Assistant Director of Planned Giving

Department: Advancement and Alumni Relations

Classification: Public Relations & Mktg Spec 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Pay Band: 04

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The University Advancement division is a comprehensive development and alumni relations enterprise with a staff complement of approximately 135 FTE. Functional units within Advancement include development/fundraising, alumni relations, stewardship and donor relations, advancement communications, special events, gift processing, research, prospect management, gift planning, corporate and foundation relations, information systems and management, and infrastructure services.

Advancement's mission is to build strong, lifelong relationships with George Mason University's alumni and constituents, while matching their philanthropic interests with the university aspirations and priorities. The division is committed to serving the needs of the university, our alumni, and the greater community by providing access to quality education and lifelong learning. Respect, service, integrity, collaboration, diversity, transparency, and creativity are the values that guide our work and culture.

About the Position:

The Assistant Director of Planned Giving has the primary responsibilities of maintaining a personal portfolio of planned-giving donors, and supporting the comprehensive fundraising campaign. The Assistant Director follows up on leads generated from planned giving outreach, and coordinates with various schools/colleges/units.

This position has regional and national travel which may include nights and weekends.

Due to the nature of confidential information this position works with, current Mason students cannot be considered for this position.

Responsibilities:

Maintain Personal Portfolio and Support Comprehensive Fundraising Program:

• Carries and manages a portfolio of planned giving donors and prospects for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship;
• Meets or exceeds metrics as set by Central Advancement;
• Implements short- and long-term planned giving goals and strategies to build upon existing commitments and expands the current donor base pipeline to support George Mason University;
• Supports overall long-term financial strength and support of the university by visiting with donors and prospective donors about a variety of gift possibilities, particularly deferred and planned gifts; and
• Assists with following leads generated from planned giving outreach.

Coordinate with Central Advancement and Schools/Colleges/Units:

• Coordinates fundraising with other departments and utilizes services as appropriate;
• Ensures consistent and adequate communication between school/unit and Central Advancement; and
• Works closely with Central Advancement services including, but not limited to, Annual Giving, Parents and Family Philanthropy, University Priorities, Alumni Relations, Communications, Systems, Operations, Donor Relations, Gifts and Records, etc. 

Other Duties:

• Attends fundraising events, as needed;
• Conducts trainings and seminars for colleagues to enhance knowledge around planned giving; and
• Performs other duties as assigned within the scope of the role. 

Required Qualifications:

• Some (generally 1-3 years) successful professional advancement and/or fundraising-related experience or any equivalent combination of education and/or experience;
• Some experience designing and executing planned giving-level donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies;
• Experience in successful collaboration with teams or stakeholders;
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting continuous deadlines;
• Experience documenting appropriate information in a donor management database system;
• Experience interacting with a wide variety of constituents, such as, donors, prospects, trustees, faculty, and staff;
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills;
• Demonstrated writing skills associated with proposals, solicitation letters, etc.;
• Excellent research skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills necessary to build relationships with internal and external constituents;
• Ability to interact positively with a wide range of constituencies in person, via telephone, email, and in writing;
• Ability to handle highly personal information and maintain confidentiality;
• Familiarity with CRM fundraising software;
• Ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation; and
• Ability to work nights and weekends to attend university events as needed.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field;
• Experience in fundraising in higher education or nonprofit;
• Possess an understanding and ability to articulate accomplishments and goals of a complex organization;
• Familiarity with MicroStrategy, or similar reporting platform; and
• Skill in Salesforce.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Assistant Director of Planned Giving at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, one of which must be a current supervisor, and provide a cover letter and resume.

Posting Open Date:  March 19, 2025

Posting Close Date:  April 2, 2025