This is a unique and exciting opportunity for a collaborative and experienced leader with exceptional interpersonal skills to serve as the Executive Director of Gift Planning at Centre.  Building on a strong record and history of fundraising and gift planning programs at Centre College, this position works with and supports a high-performing Development and Alumni Engagement Team. The Executive Director leads the strategy for planned giving within the overall fundraising program of the College.

Renowned in the world of higher education fundraising, Centre College enjoys a long history of outstanding support from alumni, parents, and friends.  Centre has boasted record-breaking alumni giving percentages (for about 20 years, Centre was ranked # 1 in the nation), and remains among the elite in that metric of support.  In the most recent capital campaign, The Campaign for the Third Century, the College raised over $210 million in new and deferred contributions. The current deferred gifts register shows over 400 commitments, revocable and irrevocable, estimated at over $265 million.  The College is in the planning stages of what is expected to be its largest campaign, with ambitious goals for deferred giving.

The Executive Director leads important functions within the development team pertaining to gift planning and fundraising, and builds relationships with diverse groups of donors and other external constituencies, including professional advisors.  All of this work builds support for the future of the College through current and future gift commitments.

The Executive Director will report to the Senior Associate Vice President for Development and Executive Director of the Campaign, and will work closely with the entire alumni and development team to drive success for Centre College and its students.

Essential Job Functions

• Identify, qualify, cultivate; solicit, and steward planned gift donors.
• Work directly with diverse groups of donors and their professional advisors to craft personalized giving strategies, providing individual planned gift illustrations, consistent with the values and priorities of the donors.
• Oversee trust and estate settlement for realized bequests and work with executors, personal representatives, and the College’s general counsel to ensure timely and smooth receipt of estate provisions designated for Centre College.
• Partner closely with talented colleagues on the development team, finance office, the general counsel, office of student financial planning, and other offices.
• Oversee, in partnership with colleagues in the finance office, the general counsel, and external entities, the College’s portfolio of split-interest gifts, life insurance policies, and other gifts and assets, including appropriate tax reporting and documentation.
• To encourage, inspire, and solicit new planned gifts, and to maintain existing commitments and their donors, the Executive Director will lead a comprehensive marketing and stewardship program along with regular internal training and other strategic initiatives to increase the College’s pipeline of current and deferred gifts.
• Manage vendors in support of planned giving marketing/communications and administration initiatives.
• Lead or partner on stewardship functions for planned giving donors, including events and mailings.
• Document work with donors and details of gift plans; create, use, and manage data.
• Achieve ambitious goals for the College and department, working within a system of performance metrics.
• Engage in moderate to heavy travel and some evening and weekend responsibilities required.
• Demonstrate an appreciation for and sensitivity to a diverse academic community, fostering an inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff from a variety of social, economic, cultural, ideological, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required, with minimum of five years in progressively complex roles in nonprofit or higher education fundraising or financial services
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Experience with computers, database management, and record keeping

Knowledge and Skills:

• Systems: Word Processing (Microsoft Word), Excel
• Subject Matter: Knowledge of or experience in charitable gift planning, estate planning, investments or financial advising, or real estate.
• Organization: Ability to manage time to accommodate multiple projects from various sources.  Ability to manage projects independently from start to finish. Facility with data and data management, and ability to create strategy based on data.
• Interpersonal: Ability to work with various and diverse constituents of the College and those outside Centre’s community, particularly older adults, and to be an outstanding representative for the College.  Ability to function well among sophisticated individuals with significant wealth, education, and social status.  Highly professional and able to maintain the utmost of confidentiality. Unwavering commitment to customer service and providing prompt, professional responses to all prospect inquiries.