Senior Associate Director, Gift Planning

Department

ARD Gift Planning

About the Department

Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. ARD raises $600 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute.

The Office of Gift Planning specializes in philanthropic support for the University through charitable bequests, gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, gifts of real estate, in kind gifts and gifts of complex assets. The Office of Gift Planning works closely with individual donors and their advisors to structure charitable gifts in a manner that will take advantage of tax benefits, complement financial planning and maximize the ultimate impact of a gift.

Job Summary

The Senior Associate Director, Gift Planning, will be an experienced gift planning professional who is an integral member of the gift planning team and a valued partner and resource to other gift officers. This role uses best practices and knowledge of the gift planning program across the University to secure planned gifts from alumni and friends. Develops gift-giving strategy and uses prospect management system for identification, cultivation, and solicitation of individuals for optimal gifts to the University. Has full authority of the gift planning office, staff, and associated programs. Interprets University goals and priorities, and accordingly advises donors and their advisors. Oversees gift stewardship in conjunction with University Financial Services to ensure smooth operation of gift stewardship.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the key frontline planned gift officer for an assigned region(s) in the United States, working with high-level donors and with other University development staff members to secure planned gifts from alumni and friends of the University. Uses a deep understanding in donor programs to identify planned giving prospects and plans strategies and the solicitations of planned and deferred gifts from individual donors while proactively identifying new prospects.
• This role will be expected to travel regularly to meet with potential donors.  
• Expertly and strategically manages a portfolio of 80-100 planned gift prospects and donors, building relationships and optimizing philanthropy that benefits a wide range of the University’s units, schools, and Divisions.
• Builds and manages a prospect pipeline that meets individual fundraising goals. This role could yield up to 25 $100k+ solicitations and $5+ million in booked gift commitments at steady state.
• Motivates individuals and groups, fosters collaboration with colleagues and engenders loyal relationships with donors. Invests in the success of the team, the goals of ARD, and the best interests of the University.
• Supports the Executive Director in advancing the strategic mission and growth of the gift planning program by administering and developing programs and special projects that will leverage planned gifts to achieve ARD and University goals.    
• Oversees and helps maintain gift planning resources for ARD, including, but not limited to, internal website, gift planning blog, hosting professional development and webinar opportunities, producing video content and continually refreshing gift planning content for colleagues.
• Provides interna/external constituents a high level of gift planning expertise. This may include serving frequently as team lead for gift planning training and orientation for ARD staff; mentoring ARD colleagues and networking to diversify and expand the reach of the Office of Gift Planning; and more.
• Designs and implements strategies for increasing planned gift activity in assigned units across campus, including prospect pool or portfolio analysis, strategy sessions, training, planned gift reporting, goal-setting and partnering directly with other gift officers on individual prospects.
• Develops and maintains content expertise in gift planning vehicles, estate and tax planning, investing, financial planning, philanthropic planning, and economic climate. As assigned by Executive Director, OGP, serves as the point person on select topics and techniques.
• Develops and participates in seminars for donors. Attends conferences and seminars on gift planning topics. Keeps current with tax law changes affecting charitable giving and state laws regulating charitable giving. Acts as a resource for donors and answers questions about existing life-income gifts.
• Produces high level and sophisticated communications, written and verbal, including planned gift illustr