Francis House - Chief Development Officer

Francis House, the Greccio Foundation, and PFM together form a unique ecosystem of Franciscan-inspired ministries committed to compassion, dignity, and care. Francis House, founded in 1991 by Sister Kathleen Osbelt of the Sisters of St. Francis, has welcomed more than 4,000 residents into its two homes on Michaels Avenue - offering 24-hour care, meals, comfort, and spiritual support to people in their final months of life. With an annual operating budget of approximately $5 million, Francis House is recognized as one of Central New York’s most respected and beloved nonprofits, known for its deeply relational, hospitality-centered approach to end-of-life care.

Francis House is sponsored and managed by PFM (Partners in Franciscan Ministries, the sponsorship corporation of the Sisters of St. Francis of Neumann Communities) an organization that supports and strengthens a broad portfolio of Franciscan ministries through governance, mission integration finance, development, and executive leadership. PFM’s work spans multiple states and ministries, enabling mission-driven organizations to thrive by providing the infrastructure, management, and support to promote long-term sustainability. Within this broader portfolio, Francis House stands as one of their cherished ministry - celebrated for its impact, compassionate ethos, and highly engaged donor and volunteer community.

Building on its commitment to service, PFM recently launched the Greccio Foundation, a new philanthropic foundation with a mandate to scale to nationally important Franciscan foundation. Greccio will serve as the philanthropic arm of PFM - developing thoughtful, values-driven grantmaking strategies to support compassionate care, housing, health services, and other initiatives aligned with Franciscan principles. The CDO will help build a new Franciscan Community by convening likeminded leaders and ushering grantmaking.

To learn more, please visit: https://francishouseny.org/

Position Summary: Chief Development Officer

The Partners in Franciscan Ministries (PFM) together with Francis House seek a strategic, relationship-driven Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead fundraising for Francis House while shaping the emerging philanthropic strategy of the newly formed Greccio Foundation. Reporting to the President & CEO of PFM, who is also the Executive Director of Francis House, this is an inaugural role that blends hands-on community engagement with high-level national grantmaking - ideal for a seasoned leader who finds meaning at the intersection of compassion, philanthropy, and long-term impact.

Roughly 70% of this role will focus on Francis House, where the CDO will serve as the organization’s primary development leader and most visible ambassador. This is a deeply personal and community-rooted role - one that requires energizing donor relationships, building ongoing trust, and maintaining warm, consistent communication that longtime supporters cherish. The ideal leader is comfortable in the sacred space of end of life care – someone who can honor each resident’s life with grace and empathy, supporting families through moments of grief, and embodying the faith-based values that define the Francis House ministry. The CDO will have the opportunity to build and hire the development team, strengthen systems and data integrity, and create the processes and infrastructure needed to support sustainable, relationship-based philanthropy.

The remaining 30% of the role will support Greccio Foundation, PFM’s emerging philanthropic arm with significant assets and a vision for national impact. The CDO will help shape Greccio’s grantmaking strategy - establishing clear priorities, building the policies and practices to steward philanthropic resources responsibly, and laying the groundwork for a thoughtful, mission-aligned approach to giving.

Key Responsibilities

Francis House – Chief Development Officer Responsibilities (Primary Focus)

Relationship-Based Fundraising & Donor Engagement

• Serve as a primary ambassador to Francis House’s donor community - reconnecting with longtime supporters, families, and volunteers through personal outreach, visits, and heartfelt stewardship.
• Cultivate meaningful relationships that inspire annual, major, planned, and estate giving grounded in trust and shared values.

Development Strategy & Infrastructure

• Assess the current development function and build a clear strategy that strengthens long-term sustainability, across individuals, foundations, community partners, and faith-based supporters.
• Modernize and streamline development systems by improving the donor database, segmentation, and reporting processes so that tracking, stewardship, and analytics are consistent and accurate.

Team Leadership & Culture Building

• Rebuild and hire a high-performing development team, setting clear goals, expectations, and pathways for professional growth.
• Model collaboration and accountability, working with colleagues and other senior leaders across Francis House to strengthen communication and unity.
• Bring the confidence and steadiness to address performance challenges directly while guiding the team through change and establishing a culture of excellence, trust, and results.

Communications, Storytelling & Visibility

• Elevate Francis House’s presence through compassionate storytelling, newsletters, social media, and mission-forward communications.
• Ensure that all messaging reflects Franciscan values, the voice of the community, and the dignity of residents and families.

Events & Community Engagement

• Lead the planning and execution of Francis House’s signature fundraising events, donor gatherings, and community-facing activities.
• Attend parish, community, and volunteer events as a visible and trusted representative of the ministry.

Mission-Alignment + Value-Based leadership

• Comfort operating in a Franciscan Catholic environment, supporting residents and families with empathy and calmness, and embodying the Franciscan and Catholic values of compassion, acceptance, respect and dignity for all.
• Engage personally and respectfully with residents and families - sharing meals, listening with care, and offering spiritual sensitivity and comfort across all faith backgrounds.

Greccio Foundation – Chief Philanthropy Officer Responsibilities (Secondary Focus)

Grantmaking Strategy & Framework Development

• Shape the Foundation’s philanthropic strategy in partnership with the President & CEO and the Board.
• Lead development of annual conference and meaningful stakeholder gatherings
• Be curious, learn the history, values, and vision of the Greccio Foundation by engaging with leadership and the Sisters of St. Francis, develop understanding of our priorities, review past partnerships and grantmaking efforts. Do this to become a person who deeply understands the Franciscan charisms and how to achieve ministry goals.
• Help lead the development of grantmaking priorities, criteria, and cycles that reflect Greccio’s mission and desired community impact.

Governance, Policy & Compliance

• Create policies, guidelines, and documentation that ensure responsible stewardship and transparent grant decisions.
• Establish clear reporting and evaluation practices to measure impact and guide future giving.

Foundation Operations & Infrastructure

• Develop systems for grant tracking, data management, budgeting, and evaluation as the Foundation grows.
• Identify future staffing needs and support the hiring and onboarding of new team members as capacity expands.

Partnerships & External Relations

• Serve as a representative of Greccio Foundation to nonprofit partners, philanthropic peers, and community leaders.
• Build relationships with organizations, congregations, and those aligned with the Foundation’s vision and values.

Qualifications

While it is understood that no single candidate will embody every qualification, strong candidates will demonstrate many of the following experiences, skills, and attributes:

• Extensive experience in relationship-based fundraising, including major gifts, annual giving, donor stewardship, and planned/estate giving.
• Demonstrated experience building or rebuilding a development function, including hiring, coaching, and leading teams through change toward a high-performance, mission-driven culture.
• Background in philanthropy, grantmaking, or foundation strategy - or clear transferable experience that shows the ability to design grantmaking frameworks, evaluate proposals, and partner with board members on funding priorities.
• Strong systems and operational skills, including database management, donor segmentation, tracking, pipeline development, and process improvement across multiple entities or programs.
• Exceptional communication and relationship skills, with the emotional intelligence to engage donors, families, volunteers, board members, and community partners with compassion, discretion, and professionalism.
• Deep alignment with PMF and Francis House’s mission and Catholic faith-based values; and comfort working in a spiritually grounded, compassionate care environment.
• Bachelor’s degree required; CFRE certification or advanced training in fundraising or nonprofit management preferred.

Location, Compensation and Benefits

This position is based onsite at Francis House in Syracuse, New York, with a strong presence both within the Home and throughout the community. This role will work closely with staff and volunteers in the Home while actively engaging with donors, families, faith partners, and community stakeholders in the field. In addition, the role includes approximately 10% travel to support the early work of the Greccio Foundation, including meeting with board members, partners, and potential grantees as the foundation’s strategy takes shape.

The salary range for this position is $170,000 - $180,000, commensurate with experience, along with a comprehensive benefits package.