Information about the organization
Wisconsin Religious Collaborative
Ten religious congregations in Wisconsin seek a person with experience of religious institutes of women and capable of assisting us in assessing needs for personnel, resources, vendors that can be contracted to lighten the workload of elected religious leaders. Religious leaders desire to spend less time on operations and more time with members, mission and ministry, and implementing charitable Gospel endeavors.
Position Description
Position Description WRC Shared Services Director
Accountable to: Wisconsin Religious Collaborative Board of Directors, and to Executive
Committee of the Board between Board meetings. The Executive Committee evaluates
performance annually.
Direct Reports: None, this position does not supervise or evaluate anyone.
Location: Wisconsin based home office (or in a state with reciprocity and within 1 days travel
time to each WRC member location. Ability to work remotely from home and electronically is
essential, travel is also required for in person client assessments, service delivery, meetings,
and conferences.
Nature of engagement: Permanent full time, salaried, exempt, benefited.
Background and Overview
The Wisconsin Religious Collaborative (WRC) is a collaborative ministry established by ten
Catholic Religious Institutes in Wisconsin and Illinois (that are also members of LCWR Region 9)
intending to acquire administrative and shared support services for member Religious Institutes
(RI) for needs they define and recruit to serve their members. They seek to identify services
that they are able to share/offer as billable services to other religious institutes or are able to
contract from third party providers for one or more WRC members.
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS MINISTRY
Service to member RIs is at the heart of the vision and mission of the WRC. As the number of
able members within each RI declines more outside services are needed to enable elected
Leaders to keep needs met. The goal of the WRCollaborative in providing shared services is to
free Leader’s time to tend to the RI’s religious charitable mission and Gospel vision endeavors.
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The primary purpose of this position is to help acquire needed services for the RIs with specific
identified needs that their Leadership, members, and existing staff are unable to address.
This position also works directly with the WRC President and Executive Director between
meetings of the Executive Committee, and regularly scheduled meetings of the full Board.
This is a new position to address immediate essential needs and may not represent a
comprehensive reflection of the role as it evolves. Annual or more frequent review and
adjustment may be necessary.
To fulfill the duties of this position, the successful candidate is required to be familiar with the
workings of RIs, and have ability to support, and act in accordance with, WRC’s vision, mission
and values, and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Essential Functions
1. Travels to and works with the Leadership Team of each RI to assess their needs and
obtain services needed to operationalize their mission and vision. Assesses and assists
with processes needed to effect the organization’s operations, goals, and strategic
transformation. Simultaneously recruits any sharable services the RI may be able to
offer to others.
2. Is aware and appreciative of the mission, vision, operation of each WRC RI in need.
Acquires the needed assistance to develop and implement positions, policies,
procedures and programs to achieve the operational goals of the RI.
3. Assesses the impact of changes on individuals and RIs. Determines need for support
and/or resources to ensure changes are sustained and at least 80% of processes are
repeatable regardless of the RI served. Assures no more than 20% of changes in
processes are customizable to any one RI. These percentages to be derived from
ongoing evaluations, listening sessions, brief surveys/check-ins and learnings as part of
Change Impact Analysis (CIA).
4. If desired, educates member representatives, board of directors, staff, volunteers of the
RI and others about intended outcomes and recommends changes needed to
implement their operational goals.
5. Prepares regular accountability reports for each RI receiving assistance and informs the
WRC Board at regular meetings of progress made with each WRC member receiving
service(s).
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Provision of needed services
Leads search for employable or contractable services to meet the needs of each RI.
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1. Promotes in all member RIs their involvement in selecting and working with the selected
service provider(s).
2. Collaborates with each RI’s Leadership Team and their selected key persons to assess
and identify specific needs of their RI – remaining ever mindful of a future direction that
embraces changes while furthering their RI’s vision, mission and values.
3. Demonstrates commitment to servant leadership through the provision of excellent
service and positive relationships.
4. Uses effective written and oral communication to promote WRC’s mission with others in
a way that inspires and engages them in working toward cooperative endeavors.
5. When appropriate, challenges our board of directors when making business decisions,
to broaden their scope beyond traditional priorities to include faith-based and ethical
reference points.
6. Works with appropriate Finance Managers to ensure that billing for services is as simple
as possible.
7. When service providers display behaviors not aligned with the RI’s values, acts to assist
the person(s) involved in understanding and modifying future behavior.
KEY COMPETENCIES
• A deep understanding of and ability to abide by Catholic theology and how it relates to
daily practice and behavior, as well as the purpose, policies, procedures and protocols of
each RI client.
• Generously shares knowledge and engages staff at all levels in dialogue as appropriate
or desired by each RI client within the larger context of Catholic and Christian care.
• Highly developed capacity to promote the mission and values of WRC and to work
within the framework of the Catholic Church as related to vowed women’s religious life.
• A demonstrated ability to communicate and build a rapport, both verbal and written,
with people of all levels.
• Demonstrated ability and preparedness to lead projects and people; exercise critical
thought; think outside the box, envision what could be better; have the courage to take
a contrary view and debate a position in a friendly and positive manner; consult, listen,
develop, maintain positive relationships; and make reasoned decisions.
• To be flexible in leadership style and utilize what is appropriate to each situation.
• Experience within, or otherwise experienced an intimate working knowledge of the
religious life sector, has a willingness to expand such knowledge, ability to understand
the current and emerging issues impacting RI Leaders and members.
• Ability to identify negative elements of an organizational culture and influence positive
change, together with other accountable persons at each RI as needed.
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• Lead and administer request for proposal (RFP) processes, including: crafting and
circulating RFPs, review and selection of RI members and/or third party providers;
structuring of shared services agreements and service level agreements (SLAs).
ACCOUNTABILITY Per Client
Works with the Leadership Teams and their Finance Managers to ensure the allocation of
adequate resources and related support for services obtained will be provided.
Qualifications and Experience
Working knowledge of the operation of religious institutes, Catholic faith, and spirituality of
religious life.
Professional preparatory training in theology, spirituality and mission preferred.
Masters’ degree
7-10 years progressive professional leadership experience in organizational development,
finance, human resources, administration, business, and/or other related fields
Physical and Mental Abilities
1. Sufficient mobility and strength to move freely through buildings in fulfilling the
responsibilities of the position
2. Ability to sit for long periods of time and travel to meetings, seminars and other job-
related activities
3. Ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Able to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words
and sentences.
4. Ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Able to
communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
5. Demonstrated aptitude for learning new technologies
6. Ability to use deductive reasoning by applying general rules to specific problems and
producing answers that make sense.
7. Ability to use inductive reasoning by combining pieces of information to form general
rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events)
8. Ability to work with multiple priorities and frequent time constraints
9. Ability to work cohesively with and cope with a variety of personalities
10. Ability to maintain composure, keeping emotions in check, even in difficult situations
11. Ability to be pleasant with others on the job and display a cooperative attitude
12. Demonstrate honesty and integrity in interpersonal communication and relational skills
13. Ability to relate to, respect and work with people of varying ages, ethnic and cultural
backgrounds
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14. Regularly required to talk and hear. Frequently required to sit and use hands to finger,
handle and feel objects, tools, and controls. Occasionally required to stand, walk, and
reach with hands and arms.
15. Requires close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception
and ability to adjust focus
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Safe personally owned dedicated, secure home office space with internet, phone service,
printer-copier-scanner is required with sufficient space for files, etc. to support the work. WRC
provides milage reimbursement, notebook computer, Carbonite back-up, Microsoft
Suite/Outlook E-mail, Zoom, Doodle, etc.
Safe personally owned vehicle(s)/navigation system for travel to and between WRC member
RIs currently in WI and IL safely in all types of weather is required. Additional travel to future
member RIs, conferences, and service providers as needed. Work schedule may fluctuate for
special occasions and needs. Must comply with Remote Work Policy. A quiet noise level is to
be expected in these work environments.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform
the essential functions.
Tools and Equipment Used- Computer, personal cell phone, printer/copier/scanner, fax,
personal motor vehicle and GPS.
Other Job Related Requirements
Valid Driver’s license, good driving record, and personal vehicle Insurance on all personally
owned vehicle(s) required, if used for WRC business.
Satisfactory Criminal background check
Up to date on all vaccinations available, up to date medical & dental health maintenance that
provides capacity to work full time.
The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principal functions
of the occupation described and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work
requirements that may be inherent in the occupation.
Responsibilities
The Shared Services Director would be someone who would assist institutes in identifying their
needs and in finding services to address those needs. WRC would not supply the services but
would help connect institutes to the services. The SSD would need to assist congregations in
finding the personnel and resources they need.
1. Having the conversation about completion with members of the institute
2. Key administrative roles (CEO, HR, Health Care Coordinator, CFO /Bookkeeper)
3. Properties (campus, chapel)
4. Long term planning (strategic, financial)
5. Governance (plan for commissary, revision of structures, OP alliance)
6. Ministries (university, spirituality centers, use of motherhouse for nonmembers)
This exploratory conversation is intended to be a sharing with one another ahead of a formal
application and interview process improving the probability that those who take the steps to
apply for the SSD role believe strongly that their “gifts” and “call” to the role are exactly what
WRC, and all member communities, need at this time from the SSD role.
EXPLORATORY CONVERSATION
Qualifications and Experience Required
- A commitment to the mission of Mt. Irenaeus and a willingness to enter ongoing formation into the Mountain life.
- Bachelor’s degree with 3 years of experience successfully soliciting gifts.
- Proven success in fundraising and major gift solicitation.
- Perceptive, empathetic, energetic and positive personality and must enjoy meeting and developing a rapport with people.
- High motivation for success coupled with diplomacy, tact and consistent follow through.
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills, analytical abilities, and technical competence.
- Willingness to travel and work outside traditional hours.
- Professional training in development, graduate degree and/or CFRE certification is preferred.
- Fully adept at Microsoft office tools, and ability to use Raiser’s Edge donor management system.
CLICK on link below and sign up for a time with the WRC SSD Search Committee.
LINK https://www.wrcollab.org/library/sharedservicesdirector.cfm
LINK TO RESERVATION FORM: https://form.jotform.com/231138204345144
OR
ALL SET and READY TO APPLY?
If you or the persons (s) you are recommending are ALL SET and READY to APPLY NOW,
click on link below for details of application process
LINK https://www.wrcollab.org/library/applynow.cfm