Leadership and Planned Gift Officer; AFSC

Posted on July 12, 2017

Summary of Principal Responsibilities

The Leadership and Planned Gift Officer focuses on the cultivation and solicitation of individuals who have the greatest potential for supporting AFSC’s programs. The Leadership and Planned Gift Officer relates to donors who require the most deftly carried out cultivation leading to solicitation of major outright and planned gifts, including gift annuities and bequest intentions. The Leadership and Planned Gift Officer must coordinate the involvement of other development staff, program staff, and volunteers in the identification / cultivation / solicitation / stewardship process so that priorities are kept in view, deadlines are met, and duplication of effort or action at cross purposes is avoided.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:
The key responsibilities of the Leadership and Planned Gift Officer include the following:

• Raise funds for all work of the AFSC through carefully planned cultivation and solicitation of individuals who have the means to make very large outright, blended or planned gifts.
• Qualify donors’ / prospects’ capacity to make major/planned gifts utilizing prospect research and through discussions with donors, staff and committee members. If an individual does not have the capacity and inclination to give a major / planned gift to AFSC, assign them appropriately.
• Increase current donors’ or potential donors’ interest in and financial commitment to AFSC through visits, calls, letters, and donor engagement activities. Interpret the work of the AFSC in articulate, compelling and creative ways. The Leadership and Planned Gift Officer is expected to make 125 visits per year.
• Participate in monthly pipeline meetings and regular donor strategy sessions.
• Develop effective cultivation plans and introduce compelling gift options, taking into account the complex financial situations and organizational relationships of many of AFSC’s most sophisticated donors/prospects.
• Involve program and senior administrative staff, committee members, and board members in the cultivation and solicitation of major / planned gift prospects when appropriate. Provide coaching and support as needed.
• Reviewing donors’ complex financial situations, develop the most appropriate outright, planned, and blended gift options. Work with the Director of Planned Giving as necessary.
• Personally acknowledge gifts from assigned donors and coordinate additional acknowledgments.
• Maintain donor records in Salesforce, including gift proposals or opportunities, notes on cultivation and solicitation activity, and donor’s personal information of relevance to AFSC.
• Keep informed and up to date about the program work of the AFSC through contacts with program staff, attendance at events, site visits, and reading materials.
• Consult as necessary with fundraising colleagues, participate in conference calls, and attend periodic national gatherings of all AFSC fundraisers.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education or training.

Experience:

• Five or more years of direct fundraising experience is required, including three or more years’ experience in major / planned gift fundraising with individual donors.
• Knowledge of AFSC or a social change organization is desirable.

Other Required

Skills and Abilities

:

• Ability to communicate professionally and persuasively both orally and in writing. Ease in initiating contact with persons not known, in person and by phone / email. Demonstrated ability to interpret effectively the programs and goals of an organization to a wide range of persons of different backgrounds. Convey credibility and expertise in advising donors on confidential and sometimes complex philanthropic planning matters.
• Commitment to Quaker values and testimonies. Understanding of and compatibility with the principles and philosophy of the American Friends Service Committee including non-violence and the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles, concerns, and considerations, of AFSC in regard to issues of race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender…