Director of Gift Planning

The Sage Colleges seek a Director of Gift Planning beginning immediately.  Responsibilities of this full-time, administrative position include building and maintaining a portfolio of gift planning prospects, identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding them toward commitments to The Sage Colleges.

Qualifications:  5+ years of personal solicitation experience or a substantial background in financial planning required.  The successful candidate will have a Bachelor's degree, experience with planned gifts, ability to develop prospect relationships, to secure major and planned gifts, working with volunteers, and excellent written and oral communications skills.

Salary dependent on qualifications and experience; generous benefits package includes tuition waiver for employee and spouse at Sage After Work or Sage Graduate School; tuition waiver for dependent children at Russell Sage College, Sage College of Albany, or Sage After Work.  Candidates from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

The Sage Colleges include Russell Sage College for Women in Troy, NY, and the coeducational Sage Graduate School and Sage College of Albany.

Send letter of application, resume, and list of three professional references to Dennis Buckley, Director of Major and Leadership Gifts at IAHIRE@sage.edu.

Applications accepted until position is filled.

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Job Description


The Director of Gift Planning reports to the Director of Leadership Gifts.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Build and maintain a portfolio of gift planning prospects, identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding them toward commitments to the colleges.
  • The Director’s portfolio should contain between 200-250 of these prospects, encompassing major gifts, planned gifts and leadership Annual Fund.
  • To actively engage the prospects in the portfolio and annually schedule 125-130 personal visits.
  • Develop and maintain expertise in all forms of planned giving instruments, keep current on new developments in the field, and arrange training for front line fund raisers on gift planning concepts relevant to major gifts work.
  • Plan and implement planned giving seminars for alumni groups both locally and in regions, with the goal of increasing membership in the Sage Ring, and providing information to prospects on gift planning instruments available and vehicles appropriate to meet their individual situations.
  • Interact effectively with our retained planned giving council, utilizing our unlimited phone and fax access to the utmost for the purpose of training, review of documents, and any other reasonable assistance.
  • In addition, maintain a portfolio of major gifts prospects, and work toward appropriate opportunities to close “blended” gifts, incorporating cash, non-cash assets, and planned giving vehicles appropriate to the individual donor to maximize total gifts from prospects.
  • Generate periodic reports on the gift planning program, including the pooled income fund, charitable gift annuities, Sage Ring, wills in probate, etc.
  • Complete, research, and send the gift planning newsletter, plus provide planned giving data and story ideas to the alumni publications.
  • Shepherding the dissemination of information, assuring proper coding and acknowledgements, answering gift planning donor inquiries, and overseeing communications.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree in any discipline is preferred.  Five  years or more of personal solicitation experience required, with a proven track record in closing major and planned gifts OR a substantial background in estate planning, wealth management or personal finance advising.  Knowledge of PGCalc or comparable software program is highly desirable.  Experience working with volunteers and familiarity with various vehicles of giving is necessary.  Excellent written and oral communications skills are expected.  Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite and use of donor databases is required.