Sr. Director- Gift & Estate Planning

Department: Gift Planning Salary: Commensurate with Experience/Education

Description

Provides leadership and daily oversight of an integrated program encompassing development and alumni relations for an assigned college, including budget administration, allocation of resources, and supervision of staff.

• Develops, implements, and directs a comprehensive development program for an assigned college, including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation support, and stewardship.
• Collaborates with the dean to establish fundraising goals and priorities for the college.
• Identifies and communicates a case for support based on college priorities and determines strategies to further amplify the college's and university's goals and mission with key constituencies.
• Develops strategies to strengthen awareness of and ties to the college within University and external communities.
• Develops and implements individual strategies for a portfolio of major gift donor prospects; cultivates, solicits and stewards these donor prospects.
• Provides expertise on advancement matters to the college and engages academic leadership, faculty, staff, other development officers and volunteers in advancement activities as appropriate.
• Establishes and implements an alumni relations strategy for the college by identifying alumni and industry interests and corresponding engagement opportunities within the college and university.
• Administers budget and allocates resources within the college's development and alumni relations programs, including the supervision of staff.
• May oversee other advancement activities for the college, including special events and communications.
• Performs other job-related duties as required.
  
  

MQ: Requires a thorough understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of an analytical, technical or professional discipline; or the basic knowledge of more than one professional discipline. Knowledge of the discipline is normally obtained through a formal, directly job-related 4-year degree from a college or university or an equivalent in-depth specialized training program that is directly related to the type of work being performed.

Requires a minimum of seven (7) years of directly job-related experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior member of the Gift and Estate Planning team, providing expertise in deferred and complex gift matters.
• Participate in the creation and implementation of marketing strategies, with internal and external partners and vendors.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit current and prospective donors.
• Manage a personal portfolio of major and principial gift prospects.
• Plan, coordinate, and implement planned giving strategies with donors and development officers to structure lifetime, blended and deferred gift arrangements.
• Provide technical expertise, guidance and supervision to system staff on estate planning options.
• Collaborate with finance, legal and advancement teams to enhance gift planning operations and support fundraising efforts.
• Maintain current knowledge of gift planning methods. Serve as subject matter expert for internal staff.
• Promote positive donor relations and stewardship.
  
  

Qualifications

• An earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent years of relevant experience.
• 5-7 years of professional fundraising or related experience.
• Demonstrated ability to interact with the public in a wide variety of settings.
• Deep knowledge of gift planning arrangements and industry best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong relationships with all constituencies including donors, senior leaders, direct reports, employees, volunteers, board members, and community and business leaders.
• Documented history of success in facilitating, closing and securing deferred gifts.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at once.
• Demonstrated advanced writing skills that produce clear, accurate, and detailed communications.
• Department is willing to accept education in lieu of experience.
• Department is willing to accept experience in lieu of education.
  
  

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.