Gift and Estate Planning Director ( Divisional Headquarters)

Job Description

Identify, cultivate, solicit, secure and steward individual prospects and donors, targeting planned gifts for The Salvation Army Indiana Division (DHQ). Actively participate in the implementation of the Indiana Division’s philanthropic campaigns and plans, focusing on Planned Giving fundraising priorities and involving volunteers and other stakeholders in the realization of goals.

Responsibilities

• Engage and solicit donors and friends of The Salvation Army for planned gifts.
• Work directly with other fundraisers, senior staff and volunteer leadership.
• Manage a prospect portfolio of approximately 125-150 planned giving donors and prospects, and manage the qualification of a select group of suspects.
• Develop solicitation plans for new and current planned gift donors and prospects within prospect and suspect portfolio.
• Develop relationships with assigned donors and prospects through various cultivation calls, letters and handwritten notes, with an emphasis on successful face-to-face meetings.
• Complete an assigned number of significant moves and contacts per year with donors and prospects from portfolio, ranging from 280-400 annually.
• Solicit and close planned gifts in accordance with annual goals as set by senior director in consultation with Divisional Leadership and the Territorial Planned Giving Director.
• Develop and write donor cultivation materials, acknowledgements, volunteer solicitor briefings and reports. Produce personalized planned giving proposals for individual support.
• Contact and cultivate persons identified through marketing efforts, work with Corps and Division staff, professional advisors and other referral sources.
• Coordinate and provide assistance in the design of strategies for cultivating and soliciting donors in coordination with senior staff, leadership and volunteers.
• Identify, qualify and research new planned gift prospects.
• Work with the Sr. Director of Gift and Estate Planning, Executive Development Director, Donor Relations staff, and Salvation Army Officers as part of a team of fundraisers for the Indiana Division, including joint strategy sessions and other matters important for an effective development effort.
• Identify innovative development, cultivation and stewardship activities, craft new strategies and support planning that will strengthen the Planned Gifts Program over time.
• Record and Reports: Responsible for submitting required statistics, reports and budget information to the Sr. Director of Gift and Estate Planning as requested. Assist in the organization of occasional events and small donor meetings for cultivation and stewardship purposes.
• Maintain positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a manner that fosters good relationships with co-workers and supervisors. Supports the mission of The Salvation Army by treating every client, stakeholder, and colleague with individual respect and dignity, and without discrimination of any kind.

Essential Functions

• Manage other tasks as assigned by leadership.

Qualifications

• Background Checks: Position requires a background check to be completed and all background check results will be reviewed.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Other considerations include an advanced degree in a related field such as law, finance or non-profit management.
• Experience: A minimum of five years’ experience, in fund raising (including significant experience in personal solicitation, and familiarity with fundraising practices), financial sales, insurance sales, estate and financial planning, or other related areas. Successful track record of fundraising with major and/or planned gift donors is a plus. Experience working with high-level volunteers, donors and program staff on collaborative activities. Experience, familiarity and/or ability to work in a complex non-profit organization with many departments, programs and fund raising priorities. Familiarity with issues of fundraising and general professional and workplace ethics.
• Certifications: fundraising or financial planning certification is a plus, such as CFRE, CFP or CAP designation.
• Physical Requirements: Include Good speaking, hearing and vision ability, and excellent manual dexterity. Some sedentary work using a computer, office equipment, and a phone. May require bending, squatting, walking. Lifting, pulling and pushing of materials up to 25 pounds. Travel: The incumbent will be required to travel regularly by organization vehicle as necessary to support the mission of The Salvation Army. Overnight travel is minimal.
• Working Conditions: A moderate amount of time must be spent outside the office to complete essential work requirements. The position requires frequent local travel, primarily using agency vehicle to visit donors, prospective donors and other relevant contacts within a predetermined territory of responsibility.