Chief Financial Officer

The Diocese of Charleston
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is a territory full of history and heart that covers the entire state of South Carolina. The diocese was established on July 11, 1820, by His Holiness Pope Pius VII making it the seventh oldest Roman Catholic diocese in the United States.
The Diocese of Charleston encompasses all 32,020 square miles of South Carolina. When it was established in 1820, it covered all of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. We are now part of the Province of Atlanta, which is comprised of five dioceses within the tri-state region.
The total population of South Carolina exceeds 5.024 million, of which an estimated 10 percent are Catholic. We have 94 parishes, one quasi-parish, 20 missions, 33 diocesan and parochial schools (28 elementary and five high schools) and one private school. Our clergy and religious sisters are a local and worldwide representation of the answer to the Baptismal call to minister, serve and evangelize.
Office of Finance
The Finance Office assists the Bishop, his staff and others responsible for the temporalities of the Diocese to fulfill the diocesan mission. Responsibilities include accounting, investment management, financial analysis, budgetary management, and financial oversight of parishes and schools (including compliance with diocesan and civil laws, regulations and policies). The office provides accounting services for diocesan departments, Catholic Charities, Catholic Community Foundation of South Carolina and St. Clare's Home, as well as many of our parishes and schools.

Chief Financial Officer
Our mission is to support the Diocese of Charleston in service to the Body of Christ and in compliance with Canon 494 of the Code of Canon Law. This position administers the temporal goods of the diocese under the authority of the Bishop.

This position oversees the Offices of: Finance, Financial Services, Claims/Risk Management, and reports directly to the Bishop.

Essential Functions
Work under the direction of the Vicar General and in cooperation with the diocesan Chief Operating Oficer to fulfill the following responsibilities:
• Manage the finances and financial planning process for the diocese, analyzing key business issues/challenges, developing and implementing strategies to advance the financial health of the diocese.
• Evaluate, update and propose financial policies and procedures for the Bishop to promulgate for the Chancery, all diocesan-level entities, parishes, schools and other juridic persons under the oversight of the bishop, advancing sound practices for the care of the temporal goods of the local Church.
• Provide financial guidance to parishes and schools, developing strategies to meet their present and future financial needs.
• Evaluate, update and develop accounting policies to advance compliance with generally accepted accounting principles.
• Assess tax exposures of the diocese, evaluate, update and develop policies to advance compliance with tax regulations by all diocesan entities
• Direct, provide guidance, leadership and support for the Office of Financial Services as it relates to the proper recording, summarization and reporting of all financial activity of the Chancery and all diocesan-level entities, as well as the development and maintenance of adequate systems of internal control.
• Direct, provide guidance, leadership and support for the financial review of parishes and schools, directing staff in the execution of reviews, reporting of findings and parish/school compliance with financial recommendations.
• Direct, provide guidance, leadership and support for Claims/Risk Management, including the risk management and property & liability insurance program of the diocese, interfacing with insurance providers and insurance consultants in an effort to minimize and/or provide coverage for exposures associated with carrying out the mission of the diocese.
• Propose guidance and support to the COO for the Technology Department, which provides direct services for the Chancery, Catholic Charities, and all other diocesan-level entities and promulgates polices and provides consultative support for parishes and schools.
• Manage banking relationships for diocesan entities, directing cash management and debt financing of the diocese.
• Administer the investment activities of the Diocese/Catholic Community Foundation of South Carolina and consult with the Diocesan and Foundation Investment Committees and the Finance Council on all matters relating to the investment portfolio. Serve as primary contact for the investment managers, investment consultant and custodian.
• Administer the defined pension plan for Priests. Serve as primary contact for the investment managers, investment consultant, plan actuaries and plan trustee/custodian.
• Administer the deposit and loan including establishing interest rates on deposits and loans, evaluating loan requests and overseeing investment of available funds.
• Manage the process of budget creation, implementation and review. Make recommendations as to available resources and financial limitations.
• Manage the process for allocating funding from the proceeds of the Diocesan annual appeal and other fundraising endeavors.
• Collaborate with the Judicial Vicar, the Diocesan General Counsel and other legal counsel, as appropriate, on issues pertaining to diocesan financial/temporal affairs.
• Collaborate with the Office of Planning and Operations in the management of facilities and requests from parishes and schools to perform acts of extraordinary administration.
• Collaborate with Human Resources in the administration of employee benefit matters, such as health plan, retirement plan, FSA, etc.
• Collaborate with the Foundation/Development staff to develop fundraising strategies to meet the current and future financial needs of the Diocese.
• Function as staff to the Diocesan Finance Council and its committees.
• Supervise, train and evaluate direct reports.

Additional Job Functions
• Provide training and educational workshops to pastors, principals and financial staff and volunteers serving parishes, schools and other diocesan entities.
• Maintain a diocesan presence on various committees and boards.
• Perform other tasks as directed by the Bishop and/or his delegate.

Education, Experience, Skills, and other Requirements
• The Candidate must be a faithful, practicing Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance, CPA or MBA.
• Ten years of professional experience with multiple responsibilities in leadership positions in accounting or finance.
• Administrative leadership in a not-for-profit organization preferred, within the Catholic Church a plus, to include working with consultative bodies, supervision, accounting, investing, borrowing, and business law.
• Advanced knowledge of budgeting principles and practices, accounting principles, not-for-profit tax issues, internal control systems, treasury management, investment, and financial reporting methodologies.
• Working knowledge in the following: properties, risk management, insurance programs, employee benefits, computer systems, business law and fundraising.
• Excellent written, verbal and public speaking skills.
• Excellent strategic planning, negotiating and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.

Working Environment
• This position requires evening and weekend work
• This position requires the ability to travel within the diocese as well as outside the diocese.
• This position requires residency in or near Charleston and full time work within the diocesan chancery.

Salary: Highly competitive with comprehensive benefit package.
Application Deadline: May 15, 2023 (We reserve the right to shorten the deadline for applications if we have sufficient interest. Please apply early to ensure your background will be considered.)

For consideration, please email cover letter, resume to: Elizabeth Isch, Director of HR at [email protected]

Note: Only those selected for an interview with the search committee will be contacted.