Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes seeks an experienced finance leader to steward the cluster’s financial integrity and philanthropic growth across five canonical parishes in Portland, Maine. The Director of Finance and Development serves as the chief financial steward, guiding budgets, cash management, and capital campaign initiatives in support of the cluster’s mission and pastoral life.
Responsibilities
- Act as the chief financial steward for all five canonical parishes: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart/St. Dominic, Saint Christopher, Saint Louis, and Saint Peter.
- Oversee the preparation of annual operating budgets for each parish in consultation with the Rector/Pastor and the Cluster Finance Council.
- Direct monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting for each parish and the cluster, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and adherence to Diocese of Portland policies.
- Establish and maintain internal controls over cash handling, offertory counting, deposits, accounts payable, and payroll across all locations.
- Prepare and present financial reports to combined and individual parish finance councils as required.
- Coordinate annual diocesan financial reporting, audits, and internal control reviews; serve as the primary contact with the diocesan finance office.
- Oversee management of parish investments, restricted funds, endowments, and special collections in alignment with diocesan and canonical requirements.
- Monitor and manage cash flow across the cluster, including coordination of shared services and cost allocation among the five parishes.
- Directly supervise two part-time parish bookkeepers, providing training, workflow oversight, and quality control of day-to-day bookkeeping across the cluster.
- Oversee HR compliance and policy implementation across the cluster, including payroll, benefits administration, and employment-law adherence.
- Provide a structured knowledge-transfer process with the current Director during a planned phased transition to ensure continuity of operations.
- Serve as the parish internal liaison and project manager for the Cathedral capital campaign, working with the engaged philanthropic firm through planning, quiet, and public phases.
- Coordinate gathering and reporting of financial and donor data to support feasibility studies, case-for-support development, gift tables, and campaign progress reporting.
- Partner with the Rector, campaign counsel, and campaign committees to cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift donors.
- Collaborate with the Director of Communications and campaign counsel to shape donor-facing materials and progress updates, ensuring a clear case for support across print, digital, and in-person channels.
- Lay groundwork for an ongoing culture of philanthropy across the Cathedral and cluster beyond the campaign, including annual appeal support and planned giving awareness.
Requirements
- Practicing Roman Catholic in good standing, with a genuine commitment to and understanding of Catholic teachings, mission, and pastoral life.
- Ability to integrate the Church’s mission into financial stewardship and donor engagement; the role is a ministry of stewardship as much as finance.
- Comfort and credibility engaging with clergy, religious, donors, and parishioners from diverse backgrounds and languages within the cluster’s community.
- Willingness to participate in sacramental and parish life of the Cathedral and cluster as appropriate to the role.
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field required; CPA, MBA, or CFRE preferred but not required.
- Minimum 5–7 years of progressive financial management experience, ideally in nonprofit, parish, diocesan, or faith-based settings.
- Experience supporting or managing a capital campaign, major gifts fundraising, or comprehensive development program, preferably in religious or nonprofit contexts.
- Experience supervising staff, including bookkeeping or accounting personnel, with mentoring and performance management.
- Experience collaborating with external consultants and presenting financial information to boards or councils.
- Strong working knowledge of nonprofit or fund accounting (GAAP), budgeting, and financial reporting; familiarity with parish or diocesan accounting structures preferred.
- Proficiency with accounting and donor-management software (QuickBooks, ParishSOFT, Sage, Raiser's Edge, eCatholic, or similar); ability to learn new systems quickly.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to prepare clear financial reports and donor-facing materials for varied audiences.
- Working knowledge of marketing and communications concepts related to donor messaging and campaign collateral; hands-on design experience is a plus but not required.
- High discretion, integrity, and professionalism in handling confidential financial and donor information.
- Strong organizational and project-management skills to oversee multiple parishes, a capital campaign, and a small finance team simultaneously.
- Collaborative, relationship-driven style; trusted advisor to a single Pastor across five parishes and adept at managing a multi-site cluster.
- Diplomatic and professional in interactions with diocesan offices and external stakeholders.
- Ability to commute to Portland, ME 04101 (Required).
Technologies
- QuickBooks
- ParishSOFT
- Sage
- Raiser’s Edge
- eCatholic
Benefits
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Dependent health insurance coverage
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Compensation
Salary: $65,000–$80,000 per year.
Job Details
Job Type: Full-time
Work Location: In person. Onsite at the Pastoral Offices, 307 Congress Street, Portland, Maine.
Ability to commute: Portland, ME 04101 (Required).
Application Details
To apply for the position, submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references. Applications may be submitted via Indeed or emailed to Fr. Seamus Griesbach, Rector/Pastor. An initial phone interview will be scheduled with qualified applicants.
About the Organization
The Portland Peninsula and Island Parishes comprises five canonical Roman Catholic parishes: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart/St. Dominic, Saint Christopher, Saint Louis, and Saint Peter. These parishes serve central Portland and nearby island communities within the Diocese of Portland, under a single pastor who also serves as Rector of the Cathedral.
