Associate Director of Strategic Giving

Position Objective The associate director of strategic giving is a key position within the strategic giving department with the primary responsibility of providing programmatic leadership and operational expertise for donor gifts and management, and leading the prospect mining, educational outreach, and university-wide development officer training components for the department. The incumbent will work directly with donors, financial advisors, and other planned giving professionals, thereby directly contributing to the return on investment and fundraising success of the Office of Strategic Giving. The associate director must have detailed knowledge of the department's goals, vision, and priorities and will oversee strategic giving activities of a complex and highly sensitive and/or confidential nature. This position will function as a liaison with inter‑, intra‑departmental, and institutional units, involving a variety of interactions with a diverse group of individuals at the university. This position also involves independent collaboration with development staff at the schools/college and central development by initiating planned giving/educational outreach for the office of strategic giving, conducting prospect research, and independently preparing strategic giving materials. The incumbent will design, execute, and complete the administration on all life income and strategic gift vehicles with a total portfolio value that exceeds $35 million dollars and independently design strategic giving projects and internal educational training and events. Essential Functions Direct and manage the strategic giving prospect identification process and train development officers in the use of strategic giving vehicles relative to identified prospects; Systemize and enhance the effectiveness of prospect identification and the closing of strategic giving gifts, including prospect research, identification of individuals likely to have an interest in strategic giving, initial interaction with promising prospects, and other preparations as required. Research, identify and recommend strategic giving engagement opportunities by generating, proof‑reading, and analyzing Advance reports, prospect lists, and bi‑weekly alumni deceased reports. Serve as administrative expert for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Office of Strategic Giving. Consult and represent strategic giving, as designated, in communicating with internal and external constituents. Independently research, prioritize, and follow up on multiple incoming issues and concerns addressed, including those of a sensitive and/or confidential nature, and determine appropriate course of action, referral, and/or response. Access highly confidential records of donors, alumni, friends of the university, utilizing Advance database for research, reporting, and entering contact reports. (20%) Manage the creation and implementation of strategic giving marketing programs and materials and assign management to the executive aide. Plan, oversee, and manage the execution and distribution of strategic giving correspondence to university‑wide development staff, targeted audiences, and external constituents; develop timelines and strategies for distribution, in partnership with the assistant vice president, to complement other strategic giving engagement activities. Independently research, identify, and recommend strategic giving donors to be stewarded through donor recognition engagement activities. Create and prepare charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, life insurance, and bequest expectancy proposals, manage the Letter of Intent intake—averaging between $5M–$10M annually—and template program and independently run gift annuity illustrations/materials – approximately two dozen times per year – from chief development officers and school development officers across the university, and more occasional requests directly from prior donors or prospects. Act as the point of contact to leadership, the Office of Strategic Giving, and University Marketing and Communications. (20%) Initiate, manage, and serve as point of contact for a portfolio of customized university‑owned life insurance policies currently valued at over $30M for the Office of Strategic Giving. Establish, register, and manage life insurance records for all newly secured life insurance policies with internal and external partners. Provide accurate life insurance policy database management and ensure no disruptions in the life insurance payment financial cycle. Oversee, process, and communicate administration activities and life insurance payment completion with the donor and insurance companies. Direct and execute monthly meetings with external insurance consultants to ensure proper management and review of all university life insurance policies. Initiate review of all life insurance policies to determine and make recommendations for replacement policies, to sell them, etc. (15%) In collaboration with the assistant vice president, the senior philanthropic advisor, and/or the Office of Finance (and in consultation with the Office of General Counsel, when appropriate), monitor the administration of estates, trusts, terminating charitable gift annuities, and other arrangements under which decedents’ wishes are carried out and funds are put to work for the benefit of CWRU and its students as soon as reasonably practicable. Prepare and coordinate required paperwork for the closeout of estates, trusts, life insurance, and retirement accounts. Serve as the point of contact and key partner in the completion and final administration of all lifetime and estate giving vehicles and associated administration efforts necessary to ensure that these gifts have a direct impact on the University as intended by the donor(s). (15%) Initiate and manage all of the university's life income gift portfolios with a total value that exceeds $35 million dollars for the Office of Strategic Giving. Establish, manage, and monitor the administration of new life income gifts by partnering with the university's external financial advisors, including gift administrators and investment managers, to ensure proper tax reporting, termination, and allocation of funds aligned with the terms of the agreements. Identify and make recommendations for process improvements. Analyze and ensure timely compliance for states with CGA reserve requirements, a process which currently includes New York and Florida. Serve as a point of contact for donors and income beneficiaries, their attorneys, accountants, and tax return preparers. (10%) Lead the execution for all estate planning initiatives, including the Luminary Society. Independently manage and assign duties to the executive aide relative to donor engagement opportunities and documents for the Internal Revenue Service that have a direct impact on increasing strategic giving donor acquisition and retention. Monitor and evaluate all donor gift packages, working with development's central services, Office of General Counsel, and Office of Finance as well as financial institutions as needed. Develop recommendations to improve donor gift packages that feed into longer‑term strategic plans. Provide leadership to the infrastructure of strategic giving engagement activities, including educational outreach, for central and school/college university offices to meet goals and objectives of the university‑wide strategic giving program. (15%) Nonessential Functions Identify and implement new or enhanced systems and procedures to increase the strategic giving department’s efficiency, improve turnaround time, and reduce the time devoted to administrative or record‑keeping functions as opposed to soliciting and closing strategic giving gifts. (3%) Attend university training sessions to keep up to date with policies and procedures. Encourage staff to attend as well. Identify training and educational resources within the university and elsewhere for all departmental staff. Knowledgeable about the university mission, strategic plan, and funding priorities. (2%) Perform other duties as assigned. ( Contacts Department: Daily contact with senior associate vice president, assistant vice president, senior philanthropic advisor, and other department staff as required to perform essential functions. University: Regular contact with the president's office, vice presidents, deans, office of general counsel, office of the controller and office of the treasurer as required to perform essential functions. External: Frequent contact with donors and alumni. Occasional contact with trust officers, CPAs, estate attorneys, financial advisors and staff members of these professional offices as well as community organizers/advocates, corporate executives, federal, state and local government officials as required to perform essential functions. Students: Infrequent contact with undergraduate, graduate, and professional students as required to perform essential functions. Supervisory Responsibilities No direct supervisory responsibility. Qualifications Experience: 5 or more years of professional experience. Experience in planned giving and/or major gifts fundraising, law, financial services, trust or investments, or nonprofit/educational administration preferred. Education: Bachelor's degree required. Required Skills Demonstrates outstanding written and oral communication and budgeting proficiency; high standard for accuracy and efficiency. Attention to quality and detail are essential. A self‑starter who is able to work independently and as part of the planned giving team. Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face to face. Ability to interact with diverse internal and external constituencies. Ability to discreetly handle confidential information is essential. Ability to prepare and understand complex gift agreements and calculate appropriate tax and gift schedules is essential. Familiarity with Case stewardship and endowment resolution policies and procedures. Flexibility, tact, approachability, and responsiveness are required. Ability to identify problems and appropriate responses to planned giving issues. Ability to plan and manage challenging logistical situations. Computer proficiency (including Microsoft Office) and the ability to learn new programs. Knowledge of planned giving software including Advance, PG Calc, and ThankView. Ability to meet consistent attendance. Demonstrated history of successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest. Willingness to learn and work with artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies. Working Conditions General office environment. This position may require occasional and often unexpected longer than 8 hour days during the week and/or on weekends. The person in this position must have the attitude of being dedicated to his/her position and to give full attention to critical jobs until completed. #J-18808-Ljbffr