Director, Legacy Giving

As an ambassador of the university working in alignment with university fundraising policies and procedures and Canada Revenue Agency legislation, as well as ethical principles and standards, this position independently interacts directly with senior representatives of the university, colleges, schools, units, University Relations colleagues and professional advisors to promote and secure planned gifts to the University of Saskatchewan to meet stated fundraising objectives. Travel and evening and weekend work is required. This position will endorse and embrace diversity, innovation, partnerships and collective action.  Consequence of error is significant to the reputation and profile of the university.

The University of Saskatchewan values diversity and Indigenous engagement is a strategic priority.  In support of this priority, the position will lead a team environment which recognizes and supports the importance and value of diversity in achieving the mission of the university, and actively seek out those with diverse cultural backgrounds, perspective and experiences to support the mission. 

In University Relations, the nature of our work centers on our guiding principles of being:

• Inspiring: We are confident in ourselves and our goals. We instill confidence and excitement in others to bring them along with us.
• Committed to each other’s success: We look for opportunities to make all our teams and the University successful.
• Collaborative and integrated: We work together toward shared goals.
• Solutions- and action-oriented: We continuously seek a path forward and we get things done.
• Brave and courageous: We expect to encounter obstacles. We face these challenges head-on.
• Respectful: We demonstrate our regard for others through listening, understanding, and acknowledging the contributions of all.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities:

• Develop and implement annual and long-term comprehensive planned giving plans to significantly increase revenue and diversify revenue streams.
• Work with development colleagues to coordinate fundraising activities with other organizational efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward prospects.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of planned giving initiatives and activities and incorporate appropriate adjustments in future work plans.
• Actively manage a portfolio of planned giving prospects and donors.
• Assist planned giving and major gifts prospects to understand and support the university’s priorities and needs.
• Work with a select group of donors and/or their professional advisors, who have potential interest and resources to make significant gifts to the university, to create gift arrangements that benefit the university and are agreeable to the donors.
• Plan and research the interests and potential resources of prospects following management and financial cycles, orchestrating proposals from the conceptual stage to the successful completion of a gift.
  • Collaborate with appropriate university representatives for those donors who have multi-college interests.
  • Work collaboratively with appropriate university fundraisers and staff in support of the fundraising lifecycle to manage prospects and donors traveling through the cycle as they are engaged by various aspects of the office (gift processing, acknowledgement, recognition, and prospect management).
• Adhere to the university’s prospect and donor management policies and procedures.
  • Ensure contacts with donors and prospective donors and information required to facilitate gift acknowledgement and donor recognition are accurately documented in the database in a timely manner.
• Continue to evaluate and suggest improvements to reporting mechanisms for evaluating progress with planned giving donors and prospective donors.
• Establish and enhance the university as a leader in donor-centered development.
  • Provide collaborative leadership with college/unit development officers, deans and central development and advancement personnel.
• Collaborate and interact with professional advisors in the community to identify opportunities for investment through institutional planned giving vehicles for potential donors.
• Develop and implement planned giving strategies to engage and support the community of professional advisors who have the potential to, and currently do, work with prospective donors.
• Participate in or lead the development of fundraising strategies, policies and procedures, and coordinating contacts between the university community and the institution’s key planned giving prospects.
• Work with planned giving and stewardship team to design and implement stewardship programs and events to ensure legacy donors are effectively engaged with USask.
• Keep up to date with government tax laws and fundraising methods and philanthropic trends.
• Provide training and mentoring to colleagues on planned giving strategies and best practices.
• Lead the development and negotiation of Gift Agreements (if applicable), Terms of Reference (if applicable) and/or suggested will clauses (if applicable) for specific gifts to the university.
• Responsible for decisions with respect to hiring, onboarding, assigning work and developing work plans, job profiles, funding arrangements, key position goals, performance feedback or discipline, merit, workload and time away for direct and indirect reports.

Education: A relevant post-secondary degree and/or appropriate training and experience in a related field. A recognized professional accreditation, such as CFRE would be considered an asset. Must be able to obtain and retain membership in CAGP.

Experience: A minimum of seven years of general experience in fundraising, with specific experience in Planned Giving, preferably within a university setting or comparably complex non-profit environment. Experience in a related area may be considered. Financial and/or legal background knowledge of planned giving instruments; experience utilizing a computerized database to maintain and update donor records for research and solicitation purposes is preferred.

Skills: Goal orientated with a high level of energy, enthusiasm and dedication to the mission and goals of the institution; proven ability to work independently and collaboratively; demonstrated ability to successfully lead a team; demonstrated professional maturity, tact, sound judgment, integrity and decisiveness to motivate/mentor fellow staff and volunteers and to inspire confidence among donor prospects, allied professionals, and colleagues; excellent interpersonal, communication, organizational and analytical skills; demonstrated ability and creativity in negotiating win-win agreements working with donors and/or their professional advisors such as investment counselors, accountants and lawyers; demonstrated ability to work well with people, especially seniors; highly motivated and self-directed; excellent problem analysis and problem-solving skills. A strong understanding of guidelines and giving patterns in Canada and the USA is essential; and demonstrated proficiency with computer applications including advanced use of a donor database.