Senior Director - Parish Engagement

Senior Director, Parish Engagement

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago partners with mission-driven people and organizations across Cook and Lake counties to witness a message of mercy and hope to a world in need by improving lives and nourishing spirits; strengthening and empowering people, families, and communities; and committing to being present to our times through the eyes of faith.

The Senior Director, Parish Engagement plays a critical leadership role in building and deepening CCAC's relationships with the 200+ Catholic parishes that make up the Archdiocese of Chicago.

This leader is charged with working across CCAC to deepen parish engagement in Catholic Charities' services, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising.

Role Responsibilities:

• Steers parish engagement initiatives from design through evaluation, using engagement data to measure impact and strengthen outcomes.

• Implement the strategy set by the VP of Community Programs and in alignment with organizational priorities. Leads and develops the internal Parish Engagement working group by setting clear goals and expectations, monitoring performance, and providing regular feedback and guidance.

• Strengthens relationships with the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Director of Vicariate Operations, and parish leaders fostering connection to Catholic Charities programming.

• Inspires excellence by modeling accountability, collaboration, and solution-oriented thinking, and ensures group members are supported, empowered, and high-performing while fostering a positive, purpose-driven culture.

• Develops staff capability through ongoing training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities. Cultivate a culture of continuous learning, feedback, and improvement to strengthen team engagement, retention, and impact.

Team Member Responsibilities

• 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.

Living Our Values

• Courageous Compassion: Welcome and serve all with an open heart, empathic 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 hope.

• Meaningful and Measurable Impact: Meet human need with love, balance immediate action with lasting change, and act with accountability through dialogue, analyses, and reflection.

Minimum Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required in nonprofit management, pastoral ministry, theology, social work, public administration, communications, community development, or a related field

• 5--7 years of progressively responsible experience in parish, nonprofit, community engagement, volunteer engagement, program management, mission integration, or related work, including experience building partnerships across multiple stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to design engagement strategies, manage cross-functional collaboration, develop operating processes, track participation data, and produce reporting or dashboards to inform leadership decisions.

• Ability to travel regularly throughout Cook and Lake County

Preferred Education and Experience Requirements

• Master's degree in nonprofit management, pastoral ministry, theology, social work, public administration, communications, community development, or a related field

• Familiarity with the Catholic faith and parish structures, Archdiocesan relationships, social service delivery, volunteer training, donor or in-kind engagement

• Experience with CRM/database tools including SalesForce and Raiser's Edge

Additional Requirements

X Background check, including any program specific requirements

Physical examination

Drug Testing

X Driver's License and reliable transportation Agency-specified automobile insurance