Director of Pilgrimages

Job Description

Date: May 30, 2025
Position Available: Director of Pilgrimages
Position Reports to: Executive Director of Development
Department: Advancement
FLSA Status: Exempt
Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; some evenings and weekends; some travel is required.

Please apply online: https://franciscan.edu/director-of-pilgrimages/

POSITION SUMMARY
Franciscan University is seeking a highly motivated and visionary leader to fill the role of Director of Pilgrimages. The successful candidate will be a leader in executing our Franciscan Pilgrimages program, centered around creating, promoting, and filling pilgrimage trips. The successful candidate approaches Pilgrimages by recruitment and serving the entire process, and stewards past and present Pilgrims to grow them into university promoters. The position works in collaboration with Academic Affairs to create educational programing abroad to attract friends and donors to the University family. This position demands a dynamic individual with a proven track record of achieving results and a strong communicator in all forms. The role serves the University and Advancement by growing the University's reach, support, and influence through its pilgrim friends. The successful candidate embraces the University's core values of conversion, community, and encounter in all aspects of donor and constituent outreach.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Strategic Leadership: Evolve and grow a pilgrimage engagement plan utilizing a wide range of internal resources and external allies to achieve meaningful relationships with University constituents.

2. Innovative Growth: Grows and develops opportunities for donor and constituent engagement through academic programing abroad.

3. Operational Excellence: Oversee all aspects of pilgrimage management from creation, team building, communication, promotion, matriculation, follow up and stewardship.

4. Strategic Communications: Utilize a wide range of communication formats (email, web, social media, text, etc.) and targeted marketing (Meta, etc.) to grow pilgrimages, and share the mission of Franciscan University and enhance pilgrim support of University objectives. Uses emerging technologies and trends to augment and grow pilgrimage participation and customer satisfaction.

5. Continuous Improvement: Embrace and enhance a feedback mechanism (surveys, analytics, etc.) for continuous improvement, analyzing data and participant feedback to refine and optimize future engagement.

6. Collaboration: Works closely with Stewardship, Development, Alumni Relations, Christian Outreach and Marketing and Communications to achieve Pilgrimage goals.

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Additional duties, expectations and responsibilities may be added or changed as needed to meet the University's needs.

REQUIREMENTS
Must believe, promote, and have a strong commitment to the mission of Franciscan University of Steubenville and possess the following:

Technical Skills
1. Proficiency with Slate CRM is a plus, or other CRM products
2. Proficiency with all Microsoft suite products is a plus

Non-Technical Skills (Competencies)
1. Organizational Excellence: Proven history of process/project management brought to fruition with success.

2. Results-Driven Mindset: A proven ability to set and achieve ambitious goals, with a focus on data-driven decision-making and a commitment to achieving measurable outcomes.

3. Relationship Management: Uses all available resources to manage a wide range of relationships, from tour hosts, diocesan partners, community partners, tour providers, donors, friends, and alumni.

4. Exceptional Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey the mission and vision of the University through all mediums of communication.

5. Collaborative Spirit: A collaborative and inspirational leadership style, with the ability to work effectively with various teams, stakeholders, and partners.

Education & Experience
• Academic Background: A bachelor's degree is preferred.
• Event Management background preferred.

Workplace Factors
• Some evening and weekend hours are required throughout the year
• Some travel is required

Candidates must submit an online application, a resume and a cover letter that demonstrates their fit for the position based on their experience, accomplishments, and skills as well as their desire to advance the mission of Franciscan University.

Please apply online: https://franciscan.edu/director-of-pilgrimages/

For other information and job postings, visit our website at https://www.franciscan.edu

Franciscan University of Steubenville is committed to principles of equal opportunity and is an equal opportunity employer.

About the Employer

Franciscan University is a Catholic and Franciscan liberal arts and professional studies institution located in Steubenville, Ohio.