Oxfam America

Gift Planning Officer

Department: Resource Development


REPORTS TO:

Deputy Director of Resource Development

LOCATION:

Boston, Massachusetts

COORDINATES WITH:

Vice President for Resource Development, Major Donor team, Institutional Support, Direct Marketing, Program Division, Executive Office, Board members, Leadership Council members, donors, prospective donors, fund raising volunteers, and other members of the public.

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

To significantly increase financial support from and the involvement of an assigned portfolio of planned gift donors and prospects, and to expand the number of donors and gifts. Serve as the agency specialist in gift planning. Develop and implement plans for, and continually upgrade the Gift Planning program, including bequests, annuities, trusts, personal property and other gift planning vehicles.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Plan and recommend program priorities, budget projections, and financial and activity goals for the Gift Planning program. Implement program as agreed and approved. Conduct periodic analyses of Gift Planning donor patterns to inform program strategies and plans.
  2. Autonomously and creatively manage the cultivation and solicitation of the donor portfolio. Assess giving potential, identify and prioritize top donors and prospects, develop individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies, and manage stewardship. Take responsibility for goal achievement for assigned portfolio, and contribute to the overall goal achievement of the Individual Giving unit.  Use networking and cultivation to increase the number of donors and suspects.
  3. Plan strategies for and conduct face-to-face visits and other high-level interactions with donors and suspects, and file trip/contact reports that recommend next moves and update strategies.  Prepare follow-up written proposals as appropriate, and close gifts. Allocate time and travel resources for greatest return on investment.
  4. Develop and recommend a marketing plan to the Deputy Director that cost-effectively reaches the maximum number of new prospects. Identify and test promotional and marketing strategies, including but not limited to direct mail, website, publications, and ads.
  5. Oversee tracking, monitoring, and processing realized revenue from estates, including annuities, bequests, trusts, and other beneficiary designations of deceased donors. Assure that all donor gifts are acknowledged appropriately and in a timely manner. Steward and acknowledge the members of the bequest society including listing them in the annual report.
  6. Recommend timing for and provide support for interactions by the President, Vice President, Board Members, and other staff.  Prepare background reports, action plans, scripts, and talking points and manage briefings and training sessions.  Accompany on visits as appropriate, debrief and manage follow up activity.
  7. Identify, recruit, and support hosts for cultivation and fundraising events to broaden the
    base of donors. Provide direction and strategy for events. Engage donors in assisting with prospecting and recruiting volunteers. Support Leadership Council and/or capital campaign events and recruitment, and develop strategies and individual involvement plans for assigned LC members.
  8. Develop relationships with outside investment managers and Gift Planning administrators. Provide necessary donor and gift information as needed. Continually monitor statements, reports, check distributions, and other output indicators of service quality, and assess whether vendors are serving donor interests well. Maintain institutional relationship with legal counsel for the Gift Planning program, and interface with donors’ legal and financial counsel.
  9. Coach and collaborate with the Gift Planning Assistant. Provide clear directions for and check on progress of assigned tasks. Provide feedback to the Deputy Director. Share responsibility for the timely and accurate completion of routine projects such as gift acknowledgements, mailings, annual report listing, call lists, invitation lists, and verification of database coding for gifts from assigned donors. Monitor the maintenance of Gift Planning donor records and other information such as contact reports, individually customized reports, letters and proposals.
  10. Maintain the gift acceptance policy manual, in collaboration with the Deputy Director.
  11. Build relationships with program staff, communications staff, and others to acquire the necessary information to effectively solicit gifts and build donor relationships. Collaborate with and/or train other fundraising staff, to maximize the giving potential of donors.
  12. Participate as a team member within the Major Gifts unit, the fundraising department, and the agency. Participate in strategy roundtables and planning meetings for fundraising materials, and other donor information and messaging ideas. Undertake special projects as required.
  13. Perform other related duties as required.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE POSITION:

  • The incumbent will stay abreast of professional standards, trends and issues affecting this set of responsibilities, demonstrating continuous learning of the field.
  • S/he will work effectively and collaboratively in support of building a team-based culture of work, will perform all duties appropriately for a multi-cultural environment, treating all persons with dignity and respect, and will be familiar with and committed to Oxfam America mission and goals.
  • Must be able to travel approximately 25% of work time, (approx. 8-9 weeks).

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:
Education:

Bachelor’s degree


Experience and Core Competencies:

  1. At least five years’ experience in direct personal major gifts solicitation at the $10,000+ level, of which at least three years must be in gift planning.
  2. Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with fundraising and Gift Planning principles, gift types, marketing techniques, and donor strategies, and of professional resources available for planned giving fundraising, including PG Calc.
  3. Commitment to goal attainment, high degree of initiative, and ability to motivate and engage high level volunteers and donors.
  4. Demonstrated ability to work with high degree of autonomy and accountability.
  5. Superior oral and written communication, interpersonal, and motivational skills.  Prior experience writing funding proposals.
  6. Ability to develop and follow through on creative and effective solicitation strategies.
  7. Ability to work successfully in a team environment.
  8. Creativity and capacity to develop new concepts and strategies. 
  9. Must be highly organized, proficient in word-processing, and able to access database information. Time management and prioritization skills important. 

Preferred:

  • Capital campaign gift cultivation and solicitation experience.
  • Experience in project management and/or implementation of cultivation events.
  • Experience working with executive staff, board members and major gifts volunteers.
  • Public speaking experience.
  • Knowledge of basic finance or accounting principals
  • Fluency in Spanish or French

Desired:

  • Prior cause-related fundraising experience in a national organization.

Please see our How to Apply page for application information. Oxfam America is an Equal Opportunity Employer.