Director of Catholic Community Engagement

Job Description Summary Saint Leo University seeks an experienced, mission-driven professional to serve as Director of Catholic Community Engagement — a newly created role designed to build Saint Leo's presence, relationships, and enrollment pipeline within Catholic secondary education communities across the United States, with a primary focus on the Midwest and Northeast and continued development in Florida and the Southeast. This is a senior relationship-building and enrollment development role that combines strategic outreach to Catholic high schools, development of institutional partnership agreements, and support for Advancement's Catholic relations work across Florida, the Southeast, and growing into the Midwest and Northeast. The Director will be the face of Saint Leo in Catholic educational communities — attending conferences, visiting campuses, meeting with principals and heads of school, linking the high school counselor and Saint Leo admissions counselor into a professional relationship, and building the kind of sustained, trust-based relationships that generate enrollment referrals, institutional partnerships, and philanthropic affinity for years to come. This role is suited to a mature, experienced professional with deep personal Catholic faith, fluency in Catholic educational culture, and a proven track record in relationship-based recruitment or development work. Knowledge of athletic recruiting is a distinct advantage given the significant overlap between the Catholic high school student population and competitive student-athletes.

Job Description Primary Responsibilities:

Catholic High School Enrollment Development Build and manage a territory-based outreach program targeting Catholic high schools in the Midwest, Northeast, Florida, and Southeast — with a Year 1 enrollment target of 50 incremental students from the Catholic secondary school pipeline. Develop and maintain direct relationships with principals, presidents, heads of school, guidance counselors, and college advisors at target Catholic high schools — visiting campuses in person regularly and sustaining relationships year-round via phone, Zoom, and email. Represent Saint Leo at Catholic high school college fairs, diocesan events, NCEA gatherings, and regional Catholic education conferences. Coordinate with the Enrollment Management team on lead generation, application follow-up, and yield conversion strategies specific to the Catholic high school pipeline. Apply knowledge of athletic recruiting where applicable — understanding the student-athlete pipeline and building relationships with high school coaches and athletic directors at target institutions. Institutional Partnerships and MOUs Develop and execute Memoranda of Understanding with Catholic high schools and dioceses establishing formal partnership relationships with Saint Leo — including preferred admission pathways, scholarship commitments, dual enrollment opportunities, faculty/staff graduate education benefits, and ongoing collaboration. Work with the Provost's office and Enrollment Management to structure agreements that are academically sound, financially sustainable, and meaningfully attractive to partner institutions. Build a portfolio of active MOU partner schools — targeting 50 signed MOUs in Year 1 and growing to 200+ over three years. Manage ongoing MOU relationships through annual reviews and continuous partnership deepening. Affinity Services and Program Development Develop and actively market graduate education programs designed for Catholic high school teachers and administrators — including online graduate degrees, professional development coursework, and certificate programs — in coordination with Academic Affairs and Lionova. Organize and host annual campus visit programs for Catholic high school counselors and principals — designing experiences that authentically showcase Saint Leo's Benedictine community, Catholic identity, and academic programs. Coordinate conferences and convenings that bring Catholic secondary education leaders together around shared professional and mission topics, positioning Saint Leo as a convening institution in this space. Identify and develop additional affinity programming — speaker series, faith formation events, Catholic educator networks — that sustain institutional relationships between in-person visits. Advancement Support

• Catholic Relations Support the Vice President for University Advancement in building relationships with dioceses across Florida, the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast — identifying major gift prospects, planned giving opportunities, and institutional donors within the Catholic community.

Represent Saint Leo at diocesan events, Catholic Charities gatherings, and institutional Catholic settings where Advancement presence is appropriate. Develop and maintain a comprehensive contact database covering Catholic schools, parishes, dioceses, Catholic foundations, and religious communities — supporting both enrollment and philanthropic outreach. Collaborate with Advancement on donor cultivation strategies for alumni, educators, and community members with connections to the Catholic secondary education world. Travel, Networking, and Representation Travel extensively — 40-60% of time — to Catholic high school campuses, diocesan offices, conferences, and partner institution meetings across the Midwest, Northeast, Florida, and Southeast. Maintain active presence in Catholic education professional networks including the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), and relevant regional associations. Represent Saint Leo with authenticity, warmth, and professionalism in every setting — embodying the Benedictine values of radical hospitality, community, and genuine personal engagement. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree required — in education, higher education administration, theology, communications, or a related field. Minimum 8-10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in Catholic education, higher education enrollment, institutional advancement, or a directly related field. Active, practicing Catholic with authentic, lived familiarity with Catholic educational culture, values, and institutional community. Demonstrated experience in relationship-based professional work — enrollment, development, institutional partnerships, or community engagement — with a track record of building durable, trust-based relationships over time. Knowledge of Florida higher education and the Florida Catholic school landscape. Willingness and ability to travel 40-60% of the time, including extended travel periods during fall and spring recruitment seasons. Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and presentation skills — comfortable and effective with principals, superintendents, bishops, donors, coaches, counselors, and students. Proficiency with CRM tools (HubSpot or similar) and standard remote communication technologies. Preferred Qualifications Direct experience in Catholic secondary education as a teacher, administrator, or close institutional partner — firsthand knowledge of how Catholic high schools operate and make decisions. Experience in collegiate or high school athletic recruiting — understanding of the student-athlete pipeline and relationships with high school coaches is a meaningful differentiator. Established networks within Catholic high school communities in the Midwest and/or Northeast that can be activated immediately upon hire. Experience developing and managing institutional MOUs, articulation agreements, or partnership frameworks. Familiarity with Catholic philanthropic institutions, diocesan foundations, and Catholic grant-making organizations. Established relationships with diocesan leadership in Florida or other target regions. Why Work at Saint Leo? What it's Like to

Work Here:

Ask our employees and the one word they'd use to describe working at Saint Leo University is "Community." Our team members all share the Saint Leo core values, positive attitudes, and problem-solving abilities, enabling them to provide excellent student centered service. Our mission is educating and preparing students for life and leadership in a challenging world. Thank you for your interest in joining the Saint Leo PRIDE! We are committed to providing our employees with the support they need. At Saint Leo, we offer an array of medical, dental, and vision packages as well as several add-on perks to make your benefits package truly customizable to you and your family needs. Available benefits based on employment status (Full Time vs Part Time). FREE Tuition

• Employee, Spouse, and Dependents
• Tuition Exchange Opportunity
• Dependent of Employees
• Generous Paid Leave
• Sick, Vacation, and Holidays Comprehensive Group Health Plan (Medical, Dental, and Vision) Group Medical Plan includes Teledoc, Surgery Plus, Wellness Incentive Program and more!

100% Employer-Funded Health Reimbursement Account 100% Employer-Paid Short Term Disability Insurance 100% Employer-Funded Employee Assistance Program (healthcare and dependent options) Employer-provided life insurance Discounted On-Campus Dining Meal Plans Nationwide Pet Insurance Flexible Spending Accounts 403b Retirement Plan Wellness Center

• Eligibility based on meeting required service period 2025 ICUBA Benefits Guide_St Leo Top Workplace Each year from 2012 to 2016, Saint Leo University was named one of Tampa Bay's Top Workplaces by the Tampa Bay Times.

The Top Workplaces in Tampa Bay program was created by the Tampa Bay Times and WorkplaceDynamics. The companies in this survey were ranked based on leadership, compensation and training, workplace flexibility, and diversity. One of the Top-Ranked Universities in Florida One of the top-ranked universities in Florida, Saint Leo is a Catholic, liberal arts school serving learners of all faiths. We are traditional, but we are cutting edge Established in 1889 by the Order of Saint Benedict of Florida, the university seeks balanced growth in mind, body and spirit for all members of our community. Saint Leo has grown from a peaceful campus in the rolling hills of Central Florida to an institution of international consequence—ranked one of the best regional universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report Our Tampa-area campus remains committed as ever to student-centered liberal arts education, and is strengthened by the global reach of our regionally accredited online programs and Education Centers in seven states across the U.S., including on many military bases. We are Catholic, but we are for everyone Our determination to make higher education more accessible to all has made Saint Leo a world leader in redefining the 21st century university. Saint Leo now serves more than 16,000 students from 49 states and 86 countries—ranking us among the five largest Catholic higher education institutions in the United States. Saint Leo is also one of the nation's 10 leading providers of higher education to the U.S. military. While we are proudly Catholic, we teach students not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic. And our faith compels us to imagine and contribute to a more socially just society. Non-Discrimination EEO Statement Saint Leo University has a strong commitment to principles of equal employment opportunity and equal access to education. Saint Leo University does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, ethic origin, genetic information, sex, gender, national origin, race, religion, or veteran status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law in its educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid, employment, or other school administered programs. The policy is enforced by Saint Leo University and by applicable laws such as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992.

The Title IX Office Office Location:

Benedictine Hall 3rd

Floor Email Address:

titleixcoordinator@saintleo.edu

Telephone Number:

(352) 588-8993

Mailing Address:

Saint Leo University ATTN:

Title IX Office 33701 C.R. 52, Saint Leo, FL 33574 The Director of Accessibility Services and the Section 504 Coordinator, Michael Bailey, may be contacted at michael.bailey02@saintleo.edu.

Note:

Questions regarding job application status can be sent to hr@saintleo.edu. The above contacts are listed specifically for Title IX and/or Accessibility concerns only. The University has developed the 'Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Policy' to address any Title IX related allegations of sexual harassment. The policy can be found on the University website. A written/hard-copy version of the policy is available upon request from the Title IX Coordinator. Links Campus Security & Safety Employment Site