General Summary

Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Director of Planned Giving manages a portfolio of 50-75 major gift and planned giving prospects and oversees the Academy’s planned giving program.  

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward 50-75 of the Academy’s most philanthropical capable donors and planned giving prospects
• Work closely with the Head of School, Board of Trustee members, the Chief Advancement Officer, and Advancement colleagues in developing and executing major and planned giving strategies
• Enhance and manage the Academy’s planned giving program; direct a comprehensive marketing, solicitation, and stewardship effort for all deferred gifts
• Prepare planned giving proposals for prospective donors and provide fund management information to donors
• Provide training on the various planned giving vehicles for gift officers to build team knowledge and collaborate with staff on integrating gift planning options into proposals and solicitations
• Maintain the Boyden Society; provide bequest expectancies projections to Finance
• Coordinate with gift processing to ensure accurate valuation and recording of all deferred gifts, and coordinate valuation of in-kind gifts with Finance
• Participate in Reunion, Family Weekends, and other on-campus events
• Travel frequently on behalf of the Academy to cultivate relationships with assigned prospects and members of the Boyden Society

Staff Management

• Supervise the work of the Planned Giving Coordinator to ensure continuing creativity and fresh thinking, awareness of campus culture and industry trends, and adherence to Advancement Office practices and institutional guidelines and standards.  
• Effectively manage overall work performance of Planned Giving team members, including review and development of individual job skills.
• Work with Human Resources in the hiring process for new Planned Giving employees, according to the Academy’s stated Best Practices in Hiring.
• Oversee orientation and training of new Planned Giving staff.  

Physical Job Demands

• Close visual acuity to analyze data and figures and to view a computer terminal
• Ability to sustain substantial movements of the wrist, hands and/or fingers
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects up to 10 lbs.
• Ability to occasionally stoop, kneel or reach

Working Conditions

The worker is in an office environment, and while in the office is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions. While traveling, the worker is subject to outside environmental conditions.

Disclaimer

The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. This job description is not intended to be construed as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. It is expected that job duties and responsibilities will develop over time commensurate with performance.

Special Instructions for Applicants

Application materials must include:

• A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
• A complete resume or curriculum vitae

**SIGN-ON BONUS**

The successful candidate will receive a $1,000 sign-on bonus ($500 paid at time of hire and $500 paid at the end of 90 days of employment.

Job Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 7-10 years of experience in fundraising, especially closing 6- and 7-figure gifts
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in Gift Planning
• Demonstrated experience working with Trustees and high-level donors
• An open and collaborative leadership style
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Extreme discretion with highly confidential information
• Ability to motivate and work effectively with Advancement staff
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion and to serving the needs of a diverse community
• Demonstrated proficiency with technology MS Office, PG Calc, as well as ability to interact effectively with database and reports
• A high level of integrity and a strong work ethic
• Ability to travel approximately 50 days per year

About Deerfield Academy

ABOUT DEERFIELD: Deerfield offers an unmatched environment for teaching. Near the Five Colleges (Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst), Deerfield’s 300-acre campus hosts exceptional facilities that enable powerful teaching both in and out of the classroom. Our students are engaging and excited to learn—and they are willing to work hard at their studies. Outside the classroom, our community is focused on active and ethical living. Our teachers are committed to ongoing renewal. We seek candidates who are committed to their own professional growth, who are eager to work with colleagues in a productive manner towards departmental goals, and who can foster critical thinking, empathy, and determination in our students. As a boarding school, our faculty teach, mentor, and model—in the classroom, in the dorm, at the dining hall, and on the playing field. Diversity is essential to Deerfield’s success. Diverse perspectives within our school population fuel creative and innovative thinking, build empathy and consideration, and provide varied skills and experiences from which the entire community can benefit. Deerfield actively seeks candidates who are members ...of or support traditionally underrepresented groups—especially in terms of race, sexual orientation, religious, ethnic and socioeconomic background. Deerfield Academy is a private, coeducational boarding school located in western Massachusetts with 650 students and 130 faculty. The Academy was founded in 1797 and has no religious affiliation. Deerfield Academy is committed to equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected military veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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