Legacy Gifts Officer

About the role

Lambda Legal seeks a Legacy Gifts Officer (LGO) who will work closely with the Senior Director of Legacy Giving and other Development staff to manage and support donors of Lambda Legal’s Legacy Giving program.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of legacy giving donors/prospects with key emphasis on direct solicitation and stewardship in specific markets.
• This position is also responsible for a limited major gift portfolio for a blended cultivation strategy.
• Facilitate donor cultivation, stewardship, and appreciation programs, including recognition events in assigned markets.
• Provide programmatic updates to donors on a regular basis.
• Lead and collaborate with other team members to promote and execute legacy giving and other donor events across regions.
• Craft customized proposals for Legacy Giving prospects, leveraging existing communications materials and programmatic information.
• Research, prepare calculations, and present planned giving proposals to donors and prospects.
• Identify local volunteers and aid in the recruitment of new members for the Legacy Giving Council.
• Provide insight and supporting information for the development of marketing materials for planned giving.
• Support the Associate Director and Senior Director of Legacy Giving in processing estate paperwork and communicating with estate attorneys as needed.
• Pull reports on legacy prospects and donors to inform data-driven decisions and market-based outreach.
• Accurately log donor interactions and update records in Raiser’s Edge including gift entry, donor maintenance, and tracking planned giving activity to ensure a complete and up-to-date database.
• Aid in the completion of administrative work including scanning documents, organizing mail, filling out necessary paperwork, and supporting overall operational efficiency as needed.

Requirements

The ideal candidate should have direct experience soliciting legacy or major gifts and a proven record of successful donor and volunteer engagement.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of demonstrated success in direct fundraising with legacy gifts and/or major gifts experience with the ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward a diverse donor portfolio.
• Experience managing a portfolio of donors and prospects, including cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts at various levels of giving.
• General understanding of legacy vehicles (e.g., wills, trusts, CGAs, retirement plans).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to respond promptly and thoughtfully to donors while keeping them informed about Lambda Legal’s work and impact.
• Ability to decode legal language and communicate in clear, donor-friendly terms.
• Skilled in conducting research to identify and evaluate potential legacy giving prospects, using databases, public records, and donor histories to inform personalized cultivation and engagement strategies.
• Proven experience collaborating effectively with key stakeholders such as Board members and key volunteers to advance organizational goals and support fundraising initiatives.
• Comfort engaging with a wide range of donors and ability to build trust for long-term, authentic relationships, particularly around sensitive topics like life planning.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability and willingness to travel in the interest of donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Ability to use Excel for general reporting and data tracking.

Skills

With the understanding that no one person will offer every desired skill and characteristic outlined below, compelling candidates will offer much of the following:

• Experience working on a fundraising campaign is a plus.
• Prior experience using Raiser’s Edge is preferred.

Benefits

• Medical benefits that begin on your start date
• Dental, Vision, and Life insurance (effective 30 days from your start date)
• Short & Long-Term Disability plans (effective 30 days from your start date)
• 403(b) Retirement Plan (employer contribution and matching program begins after 90 days of employment)
• Paid Time Off: Paid Vacation (15 Days), Sick Leave (12 Days), Personal Leave (3 Days), Religious Observance Leave (3 Days), Bereavement and Bereavement Anniversary Leave, Floating Holiday (1 Day), 12 paid holidays and 5 early office closures
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA/DC FSA) and Commuter Benefits
• Health Reimbursement Account
• Annual professional development funds
• $50 monthly mobile phone reimbursement
• Summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day
• Paid sabbatical after 7 years of service at Lambda Legal (4 weeks for non-exempt positions and 8 weeks for exempt positions)