Exec. Director, Portsmouth Institute for Faith and Culture

Job Description

Portsmouth Abbey is hiring for the position of Executive Director of the Portsmouth Institute. The Executive Director will pursue an array of opportunities and challenges, including: implementing the unique Catholic, Benedictine mission and strategic priorities adopted by its Board of Advisors; evaluating opportunities for growing the Institute's national reach; growing program offerings for the Portsmouth Abbey and School and Saint Louis Abbey and Priory School communities; and ensuring the Institute's sustainability through fundraising and sound financial management. The Portsmouth Institute serves a diverse constituency, including a national audience of teachers and lifelong learners, and the students, faculty, alumni, parents, oblates and friends of the two affiliated monasteries and their respective schools.

The Executive Director reports to the Abbot of Portsmouth Abbey in his ex officio role as Chairman of the Board of Advisors. The Executive Director will be responsible for the execution of the mission and vision of the Portsmouth Institute and the continued growth of the organization.


Qualifications and Experience

Qualified candidate will:
• Be a practicing Catholic who regularly participates in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church, strives to live the universal call to holiness in his or her own life, and understands and faithfully adheres to the teachings of the Church's Magisterium
• Possess spiritual maturity and be prepared to serve a Benedictine apostolate leading others-including students, teachers, and lifelong learners-in the faith
• Have an in-depth knowledge of the Catholic intellectual tradition and Church teachings
• Be well versed in: contemporary commentary on the intersection of Catholicism and culture; trends in the renewal of Catholic education; and Catholic and Benedictine spirituality and liturgical life (e.g. lectio divina, liturgy of the hours, etc.)
• Have knowledge of and preferably existing relationships with leading Catholic scholars and opinion leaders
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Have high emotional intelligence, political astuteness, and social skills, with an ability to build and maintain relationships with a diverse set of constituents (from students and teachers to donors and ecclesiastical leaders), and comfortably navigate relationships with cross-institutional leadership
• Demonstrate capacity for strategic planning and execution, with a track record of imaginative problem-solving
• Display an executive mindset and desire to lead and develop a team of talented, mission-driven staff
• Be able to think logically and write clearly
• Have the confidence and vision to make a compelling case for the mission of the Portsmouth Institute in order to garner significant financial support
• Be available to work a flexible schedule to accommodate the execution of events to include weekends, early mornings, late nights and holidays at times.
• Be willing to travel frequently (generally 5-7 days per month) and represent the Portsmouth Institute's mission to audiences of scholars, Church leaders, donors, and fellow institutional leaders
• Have prior experience overseeing a team and/or managing events, with 5+ years' experience in a Catholic apostolate or mission-aligned nonprofit preferred
• Enjoy working in a Catholic high school environment
• Be able to work with Board of Advisors to communicate efficiently and thoroughly the direction and state of the Portsmouth Institute.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required; a graduate degree is preferred

Principal Responsibilities
• Actively engage in apostolic work serving Portsmouth Abbey, Saint Louis Abbey, and the Catholic Church by sharing with students, teachers, and lifelong learners a "love of learning and desire for God"
• Build awareness of the Portsmouth Institute through travel, strategic partnerships, and relationship-building with mission-aligned leaders and apostolates around the United States and sometimes internationally (particularly with fellow EBC houses in the UK and Ireland and the Manquehue Apostolic Movement in Chile)
• Grow and maintain strategic relationships with monastic communities, school leadership and faculty, donors, members, sponsors, and mission-aligned organizations. Continue to grow base of partnerships and supporters
• Continue to cultivate partnerships with key institutional partners such as the Manquehue Apostolic Movement in Chile, Providence College Humanities Program, University of Dallas, Fellowship of Catholic University Students, and more
• Grow base of donor support, especially through major donor investment in key strategic initiatives, and by identifying, cultivating, soliciting, stewarding, and growing Portsmouth Institute giving club members
• Represent the Portsmouth Institute as its key spokesperson, and serve as an ambassador of its sponsoring entities, Portsmouth Abbey and Saint Louis Abbey, as necessary
• Work with the Board of Advisors to execute strategic priorities and formulate growth opportunities in line with the Portsmouth Institute's mission
• Report all operational information to the Board of Advisors and its Executive Committee
• Seek program growth in line with established programmatic vision and strategic priorities in key areas, including: teacher formation, student experiences, and public discourse on Catholicism and culture
• Plan, organize, and execute key Portsmouth Institute programs, including regular programs such as the annual Humanitas Summer Symposium, Pietas summer seminar for teachers, Catholicism and Culture Symposia series, Center for Science and the Liberal Arts at Portsmouth Abbey School, Oxford Summer Programme, and other events throughout the year at Portsmouth Abbey, Saint Louis Abbey, and nationally
• Plan and oversee marketing and promotion efforts for all programs
• Supervise Portsmouth Institute staff and faculty, including Program Coordinator, Leclercq Fellow, and coach a large number of faculty hired to participate in Institute programming
• Supervise the Program Coordinator and meet regularly to ensure efficient execution of SOPs and mission-aligned planning
• Supervise and work closely with the Leclercq Fellow for Benedictine Education to fuel growth of teacher formation programs
• Collaborate with the Institute staff, School staff, and contractors on social media and email strategy, including monthly email newsletter, Conversatio
• Seek ways to leverage the Institute to raise profile of Portsmouth Abbey and Saint Louis Abbey for attracting students, teachers, and monastic vocations
• Oversee financials, budgets, and P&L's. Work with the CFO of Portsmouth Abbey to receive and review regular financial updates
• Work with Finance Committee of Board of Advisors to draft and review annual budgets

Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly is required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee occasionally is required to stand; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or climb. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.

Other Qualifications:
• All prospective employees must be able to clear a background check.

Benefits to include:
Salary Range: $85,000-$95,000, commensurate with experience and education.
On-Campus Housing/ On-campus housing negotiable based on availability and Housing Stipend: need of both parties. Stipend negotiable for off-campus housing.
Use of Facilities: Portsmouth Abbey School library, athletics complex and dining hall are available to faculty, staff and their families for meals, recreation and enrichment.
Benefits: Pension (403b): Portsmouth Abbey contribution of 10%; employee contribution of 1%, after 2-year waiting period (waived with prior educational experience).
Health insurance: United Healthcare; $3,100 stipend if waived.
Dental insurance: Delta Dental
Life insurance: Equal to one year's salary.
Short-term disability (TDI): paid by employee and administered by State of RI.
Long-term disability: 90-day qualifying period; 60% of salary; $7,500 maximum. monthly benefit (conversion privilege)
AD&D: per policy
Employee Assistance Program: free and confidential
Tuition remission: 100% tuition remission for Portsmouth Abbey School.

Please email a letter of interest, and resume to:

Abbot Michael Brunner, O.S.B.
Portsmouth Abbey
Chairman, Portsmouth Institute Board of Advisors
Chancellor, Portsmouth Abbey School
abbotmichael@portsmouthabbey.org

No phone calls please.

About the Employer

The Portsmouth Institute for Faith and Culture is a Benedictine center for Catholic thought, liturgy, and culture. It is an apostolate of Portsmouth Abbey (Rhode Island) and Saint Louis Abbey (Missouri) with a mission to explore Catholic thought and renew Christian culture in the spirit of St. Benedict.