Planned Giving Specialist

About The Wilderness Society

The Wilderness Society (TWS) is the leading conservation organization working to protect America’s wild places and public lands for the health of local communities, wildlife, and climate. Founded in 1935, and now with more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 111 million acres of wilderness and to ensure the sound management of America’s public lands. TWS is scaling up its work to address the existential threat of climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and deep inequities with access to the benefits of nature. TWS is working to achieve four major collective impact results: protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030, transitioning off of fossil fuel development on public lands to well-sited renewable energy, securing equitable access to public lands and their benefits, and building a critical mass of support for conservation of public lands.

The Wilderness Society recognizes the historic and ongoing injustices perpetrated against Indigenous peoples, particularly those perpetrated by traditional conservation organizations and is committed to being more conscientious and inclusive in our work. This includes working directly with Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities to support conservation outcomes that respect the priorities and concerns of Tribes to ensure a more just and equitable future.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Wilderness Society’s Giving & Impact team is a 20-person powerhouse that is responsible for raising funds to help fuel the organization’s fight to protect our wild places for future generations. We’re looking for a highly organized and collaborative person to join our team in the role of Planned Giving & Impact Specialist. This individual will contribute to a vibrant planned giving program helping donors realize their charitable goals through informed and impactful giving in support of our mission.

The planned giving program is responsible for current and future support through a wide range of giving vehicles to meet the varied needs of a diverse membership including simple bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder and lead trusts, an endowment, and a pooled income fund. Donors expressing an intention to support our future work are welcomed into our legacy society, the Robert Marshall Council. The Council is comprised of those members who share a desire to confront the most pressing conservation challenges of our day; climate change, species extinction and inequitable access to nature’s benefits. The Planned Giving & Impact Specialist will be responsible for contributing to the marketing of gift planning opportunities, the discovery and cultivation of prospects, as well as enriching the engagement of legacy society members through animated stewardship and personalized contact.

This position plays an important role in supporting an inclusive organizational culture that is grounded in trust and accountability to shared goals and outcomes. TWS has made diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic priorities for the organization and the Planned Giving & Impact Specialist will integrate these priorities throughout their work. Across our team, we aspire to be campaign oriented, nimble, collaborative, innovative, transparent, and supportive of staff – our greatest asset.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary tasks and expectations of this position are:

• Donor Relations and Stewardship (40%): Engage in the identification and cultivation of planned giving prospects leading to new planned gift commitments and managing the stewardship of legacy society members through personalized correspondence such as emails, phone calls, and letters, as well as personal visits. Respond to planned giving inquires with individualized service and engagement necessary to establish relationships and ascertain charitable goals. This may include preparation of gift illustrations and proposals for vehicles such as charitable gift annuities.
• Gift Planning and Planned Giving Marketing (30%): Work with the Senior Director of Planned Giving & Impact in the development and execution of a marketing and communications plan to increase awareness of giving options (including IRA/Qualified Charitable Donations, securities, real estate, charitable gift annuities, etc.) leading to increased annual giving and deferred future gifts across an increasingly diverse range of donors.
• Tracking, Analysis and Gift Administration (20%): Document, analyze and report on marketing initiatives to improve effectiveness of program; maintain donor records, including engagement, gift annuity and pooled income fund records, in physical form as well as our database and gift administration software; and support cross-departmental initiatives.
• Other (10%): Serve as a resource to staff on the techniques of planned giving, and when appropriate, offer advice and guidance in the development of new planned gifts. This includes collaborating with the Major Gift Officers to create and implement strategies that present the donor with opportunities to maximize the benefit and impact of their charitable giving. Maintain knowledge of developing trends within philanthropy and the field of planned giving by attending meetings, training sessions and conferences, as well as staying current on changes in tax and gift laws as they pertain to charitable giving and the administration of planned gifts. Seek the advice of tax, legal and other advisors on complex matters when appropriate.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and Competencies

The ideal candidate will have skill in the following areas:

• At least 2-3 years’ experience in planned giving fundraising that includes donor engagement and stewardship; or a bachelor’s degree and work experience in a related field that includes legal training or financial planning.
• Working knowledge of planned giving techniques, current trends in philanthropy, and basic estate and financial planning for individuals, including tax implications of charitable giving.
• Clear and effective communication skills, oral and written, including excellent listening skills and an ability to relate well with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• A collaborative team member with emotional intelligence, creativity, flexibility, initiative and a track record of working in a solution-oriented manner.
• Able to work independently in a dynamic environment, exercise good judgment and decision-making to achieve time sensitive goals and meet project deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently, as well as working successfully in teams representing a rich mix of talent, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Desired Characteristics

In addition to the required qualifications the ideal candidate will know/have:

• Familiarity with conservation and equity issues sufficient to share the mission and values of The Wilderness Society with prospects and donors.
• Possess general computer proficiency in Microsoft Office, a CRM database and planned giving software, preferably PG Calc Manager and PG Calc Giftwrap.
• Ability to travel to meet with donors and prospects.
• Excellent organizational and analytic skills as well as adaptability.

The preferred location for this position Washington, DC. Other locations may be considered. The salary range for this position is $75,000-$80,000. To be considered please apply through our online system by March 30th.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of this position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of experience, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

The Wilderness Society offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; sick and vacation leave; a sabbatical program; and a retirement plan. TWS is an equal opportunity employer and actively works to ensure fair treatment of our employees and constituents across culture, socioeconomic status,race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, veteran status or sexual orientation.

As an organization, we aspire to being inclusive in the work that we do, and in the kind of organization we are. Internally this means working as a team that listens to different points of view, recognizes the contributions of every employee and empowers each employee to bring their whole selves to work every day. Externally this means ensuring that public lands are inclusive and welcoming, so that our shared wildlands can help people and nature to thrive. We are committed to equity throughout our work, which we define as our commitment to realizing the promise of our public lands and ensuring that all can share in their universal benefits.

To learn more about our commitment, please see https://www.wilderness.org/articles/article/our-commitment-diversity-equity-and-inclusion