Senior Director, Major and Planned Gifts - Easterseals Southern California

Under the general direction of the Vice President of Development, develops and implements strategies to secure major gifts by aligning donor interests with strategic initiatives. Leads Individual Giving team, including two direct reports. Builds and maintains relationships with donors, identifies potential prospects, and creates tailored giving opportunities that align with the organization's mission. Oversees planned giving program, ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards while maximizing the impact of donor contributions.

Hiring Range: $155K - $180K

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Develops and implements strategies for major and planned giving programs. Manages a portfolio of 100+ prospects and major donors annually, develops and implements individualized moves management strategies to increase overall giving levels, demonstrates sensitivity to the interests and motivations of prospects and donors.
• Cultivates and maintains relationships with major donors and prospects. Leads the solicitation process for major and planned gifts, including the development of personalized solicitation proposals and presentations that inspire donors to support strategic initiatives.
• Collaborates with internal stakeholders to align fundraising efforts. Works with key staff across the organization to identify compelling and customized funding opportunities, aligning donor interests with strategic initiatives.
• Act as liaison to the National Office to ensure effective partnership in soliciting, securing, and documenting planned giving commitments. Responds to inquiries and meets with prospects generated by ES Planned Giving Program.
• Cultivates relationships with estate planning professionals. Assists prospective donors and their advisors in clarifying gift planning goals, preparing, and presenting appropriate proposals, and completing agreements.
• Oversees and manages the individual giving team to ensure that the organization is effectively structured and staffed with high-performing employees. Monitors development staff goals and evaluate results to ensure that the department’s functioning and performance are in line with the needs and mission of the organization.
• Creates and manages a comprehensive donor recognition program. Ensures donor interactions are recorded accurately in database, track progress towards goals, generate reports, and utilize data analysis to refine strategies and goals.
• Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to direct reports and ensure staff are provided with ongoing training and professional development.
• Responsible for an annual revenue goal and manages progress towards that goal as well as creating and managing a departmental expense budget.
• Evaluates wealth screening data to segment levels of giving and create solicitation strategies to develop portfolios.
• Collaborates with existing development staff and other peers of the advancement verticals to coordinate and communicate key strategies and initiatives.
• Increases the agency’s visible presence in the philanthropic community to establish and advance relationships in support of achieving the agency’s vision and mission.
• Provides strategic oversight to the team for the Thrive Alliance monthly giving program. Participates in a newly created Participant Family Giving Program. Provides strategic oversight for a spring appeal and a year-end empowerment campaign.
• Provides strategic oversight to the Development team in increasing membership and stewardship of current supporters in the President’s Council annual giving program.
• Ensures compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintains accountability standards to donors, HIPAA compliance and ensure compliance with code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising executives.
• When opportunities for principal gifts arise, facilitates relationships with/for the Chief Advancement Officer, CEO, board members and others as appropriate.
• Creates and designs innovative and inspiring ways to connect with employees to further develop giving campaigns.
• Creates and implements impactful ways to acknowledge and thank donors resulting in continued relationship stewardship and donor best practices.
• Responsible for post-gift stewardship of each donor with the highest possible degree of personalized attention.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree required. An advanced degree is preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• Five plus years of major-gift fundraising with a successful track record of moving up giving levels from an annual fund, while also securing planned gifts for a non-profit organization.
• A minimum of three years of mid/senior- management of fundraising staff.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

• A demonstrated ability to plan and operate strategically, to build public support, to develop andstrengthen fundraising and institutional infrastructure, to inspire staff and to develop strong working relationships with volunteers.
• A record of quantifiable success in donor segmentation, research, cultivation, and stewardship.
• Exceptional management, organizational, and budgeting skills.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully plan, set goals and objectives, organize, and implement strategic initiatives.
• A strong set of interpersonal and communication skills and a demonstrated ability to work effectively with and gain the respect and support of varied and changing constituencies including program and support staff, volunteers, existing and potential donors, and other key stakeholders.
• A track record as an effective communicator, skilled at writing and public speaking; adept at writing proposals, solicitation letters, donor correspondence, and other types of materials to enhance fundraising.
• An ability to juggle many responsibilities simultaneously, and to operate both independently and with the flexibility and collaborative spirit to be part of a high-performing team.
• A working knowledge of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and experience with Boomerang software is preferred but not required.