About
Bates is one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges, with a long history of commitments to principles of human dignity and diversity.
Since its founding by abolitionists in 1855, Bates has welcomed men and women from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. Bates was the first co-educational college in New England, and some of its earliest students were former slaves. The college continues to live that promise of inclusiveness.
Bates offers a rigorous and highly personalized education that centers on deep and sustained interactions among students, faculty, and community. Bates engages the forces — intellectual trends, demographic changes, and technology — that are transforming higher education and the world into which our students graduate.
Bates has highly competitive admission, graduates over 90% of its entering students, and over half of its alumni earn graduate degrees. Bates has 1,700 students, 200 faculty members and 550 staff and administrative employees.
The college is proud of it deep roots in the Lewiston/Auburn community, Maine’s second largest urban area, with a population of approximately 65,000. Bates is located on a beautiful, 109-acre, traditional New England campus in Lewiston, a small city with an entrepreneurial climate, a lively arts scene, and a dynamic business community. Bates is 35 miles north of Portland, 140 miles north of Boston, and 350 miles north of New York City.
The Position
The Gift Planning Officer is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding a portfolio of current and potential donors with the capacity to make life-income gifts, estate gifts and complex outright gifts of $50,000, or greater, in support of college initiatives. The Gift Planning Officer will work closely with individuals and their professional advisors (financial, real estate, investment, tax and legal) regarding the structure of lifetime and testamentary plans that will benefit the college. This position will assist in the development and stewardship of the Bates legacy giving society (the Phillips Society). The successful candidate will develop and implement strategic plans aimed at maximizing each individual’s support of the college by working with colleagues in the Office of College Advancement, faculty, Career Development, Admissions and high-level volunteers.
QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
The ideal candidate will have:
- 5+ years of work experience in a higher education advancement setting or non-profit institution of comparable complexity and scale.
- 5+ years of volunteer management experience.
- Experience in managing gift planning vehicles, portfolio management and solicitation.
- Experience working directly with clients in private banking, financial services or estate planning.
- Demonstrated experience with tax, financial; and estate planning issues.
- Demonstrated experience in and ability to cultivate and close major or deferred gift commitments is required.
- Demonstrated track record of progressive achievement in fundraising, financial services, marketing/sales or educational management.
- Demonstrated ability to work with a broad and diverse range of people. An ability to engage with a variety of constituencies with varying interests and perspectives in important.
- A good understanding and working knowledge of database, systems, business office software, and prospect moves management platform is essential.
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
- Ability to work individually and as part of a team.
- Successful completion of a background check.
Benefits
Bates College offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits (health, dental, 9% retirement contribution with potential for an additional 3% match, 22 days of vacation, 12 paid holidays, free parking, access to library and athletic facilities & more) and a supportive, collegial environment in a drug- and smoke-free workplace.
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