The Catholic Diocese of Richmond Pastoral Center is seeking an Executive Assistant to the Bishop.
The Executive Assistant to the Bishop provides executive-level administrative, operational, and strategic support to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. Serving as one of the Bishop’s closest advisors, this position manages the daily operations of the Office of the Bishop, coordinates the Bishop's schedule, facilitates communication across the Diocese, and provides counsel and administrative leadership to ensure the Bishop's pastoral and administrative responsibilities are carried out effectively.
The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted liaison between the Bishop, diocesan leadership, clergy, parishes, and external organizations while exercising exceptional judgment, discretion, professionalism, and the highest level of confidentiality. This position requires flexibility, responsiveness, and availability to meet the changing needs of the Bishop and the Diocese.
Responsibilities and Tasks:
Executive Office Administration (30%)
- Manage the daily operations of the Office of the Bishop.
- Meet regularly with the Bishop to review priorities, coordinate schedules, and provide administrative support and counsel.
- Advise the Bishop regarding scheduling priorities, workflow, communications, and administrative matters.
- Manage all calendaring for the Bishop, including scheduling and coordinating pastoral, liturgical, diocesan, civic, personal, and personal appointment commitments.
- Coordinate all travel arrangements, including transportation, lodging, itineraries, and related logistics.
- Anticipate scheduling conflicts and proactively recommend solutions.
- Exercise independent judgment in responding to matters on behalf of the Bishop as appropriate.
- Maintain the highest degree of confidentiality regarding all personnel, pastoral, legal, financial, and diocesan matters.
- Staff the Diocesan Priest’s Council meetings (5x per year)
- Screen, manage, and respond to incoming calls, correspondence, and visitors on behalf of the Bishop, exercising sound judgment in determining appropriate handling, escalation, or referral.
- Following the Diocesan records retention policies, maintain accurate, organized, and secure records and files for the Office of the Bishop, including clergy personnel records, exercising the highest degree of confidentiality and discretion consistent with canon law and diocesan policy.
- Coordinate with the Office of the Vicar General and the Vicar for Clergy to ensure appropriate backup coverage for the Office of the Bishop during absences; scheduled time off for this position generally aligns with the Bishop's own absences.
Executive Communications & Correspondence (25%)
- Draft, edit, proofread, and manage the Bishop's correspondence — including appointment letters, pastoral letters, congratulatory and testimonial correspondence, invitations, speeches, presentations, acknowledgements, and emails — exercising independent judgment to respond directly or escalate matters requiring his personal attention, and ensuring all correspondence reflects his pastoral voice and priorities.
- Review communications prepared by diocesan departments that will be issued in the Bishop's name to ensure consistency, accuracy, and appropriate tone, and coordinate distribution of communications from the Bishop to clergy, parishes, diocesan leadership, and external organizations.
- Coordinate distribution of communications from the Bishop to clergy, parishes, diocesan leadership, and external organizations.
Strategic Coordination and Advisory Support (20%)
- Serve as a trusted advisor to the Bishop regarding administrative priorities and emerging issues requiring executive attention.
- Coordinate agendas, briefing materials, and follow-up for meetings involving the Bishop.
- Serve as staff support to the Bishop's Cabinet and other committees designated by the Bishop.
- Work collaboratively with the Vicar General, Vicar for Clergy, Moderator of the Curia, diocesan offices (including the Offices of Worship, Evangelization, and Clergy), diocesan boards and councils (e.g., Seminary Board, Presbyteral Council, Diocesan Pastoral Council), and parish leadership to facilitate timely communication and project completion.
- Represent the Office of the Bishop at meetings and events as delegated.
- Record, prepare, and distribute clear and accurate minutes and action items for meetings of the Bishop's Cabinet, Priest’s Council and other designated meetings as requested, ensuring timely follow-up and accountability for assigned tasks.
- Support the Bishop in the oversight and administration of the Diocese's Safe Environment Program, coordinating as needed with the Safe Environment Office and Victim Assistance Coordinator, and maintaining strict confidentiality regarding sensitive clergy and personnel matters.
Liturgical and Special Event Coordination (15%)
- Coordinate, in collaboration with the Office of Worship, all diocesan liturgies and major events at which the Bishop presides, including Confirmations, the Chrism Mass, Rite of Election, ordinations, clergy gatherings, conventions, and other diocesan celebrations.
- Coordinate ceremonial logistics, schedules, and communications for episcopal events and ensure all logistical arrangements are completed in a timely and professional manner.
Administrative Oversight (5%)
- Coordinate workflow to ensure efficient operation of the Office of the Bishop.
- Assist with the administrative oversight of the Bishop's residence, including coordination of operational needs, utilities, and related financial matters.
- Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned by the Bishop.
- Ensure appropriate access to, and preservation and conservation of, all permanent records/files.
Financial and Budget Support (5%)
- Work collaboratively with the Diocesan Finance Office to reconcile and monitor the Bishop's annual budget, ensuring accuracy, timely resolution of discrepancies, and appropriate stewardship of diocesan resources.
- Facilitate administration of the Bishop's Charitable Account, including processing check requests, disbursements, and recordkeeping in coordination with the Diocesan Finance Office
- Reconcile the Bishop’s monthly credit card. Ensure accurate coding of charges.
Qualifications:
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications, public administration, or a related field preferred; or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible executive administrative experience.
- Minimum of five (5) years of executive administrative or executive support experience, preferably supporting senior leadership.
- Experience coordinating complex schedules, executive communications, and multiple concurrent projects.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Excellent organizational, planning, and project management abilities.
- Demonstrated ability to anticipate needs and solve problems proactively.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, diplomacy, discretion, and political sensitivity.
- Ability to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality.
- Strong proficiency with the full Microsoft 365 Suite, including Teams, and demonstrated ability to learn and effectively use diocesan systems such as ParishSOFT, Camino, and UKG.
- Demonstrates willingness to learn and thoughtfully adopt new technologies, including AI-enabled tools such as Microsoft Copilot, to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the Office of the Bishop, while exercising sound judgment and discretion regarding confidential, pastoral, and personnel information.
- Ability to establish productive working relationships across all levels of the Diocese.
- Strong attention to detail while maintaining awareness of organizational priorities.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while managing multiple competing priorities.
Other
- Practicing Catholic in Good Standing who fully understands, supports, and upholds the teachings, mission, and values of the Catholic Church required.
- Demonstrated understanding of diocesan organizations, Catholic liturgy, and ecclesial protocol preferred.
- Complete and maintain compliance with required Safe Environment training and background screening in accordance with diocesan policy and the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
- Notary Public preferred.
Working Conditions:
- Position involves regular evening and weekend responsibilities to support the Bishop's schedule, liturgies, and diocesan events.
- Position is primarily based at the Pastoral Center with occasional, limited travel throughout the Diocese.
- Requires flexibility to respond to urgent matters outside normal business hours.
- Frequent interaction with clergy, diocesan leadership, parish representatives, civic leaders, and members of the public.
- Standard work week following the Pastoral Center schedule of Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (35 hours).
- Once eligible, telework is limited to Mondays, when the Bishop is not in the office; the Bishop requires this position to be physically present with him whenever he is in the office.
- Vacation and other planned time off should be coordinated around the Bishop's schedule, with limited exception, to ensure continuity of support.
