Leadership and Legacy Giving Officer
Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) is a community-based non-profit legal aid agency governed by a local Board of Directors. PLS has an annual budget of $7.5 million from a multitude of funding sources. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina (WNC), Pisgah Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to low-income people in WNC. The organization currently has offices in Asheville, Brevard, Burnsville, Hendersonville, Highlands-Cashiers, Marshall, Newland, and Rutherfordton. With a dedicated staff of 91, including thirty-six attorneys plus program staff, and an active group of 300 volunteer attorneys, the program provides free services to more than 20,000 people per year to meet their basic needs, primarily in the poverty law areas of housing, public benefits, domestic violence prevention, health care, immigration, and consumer law.
PLS is seeking a Leadership and Legacy Giving Officer. This position plays a pivotal role in growing Pisgah Legal’s capacity by identifying and soliciting major gifts and establishing a strong pipeline for transformational and planned gifts. As part of the Development team, the Leadership and Legacy Gifts Officer secures commitments for Pisgah Legal’s annual fund, endowment, planned giving program, and other vital campaigns.
Responsibilities
- Design and implement strategies for increased engagement with current and prospective donors to accomplish their philanthropic goals and ambitions while meeting organizational priorities.
- Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective major gift donors, and build the donor pipeline.
- Conduct proactive outreach to secure qualification visits and ultimately solicit individual prospects for major gifts or recommend prospects to other members of the team for solicitation at appropriate gift levels.
- Manage a portfolio of leadership donors.
- In partnership with Executive Director and Director of Development, integrate strategies to identify and develop planned giving prospects within the portfolio.
- Commit to spending an estimated fifty percent of time to building the endowment and planned giving program. Successfully close a significant number of planned gifts annually.
- Communicate with portfolio through face-to-face cultivation, solicitation and stewardship meetings, and written strategies; ensure that each major donor and prospect has a clear strategy and timeline for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Execute data-driven processes and effective moves management strategies.
- Support the fundraising efforts of the Executive Director and Director of Development in securing new and renewed gifts.
- Assist the Director of Development in establishing and managing annual and long-range development goals for targeted donor segments.
- Develop a strategy for outreach to and stewardship of planned giving prospects and donors.
- Work in partnership with a development team to build and maintain current donor profiles.
- Possess up-to-date awareness of PLS’ program operations and priorities.
- Represent PLS at select community events, including some evening and weekend events.
Salary ranges from $42,634 - $73,650, depending on experience. Excellent fringe benefits, including 401(k) retirement plan, as well as life, health, and disability insurance.
Qualifications
- Ability to work with low-income clients and communities within a multi-ethnic/ multi-cultural environment.
- Ability to work independently and within a team environment
- Ability to effectively collaborate with coworkers
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience in fundraising (degree not required)
- Three or more years of development experience preferred. Proven track record with securing major gifts for a nonprofit organization.
- Donor-centric, strategic, and self-driven
- Ability to quickly build rapport and relationship with people. Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Self-motivated, able to work independently but can shift from working autonomously to working collaboratively.
- Detail-oriented, accurate, and organized
- Flexible and capable. Ability to manage changing priorities with ease.
- Highly proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
- Experience working with a donor database or CRM system
- Experience with data analysis and reporting
- Good writing skills
- Valid driver's license
E-mail resumé and cover letter describing relevant experience to employment@pisgahlegal.org. PLS invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice.
Pisgah Legal Services is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.