Planned Giving Director

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive.

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ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Donor Identification

• Build and manage a portfolio of 100 – 150 qualified prospects
• Increase the overall pipeline of planned giving prospects
• Develop prospects with a wide range of giving capacity and engage them to close life-income gifts, bequests, and IRA gifts and outright gifts where applicable

Donor Cultivation, Strategy, Solicitation, and Stewardship

• Manage a national portfolio of prospects and donors to maximize their philanthropic contributions: travel regularly to meet with prospects and donors.
• Complete an assigned number of visits per year to include qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship visits
• Prepare proposals from both proactively cultivated prospects and inbound marketing inquiries.
• Close minimum of an assigned number of new life income gifts.
• Identify/close an assigned number of new documented bequest intentions.
• Create and document written strategies for prospects and draft proposals which require knowledge of life-income gifts, bequests, real estate, and tangible property along with the tax law implications for the donor of making such gifts.
• Travel wherever needed and conduct joint visits with colleagues in units and central major gifts to identify and support gift planning opportunities among respective portfolios.

Program Support

• Work with professional advisors to enhance engagement with professional advisors, attorneys, and accountants to provide information on gift planning opportunities and vehicles
• Assist in working to expand the overall marketing program via operational leadership of specific gift planning marketing initiatives and working with donors to share their stories; conduct comprehensive stewardship which includes welcoming donors to the Wilson Society
• Support the Reunion Giving program via select milestone reunions for various schools as assigned by the Senior Director of Gift Planning and recruit volunteers to share their stories as exemplars of the Wilson Society
• Have a working knowledge of the University of Rochester’s investment management strategy and asset allocation for charitable trusts 
• Represent Gift Planning at events and meetings

Professional Development

• Attend a professional development conference and or specialized software training annually and participate in gift planning related webinars as possible to keep current on legislation and best practices to be a trusted source to donors and colleagues.
• Maintain an advanced knowledge of gift planning and general advancement to be effective in service to internal and external clients.
• Support of colleagues including through participation in training sessions.
• Attend events as requested in support of Wilson Society and other activities like Meliora Weekend, reunions etc

Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 8+ years of experience as a major gift officer in a complex advancement environment such as at a major research university. preferred
• Gift Planning experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of planned giving methods, tax laws and responsibilities of charities and donors preferred
• Strong track record of success soliciting and closing major and planned gifts preferred
• Familiarity with software such as PGCalc and able to work in proprietary systems of vendors and other partner offices preferred
• Sophisticated understanding of “moves management” and annual, major, leadership, principal gift fundraising in a donor-centric environment preferred
• or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Desire to work as part of a team in a complex organization
• Strong listening skills and demonstrated ability to work with mature constituents preferred
• Desire to help charitably minded individuals meet their philanthropic objectives through creative ways of giving preferred
• Able to see and understand the objectives of the advancement program and all divisions of the University Advancement Office, and to integrate their goals with those objectives preferred
• Able to work closely and collaboratively with highly motivated and fast-moving leadership and staff preferred
• Ability to initiate, innovate, analyze, monitor, evaluate and advance strategic advancement plans preferred
• Ability to communicate effectively, speaking and in writing preferred
• Ability to patiently multi-task in times of high-pressure preferred
• High Energy, attention to detail, listening skills, confidential, credible and trustworthy, excellent judgement, self-actualized preferred
• Excellent skills in developing and maintaining strong relationships with donors preferred

The University of Rochester is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving an inclusive and welcoming culture to advance the University’s Mission to Learn, Discover, Heal, Create – and Make the World Ever Better. In support of our values and those of our society, the University is committed to not discriminating on the basis of age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, military/veteran status, national origin, race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (Protected Characteristics). This commitment extends to non-discrimination in the administration of our policies, admissions, employment, access, and recruitment of candidates, for all persons consistent with our values and based on applicable law.