Senior Director of Planned Giving

Position Summary

Under the general direction of the Senior Associate Vice President for Advancement, the Senior Director of Planned Giving at the University at Buffalo is responsible for helping to advance a comprehensive program that successfully meets the University’s goals for short and long-term private support. The Office of Planned Giving offers a multi-tiered, donor-centered approach, which allows individuals to make significant contributions. Duties and assignments include, but are not limited to identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding prospects and donors capable of gifts of $500,000 or more, particularly those of a deferred or more complex nature as well as supporting comparable efforts of key internal partners. The Senior Director of Planned Giving may serve as officer-in-charge of the Planned Giving team in the absence of the Associate Vice President.

UB is a premier, research-intensive public university dedicated to academic excellence and making a positive impact on the world. Home to more than 31,000 students, the university is consistently recognized as one of the world’s most exceptional and most affordable universities, making it a top choice for students and faculty around the globe. We seek knowledge that leads to new cures, improved processes, stronger materials, faster computers, smarter software, smaller machines and thousands of other improvements. Building strong connections with our alumni and donors worldwide is critical to that vision. In the Division of University Advancement, we are leading the charge by helping foster a new UB environment that broadens opportunities for alumni engagement, capitalizes on positive student experiences and builds philanthropic support.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of three years of major and/or planned giving fund-development experience, professional relationship-based sales, or financial advising experience, including personal solicitation
• Proven track record of individual success in achieving high level measurable goals in a fundraising, sales and/or financial sector environment
• Technical/digital competence
• Strong problem solving and oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration and leading collaboration. The ability to work well both independently and collectively with other team members and in managing multiple highly visible projects and priorities
• Excellent and mature judgment
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, including local and regional visits, and work evenings and occasional weekends

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• Five years or more experience closing gifts/sales with donors and/or clients in a gift planning, trust and estate and/or financial sector environment
• A strong understanding of charitable tax law, financial and estate planning techniques
• Demonstrated success in soliciting and closing planned gifts of $500,000 or more
• Familiarity with and success in the complex environment of higher education in a university setting
• Experience in engaging senior leadership, faculty and volunteer partners in the development of meaningful and productive relationships with prospects and donors and/or customers and clients

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