Executive Director - Marriage, Family, and Respect Life

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Executive Director of the Office of Marriage, Family, and Respect Life (OMFRL) serves the Bishop of the Diocese of Arlington by providing strategic leadership, operational oversight, and visionary direction for diocesan ministries that promote, strengthen, and uphold the dignity of marriage, family, and human life. The Executive Director leads the development and implementation of diocesan initiatives, programs, and resources that equip pastors and parishes with the formation, guidance, and tools needed to advance the Church's mission in marriage, family, and respect life ministries. The role also provides leadership and oversight for parish-based outreach and pastoral care ministries, including the Gabriel Project, which supports pregnant women and families in need, and Project Rachel, which offers healing and accompaniment to those seeking reconciliation and hope after abortion. The Executive Director represents the Diocese in collaborative partnerships with organizations such as the Virginia Catholic Conference, serving as the diocesan liaison for educational initiatives, public policy, and advocacy efforts that uphold and advance the Church's teaching on marriage, family, and the sanctity of human life.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

Selects, develops, evaluates, and leads a staff that is widely acknowledged as an effective and responsive group. Provides overall leadership, vision, and direction for the Office of Marriage, Family and Respect Life, ensuring alignment with diocesan priorities and the mission of the Catholic Church. Develops and implements strategic plans, goals, and initiatives in collaboration with the Senior Director, Respect Life Director, and Director of Project Rachel/Gabriel Project. Oversees all marriage, family, and respect life programs and ministries, ensuring effectiveness, accountability, and fidelity to Catholic teaching. Evaluates existing programs and identifies opportunities for growth, innovation, and increased pastoral impact. Develops, manages, and administers the annual office budget, ensuring responsible stewardship of diocesan resources. Oversees program service fees, revenue management, and financial reporting. Directs fundraising initiatives, including the annual Gift for Life campaign, in collaboration with the Director of Project Rachel/Gabriel Project. Approves funding decisions related to Project Rachel and Gabriel Project client assistance. Oversees office operations, including registration systems, FOCCUS inventories, direct mailings, and administrative processes. Provides executive leadership for major diocesan events, conferences, and celebrations. Directs all aspects of a biennial diocesan festival serving approximately 5,000–8,000 participants, including planning, budgeting, venue selection, vendor management, volunteer coordination, programming, logistics, and event execution. Attends and supports conferences, liturgies, training programs, and special events sponsored by the Office. Approves the design, content, and funding of educational, promotional, and advertising materials supporting all Office initiatives. Ensures consistent messaging that reflects Catholic teaching and diocesan priorities. Serves as a spokesperson and representative of the Diocese on issues related to marriage, family life, and the protection of human life. Cultivates and maintains collaborative relationships with diocesan, parish, community, and national organizations to advance marriage, family, and life ministries. Coordinates initiatives with organizations including, but not limited to: Virginia Catholic Conference, Diocese of Richmond, National Committee for a Human Life Amendment (NCHLA), Virginia Society for Human Life, Catholic Engaged Encounter, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the Knights of Columbus and the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Collaborates with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Pro-Life and Marriage and Family Life Offices on national initiatives and programs. Fosters partnerships with religious, civic, and nonprofit organizations that support the mission of the Office. Performs other duties and special projects as assigned by the Bishop or Vicar General.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education: Advanced degree in Catholic theology or related field with special emphasis on marriage and family life or equivalent degree and experience. Experience Minimum of 6–10 years of leadership experience in parish, diocesan, and/or church-related non-profit ministry focused on family and pro-life work. Minimum of 5 years of supervisory experience. Demonstrated success in strategic planning, program development, budget preparation and management, and staff leadership. Experience managing multiple priorities, large-scale events, and complex ministry initiatives. Knowledge/Skills: Must be a fully initiated and practicing Catholic able to participate in the full sacramental life of the Church. Demonstrated commitment to and excellent understanding of Catholic teachings on marriage, family life, and the dignity of the human person with a demonstrated ability to apply Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and Theology of the Family to all aspects of the ministry Ability to faithfully represent and implement Church teaching in ministry, policy development, and parish engagement Knowledge of church structure and organizational and operational procedures Working knowledge of nonprofit operations, budgeting, and development practices Strong leadership and management skills Strong interpersonal relations skills with a demonstrated ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with clergy, parish leaders, volunteers, donors, and external organizations Excellent written and verbal communication skills Demonstrated facilitation and presentation skills Strong planning and organizational skills with a focus on details Ability to balance competing priorities and meet deadlines Ability to apply critical thinking to solve problems in an everyday work setting Active listener Ability to articulate ideas clearly, concisely, and professionally both orally and in writing Ability to develop, manage, and evaluate programs that align individual program goals with strategic goals and objectives and to formulate recommendations to improve program delivery and management Ability to create basic documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and emails using MS Word, Excel, Power Point and MS Outlook; working knowledge in design, either with Adobe or Microsoft Publisher, highly desirable Ability to work collaboratively, foster teamwork and address conflict as it arises Ability to work independently as well as in a team Bilingual in Spanish is a plus #J-18808-Ljbffr The Catholic Diocese of Arlington