Chief Philanthropy Officer

Executive Summary

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, 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.

The National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdP USA) supports that vast network. In the past two years, under a new National President, a new CEO, and a largely new leadership team, it has embarked on an ambitious path of renewal: a Washington, D.C. advocacy office, a national Poverty Institute, Vision SVdP, a Society-wide digital transformation, and a fundraising program that is reaching more donors than ever before.

Philanthropy is central to that ambition. SVdP USA’s leadership aims to grow national fundraising substantially over the next three to five years, and just as importantly, to help build a culture of philanthropy across the entire Society. All the foundational pieces are in place; what the program needs now is a leader. SVdP USA seeks a Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO) to build, lead, and evaluate a comprehensive national fundraising program. Reporting to the CEO, the CPO will bring strategy, structure, and discipline to the work, develop a talented team, and personally cultivate the relationships that will carry the Society’s mission forward. 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.

The Organization

Founded in Paris in 1833, the Society expanded to the United States in 1845 when the first US Conference was established in St. Louis. Today SVdP operates in more than 150 countries. The US Society is listed as number 45 in Forbes’ latest ranking of America’s top 100 charities. Its members operate thrift stores, food pantries, charitable pharmacies, dental and veterinary clinics, housing programs, and disaster services, and above all, conduct the home visits that are the heart of Vincentian service.

The Society is organized around the principle of subsidiarity. Parish-based Conferences, its basic unit, roll up through some 500 District Councils and 156 (Arch)Diocesan Councils to the National Council of the United States. Local Councils range from small all-volunteer groups to sophisticated operations; the Society’s Phoenix Council, for example, runs a $90 million operation with its own development team.

The National Council, headquartered in St. Louis with an advocacy office in Washington, D.C., supports this network through national programs and initiatives, advocacy and public policy, Vincentian formation and training, communications and marketing, and fundraising. Its staff of roughly 30 serves Councils and Conferences rather than individuals directly. A 25-person board of directors, most appointed by the National President, governs the Society; the President and board serve six-year terms.

Recent momentum at the national level includes:

• A national voice. A Washington, D.C. advocacy office opened in 2025, and the Society convened its first national Poverty Institute in August 2026.
  Vision SVdP. A Society-wide, synodal planning process that gathered delegates from across the country to chart the Society’s direction.
• Digital transformation. A new national website, pilot microsites for local Councils, and a new storytelling platform are rolling out over 2027 and 2028, alongside a transition to a new donor CRM.
• Evidence of impact. SVdP’s Motel to Home initiative, which moves families from extended-stay motels into stable housing, is the subject of a two-year independent evaluation by the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame.
• Training the field. National fundraising conferences have trained more than 100 Council and Conference staff and volunteers in development since spring 2026.
  For a full description of the Society’s history, programs, and impact, visit the Society’s extensive website.

The Mandate

The Chief Philanthropy Officer will be SVdP USA’s senior philanthropy leader responsible for building, leading, and evaluating a comprehensive national fundraising program that advances the mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The role provides strategic leadership and spans major and principal gifts, annual and mid-level giving, foundation and corporate giving, donor stewardship, advancement services and prospect research, and fundraising communications.

The CPO works closely with the CEO, Executive Team, National Council Leadership, member Councils, and philanthropy staff to increase private sector support, strengthen donor relationships, expand the national donor pipeline, and align fundraising priorities with SVdP USA’s strategic initiatives and national impact.

Reporting to the CEO, 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).

Key responsibilities include:

Philanthropy Strategy, and Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive national philanthropy strategy that integrates every giving channel to include major gifts, principal gifts, annual giving, planned giving, foundation and corporate giving, donor stewardship, advancement services, and prospect research.
• Serve as the CEO’s chief advisor on philanthropy strategy, donor engagement, fundraising priorities, campaign readiness, and long-term revenue growth.
• Provide strategic direction, supervision, and accountability for the philanthropy team and related functions, including Directors of Philanthropy, the Director of Annual Giving, foundation and corporate giving, advancement services, prospect research, development support functions, and the National Leadership Council function.

Development and Revenue Generation

• Lead efforts to increase philanthropic revenue through individual, corporate, foundation, annual, planned, major, and principal gifts, with an emphasis on sustainable, unrestricted, and mission-aligned support.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement new fundraising strategies, donor engagement models, and revenue opportunities that strengthen the national philanthropy program and support long-term growth.
• Oversee foundation and corporate giving strategy, including identification of grant opportunities, coordination with program leaders, assignment of proposal development, and stewardship of institutional funders.
• Personally maintain and actively manage a portfolio of qualified major and principal gift donors and prospects, including cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and strategy development in partnership with the CEO and philanthropy staff.
• Partner with the CEO, Executive Team, National Council, and National Board to deepen existing donor and funder relationships, cultivate new supporters, and align fundraising priorities with national strategic initiatives.
• Evaluate and strengthen fundraising technology, donor data, direct mail, online giving, moves management, prospect research, and reporting tools to support effective donor engagement and revenue growth.
• Develop, monitor, and evaluate annual fundraising goals, budgets, revenue forecasts, pipeline activity, donor retention, proposal activity, stewardship performance, and team accountability metrics.

Donor Communications and Stewardship

• Guide the development of compelling donor communications, fundraising messages, cases for support, proposals, reports, and stewardship materials that clearly communicate SVdP USA’s mission, impact, and funding priorities.
• Collaborate with National Communications Staff and organizational leaders to ensure consistent messaging and branding in donors, partners, and stakeholder materials.
• Ensure timely, meaningful, and coordinated stewardship of individual, corporate, foundation, annual, and planned giving.
• Work with finance and advancement services staff to sustain accurate, transparent, and timely gift processing, donor reporting, financial tracking, and fundraising performance reporting.

Board and Senior Team Leadership

• In coordination with the National CEO and Board, support the National Leadership Council function, including coordination with leadership volunteers and administrative support, to advance national philanthropy priorities, donor engagement, and leadership-level giving strategies.
• Work closely with the CEO/Executive Team, National Council Board, National Leadership Council, and other leadership volunteers to create and implement national philanthropy strategies.
• Attend National Council, committee, and leadership meetings as needed and report on philanthropy strategy, revenue progress, donor pipeline, campaign activity, and development priorities in coordination with the CEO.
• Serve as an ambassador and spokesperson for the organization when authorized by the CEO (who will gain authorization from the National President), and articulate our mission to external constituents, partner organizations, and current and potential funders.
• Work with the CEO and National President to ensure board members are engaged and energized by their association with the organization and mission and provide information as needed to board members on donor cultivation and fundraising techniques.

Among the CPO’s opportunities and challenges:

• Make the case for National Council giving.
• Build “One Society” in fundraising.
• Cultivate an organization-wide culture of philanthropy.
• Unlock planned giving.
• Lay a stable foundation and pace growth wisely while keeping momentum.

Success in the first three to five years will mean a fully built, well-functioning development system; a clear strategy the team owns; a supported, stable, and growing team; and a sustainable trajectory toward annual national fundraising well above $10 million.

The Relationships

SVdP’s CPO:

• Reports to: CEO, National Council of the US Society of St. Vincent de Paul
  Joins peers on the CEO’s leadership team, including: Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, and National Director of Advocacy
• While leading a development team that includes: Three Directors of Philanthropy (regionally based major gift officers), Director of Annual Giving, Director of Foundation and Corporate Giving, Administration Assistant for National Leadership Council, and Director of Philanthropy
• And stewarding other important relationships, such as: The National President and board of directors, The National Leadership Council, Regional Vice Presidents, Leaders and development staff of (Arch)Diocesan and District Councils, major donors, foundations, and corporate partners, and The Society’s fundraising and marketing consultants

The Candidate

The ideal candidate for Chief Philanthropy Officer will be a proven fundraising leader and a builder of people and programs with a genuine love for the mission of the Society. This individual will combine strategic vision with the discipline to execute and the relational gifts to earn trust quickly with donors, colleagues, volunteers, and board members alike.

The vast majority of SVdP’s donors are Catholic, and the Society’s work is rooted in the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching. Knowledge of the Catholic faith and Catholic Social Teaching principles is strongly preferred. While it is not essential to be a Vincentian, a full embrace of Vincentian values is.

Key qualifications and characteristics include:

• A seasoned development executive with at least 8–10 years of senior fundraising experience, ideally including leadership of a comprehensive philanthropy program for a nonprofit, faith-based, social services, or national membership organization.
• A demonstrated record of securing major and principal gifts, foundation and corporate support, and unrestricted philanthropic revenue; experience partnering with planned giving professionals or integrating planned giving strategy into a comprehensive philanthropy program preferred.
• A builder of infrastructure, with experience leading development professionals and building systems for portfolio management, prospect research, donor stewardship, advancement services, and fundraising performance accountability.
• A frontline fundraiser who is at ease with high-net-worth donors and enjoys participating in donor visits.
• A proven leader and developer of fundraising professionals, including teams that work remotely across several regions.
• Experience navigating a national membership organization with local affiliates and diplomacy to build productive partnerships across that structure.
• A confident, board-savvy partner. A leader who will advocate for the team and rally volunteer leaders around a shared plan.
• Comfort with data and technology, including CRM transitions and the use of automation and analytics to grow annual and mid-level giving.

Culture: SVdP’s CPO should embody

• A true heart for the Society and its mission of service to people in need.
• A collaborative spirit: someone who sets goals with the team rather than dictating to them and who is a fully engaged member of the leadership team.
• Decisiveness and candor; a willingness to make decisions, to challenge constructively, and to say no when it protects the team’s focus.
• Engagement without micromanagement; interested in and supportive of the team’s work while giving experienced professionals room to try new ideas.
• Patient urgency; excitement about change and the steadiness to lay a lasting foundation.
• Confident but humble, a dynamic, genuine personality.
• A long-term commitment: the next CPO should see this as a multi-year opportunity to build something that lasts.

The Location

The Society’s national headquarters are located in Maryland Heights, MO, a suburb of St. Louis. SVdP USA prefers that the Chief Philanthropy Officer work from an office alongside colleagues on the leadership team, in a hybrid arrangement. Preferred locations are St. Louis, Washington, D.C., or Atlanta, but exceptional candidates in other major metropolitan cities may be considered. Regular travel to St. Louis and to donors and Councils across the country is expected.

Metropolitan St. Louis (pop. 2.8 million), the Society’s US home since 1845, is a family-friendly urban and suburban region with a cost of living about 6% below the national average. It is home to the Gateway Arch and Forest Park, three research universities, four professional sports teams, and is known for its blues, its barbecue, and its walkable neighborhoods.