Director of Planned and Major Gifts

Position Category: Staff (Exempt)
FLSA: Exempt
FTE: 1
Location: Thousand Oaks

University Background:
The mission of California Lutheran University is to educate leaders for a global society who are strong in character and judgment, confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service and justice. Founded in 1959 in beautiful Ventura County, the university has an enrollment of about 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students who come from across the nation and around the world from a diversity of backgrounds, cultures and faiths. As a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, Cal Lutheran is looking for candidates with a dedication to and success in working in diverse communities. The university is committed to an inclusive learning and work environment that values individual differences and respects each persons dignity.

Basic Function:
Reports to the Executive Director of Development, the Director of Planned and Major Gifts will play an important role in enhancing gift planning strategy as a function of University Advancement's overall fundraising plans. The incumbent will create, manage, plan, coordinate and implement a comprehensive planned and major giving program; interpret and apply laws and regulations to all aspects of charitable giving; develop and implement a comprehensive marketing plan for planned giving; cultivate and solicit planned gifts; broaden the philanthropic constituency through major gift, blended gift and planned giving donor fundraising.

The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent communication skills, have a track record of relationship building with various constituent groups, a history of fundraising success, work well on a team, have an entrepreneurial spirit and the know-how to evolve Cal Lutheran's planned and major giving program into a first-rate program.

Representative Duties:
Raise gift amounts as established in annual goals and participate as a key team member in the universitys next comprehensive campaign. E
Initiate gift discussions with and responding to inquiries from donors and prospects. E
Develop and implement marketing and event strategy for cultivation and stewardship leveraging online platform for lead generation, newsletters, web content, and printed collateral. E
Engage and steward existing major gift donors, and planned giving donors through the Orville Dahl Society and Remember the Future Society
Collaborating with other university development officers in gift solicitations, providing expertise in connection with bequests, trusts, charitable gift annuities, gifts of real estate, and other complex assets. E
Providing technical support and policy construction including accurate documentation of outright gifts and consultation to increase awareness of complex and deferred gift vehicles and to cultivate new donors. E
Maintaining and further developing current expertise in tax, trust, probate, and other laws affecting charitable giving. E
Serve as an officer on the California Lutheran Education Foundation. Monitor the administration of estate and trust distributions to the university, including direct interface with legal counsel, trustees, business office, and administrators for estates and trusts that name the university as beneficiary, and to manage the relationship between Cal Lutheran and the estate/trust representatives in a professional manner that results in timely and efficient distributions. E
Drafting pledge and gift agreements with varying degrees of complexity, charitable trust documents, and sample bequest language for gifts to the university. E
Possibility of leading staff and providing leadership to achieve goals and vision of the organization. Mentor staff to ensure goals are consistently met in an effective and efficient manner. E
Assisted by the Director of Prospect Research, directs research to identify planned gift prospects and obtain information concerning financial capability, special interests, past history and current connections with the institution, close friends and advisors, and financial contributions to other causes. E
Works with a portfolio of prospects to chart plans and timetable for each prospect to include cultivation, engagement, solicitation, and appropriate acknowledgement. E
Carries out personal assignments and visits with specific major gift prospects working with Deans, Senior Administration, trustees, and other key volunteers when appropriate. E
Maintains a timetable, checklist and reporting system which will show periodically the current "move" for each prospect, what the last action was and what the next step is. E
Serve as campus partner liaison to divisions and, or centers, as assigned. E
Participates in reporting sessions with staff members, the President, VP of University Advancement, and key volunteers to keep attention focused on the progress of the planned giving efforts. E
Works closely with all members of the Advancement team. E

E=Essential Duties

Knowledge Of:
Various planned and major giving instruments and their benefit to individual and charitable organizations
The workings and processes involved in the function of a Development Office in an academic setting
Techniques in generating significant commitments from individual sources
Proposal and report writing skills
Budget development and management
Principles and practices of supervision and training
Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy
Oral and written communication skills

Ability To:
Communicate gift ideas and techniques.
Use of specialized software (Raisers Edge and Crescendo).
Establish and maintain effective working relationships, work effectively with volunteers and other staff members.
Communicate and coordinate efforts with other development officers and staff.
Present information in a coherent and compelling fashion.
Prepare and deliver oral presentations.
Plan and organize work, meet schedules and deadlines.
Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
Operate a computer terminal.
Prioritize and balance a variety of tasks simultaneously.
Travel as required to cultivate and solicit gifts.
Be available for evening and weekend work as needed.
Maintain a high level of confidentiality.
Build lasting relationships with prospects and donors.

Minimum Qualifications:
Any combination equivalent to: A Bachelors Degree, five years of experience in planned gift fundraising and planned gift marketing and communications.

Preferred Qualifications:
Certified Fund Raising Executive(CFRE)
Planned giving knowledge

Licenses and Other Requirements:
Valid California drivers license

Physical Abilities:
Working Environment:
Office environment
Driving a vehicle to conduct work.
Evening or variable hours.
Flexibility to travel is essential

Posting Number: Staff001072022

Number of Vacancies:
Desired Start Date: 08/01/2022

Position End Date:
Open Date: 07/08/2022
Close Date: 7/22/2022
Open Until Filled: No

Application Procedure/Special Instructions:
To apply, visit https://careers.callutheran.edu/postings/9439

California Lutheran University is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment for all persons, regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by applicable law. No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program, activity or facility of the University on the basis of these factors in a manner consistent with applicable federal and state laws, regulations, ordinances, orders and rules, and Universitys policies, procedures, and processes.

Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process can be provided to individuals with qualifying disabilities. Please contact the Human Resources Department for further information or to request an accommodation. jeid-97db2c97bfc45241916f6ea48276ee36