The Senior Director of Planned Giving will lead the Planned Giving (PG) strategy and operations, with a focus on growing the program which currently raises $5-6 million in annual revenue. Planned Giving includes gifts through bequests, charitable gift annuities, trusts, retirement plans, and similar complex giving vehicles that require specialized financial planning and knowledge of estate, gift, and income tax laws. This position will be integrated into the Individual Philanthropy Group, which includes major gift officers and lead a team of two full-time and one part-time coordinator in the Planned Giving unit.
The Senior Director will oversee PG training and guidance to the Major Gifts team to leverage opportunities with major gift donors and prospects, and will lead marketing, cultivation and stewardship strategies, including identification of top PG prospects, building PG society membership (Eglantyne Jebb Society), direct marketing efforts, cultivation events, in-person solicitations, and the PG website. The Senior Director will also help to identify and close bequest opportunities as part of Save the Children’s Centennial Campaign (culminating in 2019). This position will also direct SCUS’s PG consultant, manage the relationship with any outside legal counsel, serve as an ambassador for Save the Children with financial advisors, focusing on potential donors, and PG networking groups.
In partnership with the Associate Vice President of Individual Philanthropy, the Sr. Director will be responsible for working across the agency (major gifts, mass market, child sponsorship, legal, finance) to identify opportunities for enhanced donor outreach and stewardship and developing an annual and longer-term strategic plan for Planned Giving.
- Develop annual and strategic operating plans, reflecting long term growth of program. Establish metrics around those goals. Increase bequest commitments as well as diversify and expand revenue beyond bequests, including significant growth in Charitable Gift Annuities and other PG vehicles. Develop a Planned Giving program that embodies the important elements of both a basic and a sophisticated Charitable Gift Planning Program. (20%)
- Direct PG team of Director and Senior Manager to ensure effective implementation of plan and realization of goals, including prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. Maximize PG opportunities within the SCUS donor database and identify new sources of PG prospects outside of SCUS; utilize benchmarking, trends analysis, prospect and donor research, wealth screening, data appends and other tools to maximize results. Develop planned giving-focused events for major markets to advance cultivation and stewardship of new planned gifts. (25%)
- Actively fundraise and significantly grow Eglantyne Jebb Society membership, managing PG portfolio of high net worth individuals, VIPs (e.g. Board and other volunteers), and complex planned giving products. Involves face-to-face meetings and other interactions with prospects, society members and their advisors as needed. Market Englantyne Jebb Society to attorneys and advisors in order to attract new donors. (40%)
- Be the resident expert in Planned Giving, keeping abreast of current estate, gift and income tax laws, statutes, and gift planning materials and vehicles. Maintain continued professional expertise through conferences and seminars/webinars. Provide PG technical expertise and guidance to PG prospects and Eglantyne Jebb Society members and provide PG training to Major Gift officers, Sr. Management and volunteers. Liaise with external financial institutions relating to planned gifts, such as donor advised funds and estate executors, and manage relationships with outside legal counsel to administer complex bequests. Develop and administer policies and procedures for planned gifts. (10%)
- Special initiatives and projects as assigned by the AVP, Individual Philanthropy. (5%)
Required Qualifications
- You have a minimum 10-15 years' experience in Planned Giving and Major Giving fundraising
- Proven track record of success in working across departments to set strategy, execute plans, and achieve long term and annual goals
- Strong working knowledge of estate, gift, and income tax law with the ability to clearly articulate to PG prospects, PG society members, and fundraising colleagues.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to build donor relationships and collaborative working relationships (internally and externally)
- Extensive experience leading a team, providing strategic direction and driving results
- Success working effectively with Board members and other high-profile donors
Preferred Qualifications
- Legal degree
- Campaign experience a plus
- Meaningful work, with a knowledge that you are changing the lives of children all around the world
- A family friendly work environment
- Highly collaborative and innovative teams
- Generous paid vacation days, holidays, family leave days, and sick time
- Healthcare plans including medical, dental, and life insurance
- Retirement savings account with matching company contributions
- Structured and formalized management development and coaching programs for mid and senior level managers
- Extensive e-learning opportunities on a variety of topics offered through our affiliation with several prestigious universities and with the American Management Association, as well as language learning opportunities