Bonsai Leadership Group is honored to partner with Ocean Conservancy in its search for a Senior Planned Giving Advisor. Download the full position announcement here.
ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY
For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, Ocean Conservancy continues to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. Ocean Conservancy is a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through its comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, Ocean Conservancy is securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. Learn more about Ocean Conservancy at www.oceanconservancy.org.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Vice President of Major and Planned Giving, the Senior Planned Giving Advisor (the Advisor) will serve as the Ocean Conservancy’s lead subject matter expert in charitable gift planning. The person in this role will provide strategic counsel, technical expertise and donor engagement strategies that drive significant philanthropic investment. The Advisor will partner closely with frontline gifts officers to identify, cultivate and secure blended gifts that combine current and future commitments, ensuring that donors achieve their philanthropic goals while advancing the mission of the organization.
The Advisor will not have direct reports but will play a highly influential role across the major and planned giving team. They will work closely with gift officers, the Assistant Director of Planned Giving and development operations, finance, legal and program colleagues to advance donor strategies, structure complex gifts and strengthen internal planned giving capacity.
This is a highly collaborative role for a seasoned planned giving professional who enjoys working alongside colleagues, coaching fundraisers, joining complex donor conversations and helping build a more integrated major and planned giving program. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical knowledge, strong donor instincts and a team first approach to growing Ocean Conservancy’s planned giving pipeline and Ocean Legacy Society.
This is an opportunity to help Ocean Conservancy move from a traditional planned giving function to a more integrated, strategic approach.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Advisor will have the following primary responsibilities:
- Serve as the lead planned giving resource, providing counsel on complex philanthropic conversations, gift structuring strategies and blended giving opportunities.
- Partner closely with gift officers to develop comprehensive donor strategies that include annual, major, blended and planned giving opportunities.
- Join donor meetings and prospect conversations when advanced planned giving expertise is needed, helping colleagues move complex opportunities toward closure.
- Manage a focused portfolio of high-capacity planned giving prospects and donors, with particular emphasis on complex gift opportunities, blended gift strategies and prospects requiring advanced technical expertise.
- Develop individualized goals, engagement strategies and next-step plans for assigned prospects in collaboration with gift officers.
- Prepare proposals, talking points, donor materials and other resources that support planned and blended gift conversations.
- Coach and equip frontline fundraisers to identify planned giving opportunities, initiate legacy conversations and understand when to bring in planned giving expertise.
- Partner with legal, finance and development operations teams to structure, document and steward complex gifts.
- Help grow and steward the Ocean Legacy Society, with attention to both current and prospective members.
- Build or strengthen relationships with professional advisors, including estate attorneys, financial advisors and wealth managers.
- Serve as an ambassador for planned giving across the organization, providing training, coaching and thought leadership that elevates gift planning across teams.
- Maintain current knowledge of charitable estate planning, deferred gifts, tax law and planned giving best practices.
- Uphold the highest ethical standards in fundraising, donor engagement, confidentiality and stewardship.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
The ideal candidate will possess many of the following attributes and skills, though not all are required for consideration:
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive fundraising experience, with a significant background in planned giving. Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) designation preferred.
- Demonstrated expertise in structuring complex charitable gifts, including bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, beneficiary designations and blended gift strategies.
- Deep understanding of estate planning, charitable trusts, tax law, blended gift vehicles (specifically charitable gift annuities) and the legal, financial and stewardship issues involved in planned giving.
- Proven ability to partner with frontline fundraisers in donor-facing situations, including sharpening donor strategy, joining cultivation and solicitation conversations, preparing proposals and helping move complex gift opportunities toward closure.
- Highly effective approach to long-term relationship-building, donor-centered cultivation and trust-based stewardship.
- Superior communication, presentation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to simplify complex concepts for donors and colleagues.
- Advanced familiarity with Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM database preferred.
- Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage a focused portfolio, set priorities, track activity and advance multiple donor strategies simultaneously.
- Team-oriented working style, with the flexibility, humility and initiative to contribute in a small, collaborative and evolving fundraising environment.
- Commitment to Ocean Conservancy’s mission and values, with the ability to communicate vision, impact and long-term relevance to donors.
TRAVEL
Up to 50% of your time will be spent traveling for in-person donor and prospect meetings.
LOCATION
Ocean Conservancy embraces a hybrid work structure that requires employees to reside in one of the following US states: AK, CA, DC, FL, MD, OR, VA, TX, WA or WV. This structure allows staff the flexibility to work virtually and in person while building strong connections across the institution.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
The minimum starting salary for this position is $140,000 annually, with an anticipated starting salary dependent upon the hired candidate’s location, qualifications, background and experience. In addition, Ocean Conservancy offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
- Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance for employees, spouses (both same sex and opposite sex), domestic partner, and dependent children (effective day one of employment)
- Short- and Long-Term Disability (free for employee)
- Basic Life Insurance (free for employee)
- Healthcare and/or Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
- Retirement Planning - 100% vested upon hire; can begin contributing at hire. After 1 year, Ocean Conservancy will open a 401(a) account for you and will contribute 6% of your monthly salary whether you participate in the 403(b) or not.
- 15 paid vacation days, 11 holidays, 12 sick days, and two personal days
JOIN THE CANDIDATE POOL
Bonsai Leadership Group has been exclusively retained for this search. For consideration, join the candidate pool by submitting your resume and a concise cover letter outlining your interest in the role here https://www.bonsaileadershipgroup.com/oc-spga
Expressions of interest will be reviewed and evaluated as received. All expressions of interest, nominations, inquiries, and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
