Head of Law (Planning)

Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the oldest conservation and recreation organization in the United States. AMC's mission is simple yet powerful: foster the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the outdoors.Supported by over 90,000 members and with 11 chapters from Virginia to Maine, AMC works to conserve the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of America's Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. AMC oversees and stewards well over 100,000 acres of land and 1,800 miles of trails and offers over 5,000 outdoor activities each year to help participants experience, appreciate, and learn more about the outdoors.For more information about Appalachian Mountain Club, please visit the PositionThe Director, Gift Planning is responsible for overall strategic leadership and management of AMC's planned giving program. Reporting to the Senior Director, Principal Gifts, this position will work closely with all frontline fundraising staff, including the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and AMC management team at a time of transformation and growth, as the organization launches its largest fundraising campaign in its 150-year history. Informed by a new strategic plan and guided by the leadership of CEO & President Nicole Zussman and a freshly invigorated senior management team, this is an exceptionally special moment to help set the future course for AMC by co-creating transformational funding opportunities in partnership with AMC's program leadership, and to collaboratively advance relationships with major and principal gift donors and prospects.The Director, Gift Planning is responsible for securing planned and complex gift assets and/or blended gifts (i.e., The Director, Gift Planning will collaborate with frontline funders, AMC's management team and Board members to identify and qualify prospects. This position will partner with the Development Operations team to utilize top industry tools to cultivate, solicit, administer, and steward planned gifts.Immediate cash revenue from realized planned gifts averages $1.3 million annually; AMC is approaching $100 million in charitable assets under management. AMC has nearly 400 members in the Summit Trust, its legacy society, and very few of these gifts have been documented. Protect critical landscapes for the well-being of people and the outdoors.Cultivate and sustain a robust and welcoming community.Foster access to the outdoors.Bring forward blended gift solutions that help donors maximize giving.Work with the Development Operations team, Finance department, and other colleagues to ensure proper forecasting, handling, and crediting of revenue from planned gifts.In cooperation with Marketing and Communications, Development Operations, Annual Giving and the frontline fundraising team, as well as third-party vendors, enhance the existing gift planning marketing program to increase awareness, education, and interest in current and deferred giving opportunities through mass gift appeal mailing, targeted prospect mailings, online appeals, and messaging to all AMC donors, prospects, and members.Donor Cultivation, Solicitation, and StewardshipManage a portfolio of current and prospective donors to deepen relationships and maximize lifetime giving via outright, split-interest, and gifts through wills and living trusts, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, charitable remainder trusts, and charitable gift annuities, as well as outright gifts of complex assets such as stock, mutual funds, personal property, and other non- cash assets.Ensure that the Summit Trust members are well-stewarded through a variety of approaches, including print and digital communications, personal and customized engagement, and curated activities.Consult with and develop a network of legal and financial professionals and financial institutions as necessary to build knowledge of tax laws and gift planning trends and to ensure that all gifts are in line with donors' goals, AMC's mission and policies, and IRS regulations.Key QualificationsMinimum of 7 years of planned giving or major gift fundraising experience and/or experience with trusts and estates, tax accounting, financial planning or wealth management with increasing levels of responsibility.Strong knowledge of current and evolving trends in charitable giving, particularly in the areas of complex estate planning tools, charitable tax law, estate and probate laws and personal finance.Superior verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex financial and program information clearly and concisely.Facility with employing CRMs and reporting to inform a data-driven approach to moves management. Experience using Salesforce a plus.Experience working with gift planning software such as PG-Calc.A history of and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and confidentiality.Knowledge and experience working on climate and conservation policy and/or environmental issues is a plus.The ability to travel frequently in support of AMC's philanthropic priorities (including weeknights and weekends), staffing multiday events as well as cultivation and solicitation visits with the President & CEO and CDO, Board members, and other volunteers.The ability to travel frequently in support of AMC's philanthropic priorities (including weeknights and weekends), staffing multi-day events as well as cultivation and solicitation visits with the President & CEO, CDO, Board members, and other volunteers. Travel may involve going to backcountry locations and staying in dormitory-style accommodation. AMC encourages candidates to have a willingness to learn how to engage in outdoor recreational activities, including skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking in difficult terrain.If you have a passion for the outdoors and believe your skills and experiences align with this role, we welcome your application.This is a remote position with preference for the candidate to be based in the Northeast. The salary range for this position is $110,000 - $145,000 and is dependent on a candidate's permanent location.