What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate Director of Gift Planning Administration position at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation?
Who We Are
Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.
Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.
Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.
About The Position
Reporting to the Executive Director of Gift Planning, the Associate Director of Gift Planning Administration leads the operations and growth of Colonial Williamsburg’s gift planning program. This role ensures the accuracy and integrity of complex philanthropic gifts, manages the life income gift portfolio (including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, pooled income funds, qualified charitable distributions, and donor-advised funds), and oversees related reporting and forecasting. The Associate Director supervises the Gift Planning Assistant and drives marketing and workflow initiatives to support donor engagement and long-term philanthropic impact.
Main Duties:
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
exhaustive list. Duties and responsibilities may evolve over time based on operational needs.
Tracking a estimated budget of $50k
Physical and Environmental Demands:
Work is primarily performed in a standard office environment and requires prolonged sitting, computer use, and occasional lifting of up to 10 pounds.
Typical Work Schedule:
M-F, 40 hours a week
Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.
Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.
Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.
About The Position
Reporting to the Executive Director of Gift Planning, the Associate Director of Gift Planning Administration leads the operations and growth of Colonial Williamsburg’s gift planning program. This role ensures the accuracy and integrity of complex philanthropic gifts, manages the life income gift portfolio (including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, pooled income funds, qualified charitable distributions, and donor-advised funds), and oversees related reporting and forecasting. The Associate Director supervises the Gift Planning Assistant and drives marketing and workflow initiatives to support donor engagement and long-term philanthropic impact.
Main Duties:
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Partner with the Executive Director, Development Communications, and external vendors to develop and execute strategic gift planning marketing initiatives.
- Design and launch a direct response program using an abbreviated donor cultivation cycle (identification, qualification, solicitation, and close) to build a new revenue stream for Gift Planning.
- Prepare and review gift documentation for a variety of planned giving instruments, ensuring completeness, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
- Perform complex gift calculations and oversee distributions for charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and pooled income funds, maintaining appropriate documentation.
- Analyze departmental workflows, policies, and procedures to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and data integrity.
- In collaboration with Development Communications and financial partners, prepare and distribute annual Pooled Income Fund reports and other donor communications.
- Partner with internal Development colleagues and external donors and advisors to process planned gifts accurately and timely, ensuring proper entry into planned giving software and the enterprise database.
- Maintain and improve best practices related to planned gift data management and compliance with state and federal regulations.
- Serve as the department’s primary liaison to external administrators overseeing life income gifts.
- Supervise and mentor the Gift Planning Assistant.
- Act as the central point of contact between Gift Planning and other Development teams across the Foundation.
exhaustive list. Duties and responsibilities may evolve over time based on operational needs.
- Must reside in or be ready to relocate to Virginia***
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
- 3 years of relevant experience that includes legal, financial and/or fundraising experience.
- Experience in gift planning.
- Experience advising and partnering with key stakeholders to provide strategic gift planning guidance that drives performance and revenue growth in a complex nonprofit organization.
- Comprehensive knowledge of planned giving instruments and strategies, with the ability to support and secure complex philanthropic contributions.
- Strong relationship-building skills and a collaborative approach to partnering across Gift Planning and Development teams.
- Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential donor and financial information.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.
- Advanced organizational, planning, and project management capabilities.
- Expertise in process development, workflow optimization, and administrative best practices.
- High proficiency in enterprise databases and gift planning software systems.
- Ability to manage multiple complex transactions simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to define issues, interpret data, draw sound conclusions, and recommend actionable solutions.
Tracking a estimated budget of $50k
Physical and Environmental Demands:
Work is primarily performed in a standard office environment and requires prolonged sitting, computer use, and occasional lifting of up to 10 pounds.
Typical Work Schedule:
M-F, 40 hours a week
Salary : $50,000