Overall Function

The Senior Director of Planned Giving plans, manages, and evaluates the EDF Planned Giving program to achieve its performance and financial goals. In addition to carrying a personal portfolio, this includes overall identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of legacy donors and prospects. The Senior Director develops and implements a multi-year strategic marketing plan to maximize income to EDF by securing a range of planned gifts. This position reports directly to the Vice President, Development and manages a team of Planned Giving Officers and Managers directly, as well as administrative support staff indirectly.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement multi-channel marketing strategies including direct mail, marketing collateral, Solutions advertisements, Osprey Watch Legacy Society newsletter, Annual Report, online outreach and donor events.
• Manage a personal portfolio of planned giving donors and prospects. Design and implement giving strategies, engage and motivate donors and prospects through individualized cultivation and stewardship.
• Complete proposals and finalize gift arrangements for bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, pooled income funds, and gifts of complex assets.
• Direct and oversee stewardship and recognition programs to ensure legacy donors continue to be engaged with EDF.
• Participate in advancing EDF Diversity, Equity & Inclusion goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative working relationships with other members of the Development team, the Membership team, and Program staff. Develop strategies to integrate planned giving into the cultivation of major gift and Catalyst Circle donors.
• Oversee the administration of estates to ensure prompt settlement and payment of bequests to EDF.
• Establish annual operating budget and meet the projected financial goals of the department.
• Oversee EDF’s planned giving database to ensure proper management of planned giving records and files. Leverage Salesforce functionality to reengineer workflow and enhance donor communications.
• Enhance, monitor and maintain EDF’s planned giving website to successfully engage donors and encourage online legacy gifts.
• Work with the Marketing department to create and implement an online marketing strategy for the planned giving program and Legacy Match challenge.
• Collaborate with Chief Financial Officer as needed to ensure compliance with all state insurance filings, gift annuity reserve requirements and EDF Gift Acceptance Policy.
• Manage and mentor the Planned Giving team providing work direction to the team to ensure effective and efficient gift administration, regular management reports, and database maintenance; provide appropriate levels of training, mentoring and professional development.
• Manage the relationship with the financial institutions that manage EDF’s life income accounts and Donor Advised Fund.
• Maintain expertise in legislation and regulations affecting charitable giving.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree, Law degree, or Financial Planning Certificate preferred.
• A minimum of 12 years of relevant professional experience in planned giving, finance, law, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Expertise in planned giving vehicles, current trends in philanthropy, and estate and financial planning for individuals, including tax implications of charitable giving.
• Proven ability to solicit and close planned and outright gifts.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, including the analytical acumen necessary to interpret financial information and manage data.
• Experience working in a non-profit institution of comparable complexity and scale is preferred.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• An entrepreneurial spirit, and a demonstrated ability to organize time, handle multiple priorities and deadlines, be self-motivated and collaborate across departments.
• A passion for the mission and programs of EDF.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills; must be confident with demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective relationships.
• Ability to travel 5-10% of the time as needed.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Planned Giving Manager software, and fundraising databases.