Executive Director

Patronato San Xavier (PSX) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting Mission San Xavier del Bac and its historic campus for future generations. Often called the “White Dove of the Desert,” Mission San Xavier del Bac is a nationally significant historic landmark, an active Roman Catholic parish, and a sacred spiritual and cultural site for the Tohono O’odham Nation and the community of Wa:k.

PSX works in close partnership with the Mission parish, the Diocese of Tucson, the Tohono O’odham Nation, preservation professionals, and the broader community to steward the Mission’s extraordinary architectural, artistic, and cultural heritage. The organization’s work balances rigorous historic preservation with deep respect for the Mission as a living church and community gathering place.

Position Summary

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the chief executive and public representative of Patronato San Xavier, providing visionary, strategic, and operational leadership to advance the organization’s mission to preserve and protect Mission San Xavier del Bac and its historic campus. Mission San Xavier del Bac is located on the lands of the Tohono O’odham Nation, in the village of Wa:k, approximately nine miles south of downtown Tucson, Arizona. Constructed more than 200 years ago, the 18th-century mission church remains a central cultural and spiritual landmark.

Working in close partnership with the Board of Directors, staff, and key community partners—including the Tohono O’odham Nation, the community of Wa:k, San Xavier Mission Roman Catholic Parish, and the Diocese of Tucson—the Executive Director ensures that PSX’s conservation, fundraising, and outreach efforts are aligned, sustainable, and grounded in respect for the Mission as a living church and sacred site.

The Executive Director is responsible for organizational leadership, oversight of a (currently) four-person staff, financial sustainability, conservation stewardship, fundraising, and community engagement, with a particular emphasis on building long-term capacity for ongoing maintenance and preservation of the Mission’s historic structures.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational & Strategic Leadership

• Articulate and steward a clear vision for PSX that advances its mission, values, and long-term strategic goals.

• Lead, support, and develop staff to ensure effective operations and a collaborative, mission-driven culture.

• Work in partnership with the Board of Directors to guide strategic planning, goal-setting, and organizational performance.

• Ensure that PSX’s work reflects cultural sensitivity, historical integrity, and respect for the Mission’s cultural significance and religious function.

• Build organizational resources, capacity, and sustainability

Board Relations & Governance

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Directors.

• Provide timely, accurate, and relevant information to support informed Board decision-making.

• Collaborate with the Board President to plan meeting agendas and schedules; attend and support all Board meetings.

• Work closely with the Governance Committee to uphold best practices in nonprofit governance.

• Support Board recruitment and development to ensure a diverse, skilled, and engaged Board aligned with PSX’s needs.

Financial Leadership & Oversight

• Provide overall financial leadership to ensure the fiscal health and sustainability of the organization.

• Oversee the work of the bookkeeper, ensuring accurate financial records, effective internal controls, and timely financial reporting in support of organizational decision-making.

• Oversee budgeting, financial planning, reporting, and internal controls.

• Ensure adherence to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Work with the Board to align financial resources with conservation priorities and long-term maintenance goals.

Conservation & Preservation Stewardship

• Work in close collaboration with the Board’s Conservation Committee and the Director of Preservation.

• Ensure that PSX’s Conservation Plan remains current, strategic, and responsive to site needs.
  Guide the prioritization of conservation projects using a systematic, transparent approach, with emphasis on public safety, structural integrity, and historic preservation standards.
  Ensure that conservation work respects the Mission’s role as a culturally significant, active religious site and community landmark.

• Provide site-level leadership related to tourism and visitor management, balancing public access with preservation, safety, and the Mission’s religious function.

• Leverage preservation and conservation projects to facilitate training, workforce development, and educational opportunities aligned with PSX’s mission and community partnerships.

Fundraising & Development

• Oversee and collaborate with the Development Director to create and implement annual and long-term fundraising strategies.

• Cultivate, steward, and expand relationships with donors and funders.

• Oversee efforts to grow planned giving and strengthen PSX’s permanent endowment.

• Support the identification and pursuit of grant opportunities aligned with PSX’s mission; oversee proposal development and reporting.

• Oversee the planning and execution of fundraising events, including PSX’s signature event, Christmas at San Xavier.

Community Relations, Outreach & Communications

• Serve as the public face and spokesperson for Patronato San Xavier.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key partners, including:

  • The Tohono O’odham Nation and the community of Wa:k

  • San Xavier Mission Parish and the Diocese of Tucson

  • Preservation organizations and the State Historic Preservation Office

  • Local, regional, and national stakeholders connected to historic preservation and cultural heritage

• Oversee the development and implementation of the PSX Docent Program as a critical education, engagement, and donor pipeline.

• Oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive communications strategy that supports awareness, advocacy, and fundraising.

• Expand PSX’s visibility and support beyond Southern Arizona to statewide and national audiences.

Qualifications & Experience

• Knowledge of historic preservation, conservation, or stewardship of culturally significant sites strongly preferred.

• Senior leadership experience in a nonprofit, cultural institution, preservation organization, or related field.

• Education, expertise, and/or professional experience in cultural heritage conservation and historic preservation.

• Proven financial management experience, including budgeting, forecasting, and fiscal oversight.

• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor cultivation, and grant development.

• Experience working effectively with Boards of Directors.

• Strong communication, relationship-building, and public-facing leadership skills.

• Cultural humility and demonstrated experience working respectfully with Indigenous communities and faith-based institutions strongly preferred.

Work Environment & Expectations

• This position is based in the Tucson/San Xavier area and requires regular on-site presence.

• Evening and weekend work is required periodically for Board meetings, events, and community engagements.

• The Executive Director is evaluated annually by the Board of Directors based on a mutually agreed-upon performance plan.

To Apply

Send a cover letter and resume to: leah@do-good-better.com. In the email message, please put “PSX ED Application + YOUR LAST NAME”. All questions should be submitted to leah@do-good-better.com. Please do not call or email the San Xavier Mission or Patronato San Xavier.

To ensure consideration, please apply by April 6, 2026. Applications received after that date are not guaranteed consideration.