Diocese of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND
Chief Financial Officer
Full-time, exempt
The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland was founded on April 23, 1847. Under the leadership of Bishop Edward C. Malesic, it is the twenty-third largest diocese in the United States. The diocese encompasses the counties of Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain, Lake, Geauga, Medina, Wayne and Ashland. There are more than 692,000 Catholics in the Diocese, and Catholic Charities- Diocese of Cleveland is one of the largest diocesan systems of social services in the world. There are 185 parishes, 107 Catholic schools, 1 pastoral center and 1 mission office within the diocese. The cathedral is the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in downtown Cleveland.
Primary Functions:
The Chief Financial Officer working closely with and through the Moderator of the Curia (i.e.
Chief of Staff) reports to the Bishop of Cleveland and will supervise managers and directors in the following departments and functions:
- Parish Financial Services
- School Financial Services
- Human Resources and Employee Benefits
- Facilities Services (including real estate management)
- Diocesan Risk Management & Insurance Services
The total staff supporting these responsibilities is approximately 45 employees.
The Chief Financial Officer will provide financial leadership for the Diocese by working with the Bishop and senior management to develop and plan the financial goals, objectives and
strategies of the Diocese and to execute these plans with discipline.
These responsibilities require this executive to work effectively with other senior leaders,
Diocesan department heads, outside auditors, outside legal counsel, bank/investment
professionals, and lay committee and other professional advisors. Additional interactions
include:
- Clergy throughout the diocese
- The Diocesan Finance Council
- Diocesan Audit Committee
- Diocesan Investment Committee
- Diocesan Insurance Committee
- Other ad hoc committees
- Members of individual parishes
The Chief Financial Officer is also an ex-officio Board member of the Catholic Cemeteries
Association, St. Mary Seminary, Borromeo Seminary, Center for Pastoral Leadership, Priest
Pension Board, and is the Bishop's liaison to the Catholic Charities and Catholic Community
Foundation Boards.
Duties & Responsibilities:
The Diocese operates with a June 30th fiscal year end, and certain benefit/insurance plans with a calendar year end. The Chief Financial Officer will be responsible for the development of the Diocese’s $27+ million administrative budget, $90+ million benefit/insurance plan budgets, and will have personal management responsibility for a $3+ million operating budget for his/her own areas of responsibility.
The Chief Financial Officer is ultimately responsible for the preparation of financial statements, budgets, diocesan accounting and financial analyses. In addition, he/she directs the traditional treasury activities of the Diocese, including bank relations, cash management, debt oversight, utilities purchasing/hedging, investment oversight, retirement plan oversight, health plan design and oversight, and risk management and insurance.
Supporting the Chief Financial Officer is the Diocesan Controller and Director of Finance -
Catholic Community Foundation (CCF) who performs two primary duties:
- Responsible for all diocesan office cash receipts and disbursement functions; diocesan
office accounting, budgeting and tax/financial reporting; and all Diocesan entity
financial statements and reports for the entities included in the operations of the
Central Administration Offices (aka "the Diocese") and Diocesan Insurance/Benefits
Offices.
- Responsible for all financial planning (strategic) and recommendations to CCF
Executive Director and Diocesan Chief Financial Officer.
- Financial reporting to senior management, CCF Board of Directors, and major campaign steering committees
- cash receipts and disbursement functions
- accounting, budgeting and tax/financial/investment reporting
- CCF portfolio operations management and donor reporting
- CCF banking relationships
- In addition, the Controller is responsible for all financial, accounting, operations,
planning and reporting for the Angel Scholarship Fund (ASF), a subsidiary of CCF.
Supporting the Chief Financial Officer is the Assistant Finance Officer who is primarily
responsible for designing and managing processes associated with Diocesan activities to
minimize and mitigate exposures to various business risks. Activities include:
- Management of the Diocesan Insurance Office
- Design of programs and operations to minimize exposure to risk across the diocese
- Management of activities to minimize losses upon the occurrence of a risk event.
- This position also manages the diocesan wide gas/electricity utility buying program.
Supporting the Chief Financial Officer is the Catholic Schools Controller who supports the broad financial needs of the Office of Catholic Education (OCE) and the catholic elementary and high schools operated under and within the Diocese of Cleveland. This position provides expertise in the areas of accounting, budgeting, financial systems, and reporting, and assists the Diocesan Finance Office with the OCE departmental financial reporting, budgeting, cash receipts and disbursement processes, and audited external reporting related to the Nutrition Services Department. The Catholic Schools Controller also provides monthly financial analyses, budget support, etc. with respect to the elementary and high schools owned by the Diocese.
Supporting the Chief Financial Officer is the Senior Director of Human Resources who provides leadership and management for the Human Resources and Employee Benefits Departments, including policy development and administration, human resources and employee benefits operations, training, consultation across all Diocesan entities, employment law compliance, employee relations and human resource information systems.
Supporting the Chief Financial Officer is the Director of Information Systems who provides
leadership and actively manages the Diocesan technology and related network equipment,
facilities and activities. The Director of Information Systems also provides leadership and
consultation to business entities, parishes and schools across the entire diocesan geographic
footprint. This position also manages the Diocesan Print/Mail Office located in the Diocesan
headquarters building.
Supporting the Chief Financial Officer is the Director of Facilities who provides consultation and expertise on capital projects, repairs and a variety of facility management needs in support of the Diocese, its parishes and schools, its business entities, and specifically in the management and daily maintenance requirements of Catholic Charities facilities.
Professional Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is currently functioning as the top financial executive of a comparable
Diocesan financial organization or a complex Catholic nonprofit organization such as a college or university, healthcare system or large human services agency with mission of service to the community. Alternative backgrounds could include a seasoned financial leader at a similar organization who is professionally prepared to step up to the Chief Financial Officer-level position. Financial executives from the private sector who bring demonstrated knowledge of, service for, and commitment to Catholic nonprofit organizations may also be considered.
The successful candidate will also demonstrate many of the following traits and characteristics:
- Demonstrated support, alignment and commitment to the values, mission and ministry
of the Roman Catholic Church, catholic education, and the Catholic Diocese of
Cleveland.
- Diocesan experience, minimum of 5 to 10 years of senior financial leadership
background in a comparable Diocese a plus.
- Planning/experience in developing and implementing tactical and strategic plans.
- Management experience, effectively leading/led a complex organization and managed
large staffs of professional and hourly employees.
- Fiscal management, demonstrated ability to manage financial affairs of an organization
(i.e., develop revenue sources and control expenditures so as to preserve financial
stability).
- Board relationships and Executive presence, significant involvement with governance
issues and Board of Director/Trustee interactions.
- Leadership and Teamwork, a take charge individual with vision; can manage, motivate,
challenge and delegate to others.
- Communication Skills, good listener with excellent written and oral communication
skills.
- Organizational Skills, results oriented and meets established goals and objectives.
- Credibility, can command respect of Diocesan leadership, lay committee members,
staff, parishes, other entities; viewed as “the financial expert” in the Diocese.
- Persuasive and Collaborative, able to synthesize various viewpoints and convince
disparate groups to come to a logical resolution.
- Ethical, possesses honesty, integrity and the highest ethical and moral standards.
- Energetic, genuinely enthusiastic; strong personal work ethic.
- Strategic Thinker and Change Agent, proven ability to effectively manage change and
transition.
Challenges & Opportunity:
The projected first year accomplishments for the new Chief Financial Officer include:
- Become completely familiar with all operating aspects of the Diocese including
leadership and staff, finances, cash management/investment programs, ministerial
programs and services, community and volunteer lay organizations and members.
- Active participation in the Diocese's ongoing strategic planning process for catholic
education (known as "Keeping the Faith" initiative), including leadership in decision making regarding future educational delivery platform/locations.
- Re-energize diocesan risk management program and continued analysis and
development/implementation of risk transfer strategy to minimize cost.
- Support the Executive Director of the Catholic Community Foundation as the Diocese
potentially launches a major fundraising initiative.
- Become familiar with the financial condition of the parishes and diocesan schools and
provide guidance for those pastors / parishes that continue to struggle with their
finances and cash flows.
- Become fully engaged in the diocesan process to review diocesan budget priorities and
determine those priorities that must be pursued and those that are no longer
necessary or affordable.
- Evaluate options to implement an electronic billing, receipts and receivables system
that will address all unique diocesan cash inflows.
- Evaluate options to implement a common accounting platform for diocesan parishes
and elementary schools.
- While the financial picture is very strong, this new executive will be faced with the
longer-term challenge of managing finances to alleviate pressure on the organization
caused by the aging of the donor base and mass attendance and attention to their faith
of younger Catholics that is manifesting into revenue challenges.
NOTE: Other accomplishments to be discussed with the Bishop and Finance Council.
Location
The Cleveland region offers an outstanding quality of life, with a myriad of community options,
educational institutions, cultural arts and sports attractions. More information about Northeast
Ohio can be found at the Cleveland Partnership website at Home - Greater Cleveland
Partnership.
Contacts
We fully respect the need for confidentiality of information supplied by interested parties and
ensure them that their background and interests will not be discussed with anyone, including
our client, without prior consent. Reference contacts will not be made until mutual interest has
been established.
The client organization we represent firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal
opportunity for all individuals, regardless of race, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability.
References
Candidates for this position will be asked for three professional references and a reference
from his/her pastor.
Travel: 10%; minimal overnight travel.
Salary: $220,000-$245,000 (depending on qualifications and experience).
This position offers comprehensive benefits and a retirement
plan. Details available from Human Resources.
Application Deadline: September 30, 2024
(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 resume to:
Brent Morton
Senior Vice President of Recruiting
Catholic Recruiter Associates
Brent@CatholicRecruiter.com
Note: Only those selected for an interview with the search
committee will be contacted.
