Gift Planning Officer/Senior Gift Planning Officer

Position Title:

Gift Planning Officer/Senior Gift Planning Officer

Position Type:

Full time

Location:

301 Market Street (Post Office)

Categories:

Staff Exempt

Job Summary:

Are you ready to shape the future of philanthropy at Bucknell University? Join our growing team as a Gift Planning Officer or Senior Gift Planning Officer and be part of an exciting new chapter in our fundraising journey. As we embark on a transformative campaign, you'll have the opportunity to make a significant impact from the outset. Collaborating closely with a dynamic team, you'll manage a diverse portfolio of prospects and donors, crafting and executing innovative gift planning strategies. Your contributions will be instrumental in driving the success of our campaign and helping us achieve our ambitious goals. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative, forward-thinking environment, we want to hear from you. Join us at Bucknell and be part of something extraordinary. These positions will be considered for remote work pending approval of the specific work location in compliance with University's HR and Payroll requirements. These are full-time, 12-month, exempt, benefits eligible positions.

We are in the silent phase of our campaign, and these roles present the opportunity to help shape the future of the University. They will play a pivotal role in helping donors fulfill their philanthropic goals and make meaningful contributions to the University. We welcome you to consider joining University Advancement’s dynamic team at the start of our growing campaign.

Job Duties:

Actively engage, motivate, and inspire constituents to support the University’s mission by building relationships and working closely with a portfolio of prospects and donors through the cycle of identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship to meet defined annual metrics.  The Senior GPO will have a higher level of performance expectations aligned to their annual metrics.  

• Serve as regional expert in gift planning, including gifts of complex assets, gift vehicles, federal and state tax considerations surrounding charitable giving, and the financial considerations, partner with donors and their professional advisors to establish, facilitate, and close creative and complex gifts including non-liquid and alternative assets. 

• Drive gift planning performance in assigned region to achieve campaign goals for planned giving through individual portfolio work, partnership with regional gift officers and leveraging regional events 

• Consistently engage in strategic face-to-face prospect meetings within the region to move prospects through the donor continuum with a focus on blended and complex gifts. 

• Promote the University’s fundraising priorities by developing excellent working relationships with faculty, volunteers, and UA colleagues on strategic objectives for long-term financial sustainability. This includes preparing strategic briefings prior to visits and arranging for appropriate follow up-to-visits and events.

• Maintain accuracy of donor and prospect records, including ensuring that specific planned gift information is recorded, and updating opportunities, contact reports, and prospect plan steps, in a prompt and timely fashion.

• Serve as integral member of regional development team participating in strategy discussions, identifying training needs and participating in team meetings

• Travel extensively (including air travel and travel to major metropolitan areas) for consistent and strategic prospect meetings designed to move prospects through the donor continuum.

Candidates will be hired into the GPO or Senior GPO role following a review of their skills and experience against the minimum qualifications for the positions.

• The hiring range for the Gift Planning Officer $72,600 to $90,800.

• The hiring range for the Senior Gift Planning Officer is $88,000 to $110,000.

This position (and all positions in our division) requires the occasional evening and weekend work to support university events including Homecoming & Family Weekend, Reunion Weekend, and large Career events. We do ask staff to mark their calendars in advance for these events. Also required for this role is a commitment to attend, participate, facilitate or lead on-campus and off-campus meetings, events and activities outside of normal business hours as appropriate.

For the Gift Planning Officer we are looking for someone with:

• Bachelor's degree and four years of successful experience in fundraising, estate, financial or gift planning or related field OR an equivalent combination of education and experience

• Demonstrated knowledge of the field of gift planning, including g