President

Job Description

The President of SOAR! Support Our Aging Religious, Inc. serves as the organization's Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for leading and managing the affairs of SOAR! in accordance with the mission, policies, strategic direction, and directives established by the Board of Directors.
SOAR!'s mission is to enhance the quality of life for aging religious women and men so they can age with dignity and grace. SOAR! provides funding and programs to congregations of Catholic Sisters, Brothers, and Priests in the United States to care for their aging members through the support of individuals, foundations, and organizations.
The President reports to the Chairperson of the Board and the Board of Directors. The President serves as a non-voting member of the Board and, unless otherwise directed by the Board, as an ex-officio member of Board committees. The President provides executive leadership for mission advancement, fundraising and donor stewardship, grantmaking, staff leadership, financial management, compliance, external relations, and organizational sustainability.

Key Responsibilities
1. Mission Leadership and Strategy: Advance the mission, values, and Catholic identity of SOAR! by ensuring that all programs, grants, communications, and donor engagement activities are aligned with the organization's purpose and strategic priorities.
2. Board Relations and Governance: Work collaboratively with the Board Chair, officers, committees, and full Board to support effective governance, fiduciary oversight, strategic decision-making, policy development, Board engagement, and timely reporting.
3. Strategic Plan Execution: Lead implementation of the Board-approved strategic plan, establish annual operating priorities, track progress against goals, and recommend adjustments in response to emerging opportunities, risks, and organizational needs.
4. Fundraising and Donor Stewardship: Provide primary leadership for fundraising among individuals, religious communities, foundations, corporations, donor-advised funds, planned-giving prospects, and other supporters. Build and steward strong donor relationships and partner with the Board to expand philanthropic support.
5. Grantmaking and Program Oversight: Oversee SOAR!'s grantmaking and related programs, including applicant guidance, application review, award recommendations, disbursement, monitoring, reporting, impact evaluation, and transparency. Ensure that grants are mission-aligned, responsibly managed, and responsive to the needs of aging religious.
6. Financial Management and Internal Controls: Prepare the annual operating budget for Board approval, monitor budget performance, oversee financial records, cash management, restricted funds, internal controls, and financial reporting, and arrange for the annual independent audit and related Board review.
7. Staff Leadership and Organizational Culture: Hire, lead, supervise, develop, and evaluate staff. Establish clear performance expectations, promote a collaborative and mission-centered culture, ensure appropriate delegation of responsibilities, and support continuity of operations.
8. Operations, Technology, and Administration: Oversee administrative operations, donor and grant management systems, records retention, vendor relationships, insurance, facilities or office needs, and technology resources needed to conduct SOAR!'s work effectively and securely.
9. External Relations and Communications: Serve as a principal public representative and spokesperson for SOAR! with donors, congregations, Church leaders, partner organizations, foundations, media, and the broader public. Ensure communications are accurate, compelling, respectful, and mission-focused.
10. Compliance and Risk Management: Ensure compliance with applicable nonprofit, charitable solicitation, employment, privacy, financial, grantmaking, and governance requirements. Identify and elevate material strategic, financial, operational, reputational, cybersecurity, and mission-continuity risks to the Board.
11. Evaluation and Reporting: Provide the Board with clear and timely reports on fundraising, grants, finances, operations, staffing, strategic plan progress, key risks, and organizational impact. Support transparent performance evaluation of the President and organization.

Education, Experience, and Qualifications
• Commitment to the mission of SOAR! and respect for the life, service, dignity, and needs of aging Catholic Sisters, Brothers, and Priests.
• Undergraduate degree required; advanced degree in nonprofit management, business, public administration, theology, philanthropy, communications, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible senior leadership experience in nonprofit, philanthropic, religious, Catholic, healthcare, aging-services, grantmaking, or mission-driven organizations.
• Proven success in fundraising, donor stewardship, major gifts, foundation relations, events, annual giving, planned giving, or related development activities.
• Experience working effectively with a nonprofit Board of Directors, Board committees, volunteers, donors, and external stakeholders.
• Strong financial literacy, including budgeting, financial reporting, audit support, internal controls, and stewardship of restricted or donor-designated funds.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and supervise staff, manage organizational priorities, delegate effectively, and create a positive, accountable, mission-centered work environment.
• Excellent oral, written, interpersonal, and public-speaking skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with religious communities, donors, Board members, staff, and partners.
• Sound judgment, integrity, discretion, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trust across diverse constituencies.
• Working knowledge of the Catholic Church and Catholic religious congregations.
• Familiarity with donor databases, grant-management systems, digital communications, online giving, and basic technology/cybersecurity practices preferred.
• CFRE, nonprofit leadership credential, planned-giving training, or comparable professional development preferred but not required.
• Qualified vowed religious and lay women and men are encouraged to apply.

Key Working Relationships
• Reports to: Chairperson of the Board and the Board of Directors.
• Works closely with: Board officers, Board committees, staff, donors, congregational leaders, grant applicants and recipients, auditors, advisors, vendors, and partner organizations.
• Supervises: SOAR! staff and contractors as assigned by the organization's structure and approved budget.
• Location: This position is based in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Core Measures of Success
• SOAR!'s mission and Catholic identity are clearly advanced and reflected in programs, fundraising, grants, and communications.
• Fundraising results, donor retention, donor acquisition, and stewardship practices are strong and sustainable.
• Grantmaking is transparent, mission-aligned, well-managed, and responsive to the needs of aging religious communities.
• The organization maintains sound financial condition, clean financial records, effective internal controls, and timely audits.
• The Board receives clear, accurate, and timely information needed for governance and strategic oversight.
• Staff are well-led, appropriately supported, and accountable for performance.
• Strategic plan priorities are implemented with measurable progress and prudent adaptation as conditions change.
• Organizational risks are identified, communicated, and managed responsibly.

Submit a cover letter and resume to: CEOSearch@soar-usa.org

About the Employer

Support Our Aging Religious, Inc. (SOAR!) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded in 1986, SOAR! raises funds to support congregations of Catholic Sisters, Priests and Brothers in the care of their aging members. SOAR! raises funds through direct mail campaigns, special events and planned giving.