Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Division: Programs and Services
Status: Exempt

Summary Description: In alignment with Catholic Charities USA’s strategic plan, mission, and goals, the Chief Innovation & Programs Officer (CIPO) is responsible for fostering a culture of innovative programming and services in the areas of disaster relief, affordable housing, food and nutrition, integrated health, workforce development/social enterprise, immigration services, community bridgebuilding and other services supporting vulnerable children, youth, families, seniors, veterans and other at-risk populations. The CIPO also will guide a team of analysts to provide critical research and evaluation to assist the network and CCUSA colleagues with data insights. The officer will work closely with leaders across CCUSA departments, including Member Services, Development, Marketing and Communications, Convening, Government Relations and Finance, to create national and regional pilot programs of value to our member agencies, be a voice for social services innovation publicly and within the network, and facilitate shared programmatic best practices with Catholic Charities colleagues.

The CIPO manages the Programs & Services staff and the Research & Evaluation staff, accounting for 18 direct and indirect reports; is a member of CCUSA’s Executive Core Team; and reports to the CCUSA President and CEO.

Responsibilities:

Drive innovative programs and services that are responsive to member agency needs, including analyzing and making recommendations related to all major programs and grants; represent those initiatives with the CCUSA Board of Directors, network leaders, CCUSA colleagues, funders and other external partners
Identify and implement emerging trends, technologies and methodologies that drive a culture of continuous improvement in program effectiveness and organizational agility according to the needs of CCUSA’s member agencies
Provide strategic guidance and leadership for the design, delivery and evaluation of the initiatives of the Programs & Services and the Research & Evaluation teams
Facilitate the collection and analysis of data — both public data and network data — providing opportunities to share research and learnings to assist CCUSA in grant proposals and evaluation, programmatic excellence and targeted usages for fundraising, government relations and communications/marketing efforts
Interface with the Development and Finance teams to actively pursue, secure, coordinate and ensure compliance with grant opportunities
Oversee and execute the implementation of CCUSA’s strategic plan within the Programs & Services and Research & Evaluation departments and coordinate as necessary with other CCUSA departments
Oversee communications and best-practice sharing within Communities of Practice focused on programs and services, including convenings of network leaders and staff within programmatic areas; drive connections via the network intranet, CCConnect; and spearhead coordination of local agency requests for consultations on innovative services, programs and research
Act as public voice for the organization in relation to programs and services in coordination with the Marketing and Communications team, including public speaking engagements and national, Catholic and vertical media interviews
Establish and communicate performance standards and goals to direct and indirect reports and provide staff with timely and constructive feedback, providing coaching and technical information to ensure a knowledgeable, innovative and skilled staff

Develop and support collaborative relationships with member agencies, coalition collaborators and other allies to further organizational initiatives
Develop, recommend and monitor operating; direct division’s activities to ensure maximum use of resources and goal achievement
Stay abreast of developments in social policy and participate in relevant professional organizations and meetings to understand and, as appropriate, incorporate trends and new approaches in collaboration with the Government Relations team
Exercise significant leadership in CCUSA’s mission and promote our Catholic identity

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Ability to lead communications, cooperative planning and integrated evaluation of programs, services and research and evaluation among the departments of CCUSA and its member agencies

Familiarity with the Catholic Church’s core moral and social teachings and their application
Advanced knowledge of social work practice and the ability to apply best practices and innovation in human services
Ability to embrace CCUSA’s Shared Values — human dignity, empathy, curiosity, joy, collaboration, integrity, respect and dedication — and the behaviors that support the values
Demonstrated experience in innovation, research and program design
Experience developing frameworks for tracking program performance, learning and impact

Successful track record of building and nurturing positive relationships and partnerships including with key stakeholders, including an ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds
Ability to recognize and creatively respond to trends and sector changes
Public speaking excellence — both extemporaneously and from a prepared text — and a high comfort level with participating in media interviews
Excellent writing skills for a wide variety of documents — proposals, white papers, opinion pieces, etc.
Strong analytic skills and substantive experience in data, research and evaluation
Experience in developing, implementing and being accountable for a unit’s budget
Ability to assess, analyze and articulate members’ needs and to work collaboratively to uncover solutions directly or through appropriate referral
Adaptable in fast-paced, changing and challenging environments
Highly motivated to constantly improve performance, services and products

Demonstrated high emotional intelligence

Competency in Microsoft Office Suite

Educational & Experience:

Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in business management, human services or related field; demonstrated years of executive management experience is a must
Minimum of fifteen (15) years of management and/or program innovation experience

Work Environment:

This position may require extended periods of standing, sitting, as well as some repetitive movements, bending and repetitive lifting of minimal weight
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the key components and primary responsibilities
30% travel required

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Job Title: Chief Innovation & Programs Officer
Posted On: September 30, 2025