Director of Gift Planning

Director of Gift Planning
Middlebury College


Posting Number: S01728

Position Summary:
The Director of Gift Planning leads and manages a strategic, comprehensive, and proactive gift planning program that reflects industry best practices and maximizes charitable contributions through appropriate, donor-aligned planned giving vehicles. The Director works closely with the Associate Vice President for Development while managing and overseeing the marketing, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of life-income gifts, estate gifts and complex outright gifts for Middlebury. The Director also advises on complex outright gifts and provides advice regarding gift agreements, endowment changes, and similar matters, and is responsible for monitoring assets under management, valued at approx. $55M as of June 2021. During the campaign currently in the silent phase, the director will develop strategies to reach gift planning goals that contribute to overall campaign success.

Essential Functions:

• Offer is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.
  COVID-19 vaccinations are required prior to employment
• Develop, manage and implement a comprehensive fundraising program for planned gifts. Manage the cultivation and solicitation of all planned gift prospects in collaboration with gift officers; develop planned giving donor strategies; provide planned giving technical support, advice, assistance.
  
  
• Directly supervise Senior Associate Director of Gift Planning, Associate Director of Gift Planning and Gift Planning Administrator, including training, evaluating, and mentoring.
  
  
• Offer regular sessions/meetings for staff to build competence in blended giving, estate planning, IRS regulations and other technical matters; prepare, present and review proposals.
  
  
• Develop and oversee the implementation of a comprehensive communications plan to promote planned gifts to all Middlebury constituents including: direct mail, e-mail, social media, publications, websites; offer virtual and in person targeted educational seminars highlighting planned giving for constituents.
  
  
• Manage and oversee 50th Reunion fundraising program led by the Associate Director of Gift Planning, including consult on communications, individual leadership solicitations as needed, challenge structures, program strategy for the 50th cohort including pre and post classes.
  
  
• Serve as prospect coordinator for a prescribed pool of leadership level outright and planned gift donors and oversees cultivation and solicitation of the members of the pool. Regular travel to visit prospects for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship purposes.

• Manage and grow the ranks of the current legacy societies: the Legacy Society at MIIS & Cane Society at the college. Develop and maintain a stewardship program for societies, in collaboration with advancement colleagues and teams; plan and launch Middlebury’s first legacy challenge within the current campaign with stewardship, cultivation and solicitation; plan and manage annual Legacy and Cane stewardship event(s).
  
  
• Oversee asset management, performance and administration of the gift planning program; review and monitor asset allocations and oversee investments; provide comprehensive annual reports to donors/beneficiaries; maintain close liaison & consultation with Director of Investments and investment manager Kaspick & Co. in managing risk and disclosures for program; ensure compliance with federal and state laws.
  
  
• Oversee and manage the process of tracking and monitoring all pending estates through the settlement process. Communicate directly with estate representatives in securing estate gifts in a timely fashion.
  
  
• Serve as a member and staff of Middlebury’s Gift Acceptance Committee in collaboration with the Vice President for Development, Executive Vice President of Finance and General Counsel to assure and timely gift recording and compliance with current gift acceptance policies and procedures.
  
  

General Responsibilities:

• Serve as a senior member of the development staff and work with them and other gift officers to develop a cohesive, coherent fund-raising program for Middlebury.
  
• Develop and oversee other initiatives as opportunities occur.

Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor degree required. Advanced degree preferred. Additional certifications such as CPA, CFP, CSPG preferred. Training in aspects of charitable gift planning, including tax and inheritance law, preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Must be able to deal with a diverse population (including more senior donors) and handle confidential materials with discretion. Strong communication skills, both oral and written. Proven ability to motivate and lead staff and volunteers. Strong administrative and organization skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Willingness to travel extensively.

Experience:
5-7 years; experience in gift planning, or a combination of gift planning, major gifts, law, finance or trust services. Experience should include capital and planned giving solicitation.

Physical Demands:


Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information on our background check policy can be found here: http://go.middlebury.edu/backgroundchecks

To apply, visit https://middlebury.peopleadmin.com/postings/26435

Middlebury is an equal-opportunity employer where diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values. To this end, Middlebury recruits talented and diverse faculty, staff, and students from across the United States and around the world. Middlebury encourages applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of other protected classes and historically underrepresented communities. Middlebury also invites applications from individuals who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.



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