Role Overview

The Associate Director, Planned Giving is a frontline fundraising leader and people manager who plays a central role in advancing one of MSF USA’s most established and high-impact revenue programs. Reporting to the Director of Planned Giving, this role provides day-to-day strategic leadership and coaching for the Planned Gift Officer team, while also actively managing a select portfolio of complex or high-priority donor relationships. The role strengthens portfolio discipline, prospecting consistency, donor experience, and overall performance, ensuring that strong results today are paired with thoughtful pipeline development and long-term donor trust as the planned program continues to grow in scale and sophistication.

This is also a highly cross-functional role, designed to help translate strategy into execution across teams. The Associate Director partners closely with colleagues in Principal and Major Gifts, Individual Giving & Strategic Philanthropy, Integrated Channel Marketing, Development Operations, Finance, and external vendors to reduce friction in donor journeys and expand complex giving opportunities. By bringing a proactive, problem-solving, gift planning mindset to donor engagement, this role helps the Planned Giving team operate with clarity, confidence, and shared accountability while continuing to build fundraising potential across the organization.

Roles Specific Outcomes

Leadership and Direction

Identify, communicate, and lead the function's strategy and action plan within a business area or department; while explaining how it ties in to MSF’s mission, vision, and values. Inspire and motivate others to drive commitment – and achieve extraordinary results.

Organizational Capability Building

Use the organization's formal development framework to identify the team's individual development needs. Plan and implement actions, including continuing professional development specified by professional or regulatory institutions, to build professional capabilities. Provide informal training or coaching to others throughout the organization in own area of expertise to enable others to improve performance and fulfill personal potential.

Key Account Management

Manage and develop important donor relationships with guidance from senior colleagues and/or manage an account team delivering day-to-day support.  

Improvement and Innovation

Spot potential improvements in our existing business practices and bring forward innovative solutions. Develop and deliver these projects within the organization's change management program, working with guidance from senior colleagues.

Strategy Formation and Implementation

Develop tactical plans for optimizing resources and assets being managed within a given area or department.

These core accountabilities should not be construed to contain every function/responsibility that may be required to be performed by an incumbent in this job.  Incumbents are required to perform other functions as assigned.

Complexity and Problem-Solving Skills 

• Operates as a recognized subject matter expert, able to assess facts, donor context, and environmental dynamics and make appropriate or innovative adjustments to thinking and work habits in order to succeed across varied and evolving scenarios.
• Applies deep expertise to accurately identify and understand the key donor motivations, influences, constraints, and timing considerations shaping complex giving opportunities.
• Uses professional authority and judgment to orient MSF USA toward meeting the core needs of donors, aligning internal partners, processes, and solutions to deliver a high-quality, donor-centered experience.
• Anticipates and resolves complexity inherent in Planned giving, including family dynamics, gift-vehicle considerations, compliance requirements, and internal process friction, operating effectively in ambiguity. 

Desired Qualifications & Experience 

At a minimum the Job Holder must possess: 

• Bachelor’s degree and significant professional fundraising experience, including planned giving/legacy giving, leadership giving, major gifts, or closely related work.
• Demonstrated experience managing and coaching frontline fundraisers, including performance management, forecasting, and accountability.
• Proven ability to build trusted donor relationships and close gifts, including navigating sensitive conversations related to values, family, and long-term goals.
• Working knowledge of charitable giving vehicles and the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly and confidently to donors.
• Strong collaboration skills and experience improving systems or processes in partnership with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially including donor-facing communications.
• High discretion with confidential information and a clear commitment to MSF’s mission and values, including diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

The Job Holder will ideally possess: 

• Experience working with external vendors or consultants and navigating internal stakeholders.
• Comfort using fundraising databases and performance data to inform strategy and manage portfolios.
• Professional credentials in philanthropy or gift planning, such as CAP® (Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy), CSPG (Certified Specialist in Planned Giving), or a comparable credential, or a demonstrated commitment to pursuing advanced training in Planned giving. 

Travel Requirements? 

 Estimated travel of up to 20%, including internal staff development and movement-wide events, conference attendance, and high-priority donor meetings and events.

OFFICE LOCATION

New York, NY (Hybrid)
This role is based in our New York office, where most of the team and operational infrastructure are located. Due to current staffing and budget constraints, we’re unable to support this position in our DC or California offices.