity
  :
  Embrace shared humanity by celebrating and giving voice to our differences and choosing the path of collaboration and inclusion.

• Faith‑filled Hope and Joy
  :
  Uplift each other in times of darkness and celebrate together in times of light, leaning in with humility, humor, and…