Planned Gift Director - Higher Ed. jobs in Syracuse, NY

Wells College is a nationally recognized, private four-year Liberal Arts college located in the Finger Lakes region of New York on the unceded lands of the Cayuga Nation. The mission of Wells College is to educate students to think critically, reason wisely, and act humanely as they cultivate meaningful lives. Wells College is the leader in providing immersive academic experiences tailored by each student. Our historic campus in a lakeside setting that is ideally conducive to deep learning is home to over 150 years of evolving, inclusive traditions that bind Wellsians across generations. Recognizing the role of higher education in supporting students from all backgrounds to lead in the future, Wells College actively seeks to diversify its faculty and staff. We strive to embody a culture of belonging that empowers all of our students -- 35% of whom identify as students of color and 32% who are first-generation -- to thrive. 

Full-time employees are eligible for a wide range of benefits, including:

• Health, dental, and vision coverage
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides counseling for employees in need
• Basic and supplemental life insurance plans
• 403(b) retirement plan w/ 4% contribution 
• Long-term disability insurance
• Paid time away, including sick, personal and (10) vacation days upon hire, increasing to (15) days’ vacation at 1 year of service
• Dependent tuition benefits, including tuition remission at Wells and tuition exchange with other member institutions

The Director of Leadership and Planned Giving is responsible for the planning and implementation of and reporting on the overall major, leadership, and planned giving activity at Wells College. The director will manage a portfolio of 150 to 200 major and leadership donors for the College, as well as oversee progress with presidential prospects and those within the Vice President for Advancement’s portfolio. In addition to their own work with donors, the director will recruit and support College trustees and other volunteers to assist with their identification, engagement, solicitation and stewardship of major donors.  They will also be expected to define, lead and expand the College’s planned giving program. The director reports to the Vice President for Advancement and may oversee additional staff.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Comprehensive knowledge of advancement programs and major, leadership and planned gift development, including prospect tracking systems and proper documentation standards.  
• Ability to work independently with little or no supervision and to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.  
• Must be able to handle confidential materials and information in a professional manner. 
• Significant knowledge/experience of planned giving techniques and computer information systems and database capabilities as they support the work of planned giving.  
• Excellent oral, non-oral and written communication skills
• Proven ability to analyze, plan and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to the values of a liberal arts education.   
• Effective training and presentation ability
• Commitment to team participation
• Ability to travel extensively including both car and plane

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS   

Bachelors degree required; masters preferred; at least 7 years higher education or related fundraising experience with planned giving experience preferred. Must possess a valid driver’s license. 

HOURS OF WORK

35 – 40 hours per week, plus nights and weekends as required. Significant travel required.