Director of Advancement, Bequests & Planned Giving
Position Overview
Organization: McMaster University
Title: Director of Advancement, Bequests and Planned Giving
Reports to: Angela Crowly, Chief Development Officer (Programs)
Team: One (Manager, Bequests & Planned Giving – To Be Hired)
Location: Three campus locations (Hamilton, Burlington and downtown Toronto – 180 Bloor) offer flexibility in work location, and remote and hybrid work empower staff to engage effectively with donors, alumni, and stakeholders in advancing institutional goals in a fast-paced campaign environment. This role is hybrid in nature with 3 days in person per week, inclusive of donor activity. It is understood that the Director will routinely travel to meet donors and engage with alumni and key partners.
Is This You?
You are a planned giving expert who would enjoy working with exceptional academic leaders to achieve success. You are excellent at collaborating with your fundraising peers to accomplish mutual success. You are the ultimate team player. People are drawn to you because you have an inclusive style and lend your expertise in planned giving without a second thought. You firmly believe more heads are better than one and your engaging inquisitive nature allows you to bring likeminded people together with ease. You are creative and like trying out ideas and encourage your team to do the same.
You enjoy working within an academic environment because of the exposure you have to some of the brightest minds. You are inquisitive and ask great questions of your academic partners – which gives them confidence in your commitment to enabling their success through philanthropy. You relish data driven pipeline development and enjoy engaging folks from all backgrounds.
You would be energized to lead the planned giving strategy for one of Canada’s most respected Universities. You would do this through building trusted relationships within the University as well as with donors through your infectious and focused enthusiasm and your responsiveness to others.
Ideally, you bring campaign experience and have worked collaboratively to bring a campaign to life. You would provide value and input to executive leadership around campaign planning, setting priorities, and in execution of plans. You are an excellent communicator both written and verbal.
You are known for an ability to guide and lead with high emotional intelligence, and you would be motivated to work for a world class organization with a respected brand, exceptional leadership team and diverse donor pool.
If this sounds like you, read on…
The Opportunity
The Director of Advancement, Bequests and Planned Giving is responsible for developing and overseeing a comprehensive planned giving program for McMaster University and creating planned giving strategies for the university and its units. This position is responsible for the development and monitoring of McMaster’s planned giving policies, marketing efforts, and fundraising strategies to enhance and grow the philanthropic base of planned gifts to support McMaster’s strategic priorities.
Reporting into the Chief Development Officer (Programs), Director of Advancement, Bequests and Planned Giving is a senior leader within the University Advancement team. The incumbent shares responsibility for achieving University Advancement’s mission:
Inspired by McMaster’s tradition of collaboration and innovation, we strengthen relationships, reputation and resources in pursuit of our goal to be the best.
The position is also instrumental in University Advancement’s vision:
Together, we enable McMaster to advance human and societal health and well-being.
The Director of Advancement, Bequests and Planned Giving builds relationships on behalf of the University that support the overall institutional mission and proactively develops relationships and seeks opportunities for new revenue in support of McMaster’s research and educational goals, with many of the University’s funders and supporters. The Director of Advancement, Bequests and Planned Giving is responsible for leading development initiatives for Faculties and units, related to gift planning.
The Director meets with donors, attorneys, trustees, and financial advisors to discuss opportunities to support McMaster and its faculties/units through deferred and planned giving vehicles. The position requires extensive background and expert knowledge of bequests, annuities and trusts, giving through life insurance, and other pertinent future giving options. The position involves a full range of donor cultivation duties, including working with University Advancement colleagues to develop planned giving as a critical component of a strategic fundraising plan. The position requires work with the lead philanthropy staff in each of McMaster’s faculties/units as part of a team to diversify funding resources and engage in long-term financial planning, including creation of endowment and other permanent financial resources and works with donors to secure major and planned gift support.
About McMaster University
Founded in 1887, McMaster University is a research-intensive public university. McMaster is dedicated to advancing human and societal health and well-being. McMaster is ranked in the world’s Top 80 publicly funded universities by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
With a total student population of more than 33,000, McMaster welcomes students from 120 countries as well as Canada. Home to more than 70 research centres and institutes, McMaster University comprises six faculties: the DeGroote School of Business, Engineering, Health Science, Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences.
McMaster’s 30-acre main campus, located in the Westdale neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, is comprised of 300 acres of scenic property at the western end of Lake Ontario, between Toronto and Niagara Falls. McMaster University also has three other regional campuses: Burlington, Kitchener- Waterloo, and Niagara.
Advancement at McMaster
McMaster’s vibrant student experience, world-class research, and community engagement are empowered by the support of thousands of alumni and donors who also believe strongly in McMaster. Together, McMaster’s donors and alumni help make the university what it is today and help nurture the next generation of leaders in our world.
The Advancement leadership team provides overall strategic leadership and direction in the areas of fundraising; developing and building partnerships; and engaging with donors, alumni and stakeholders. The Advancement team also plays a critically important role in advancing McMaster’s strategy, in support of McMaster’s ambitious vision, in partnership with the academic and administrative leaders across the University. The Advancement team has a centralized/decentralized structure, with strategies established and coordinated centrally, along with some programs and services (e.g. Annual Giving, Leadership Giving, Principal Giving, Corporate and Foundation Giving, Bequests and Planned Giving, Stewardship, overarching Alumni programs, Research & Prospect Analytics, and Gift Processing services), whereas other programs and services are delivered ‘locally’ through decentralized, dedicated Development and Alumni staff embedded within the Faculties and units.
Leadership
Lili Litwin, Vice President, University Advancement
Lili Litwin joined McMaster on June 1, 2023, as McMaster’s new Vice-President, University Advancement. As a leading Canadian advancement expert, Litwin has worked across the research, hospital, charitable and university sectors. In addition to serving as executive director of Advancement at the Rotman School of Management at
the University of Toronto, she spent five years as president of the St. Michael’s Foundation at St. Michael’s Hospital and Providence Healthcare, Unity Health Toronto. In both roles, she led fundraising campaigns that surpassed their goals, developed strong and diverse advancement teams, and liaised with academic partners on governance and donor stewardship.
Lili graduated from York University with a B.Ed. Her earlier work experience includes time as Vice- President of Development at the Canadian Centre for Diversity and with ONEXONE, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in health and education.
Angela Crowly, Chief Development Officer (Programs)
Angela Crowly joined McMaster on April 29, 2024 as the university’s new Chief Development Officer (Programs). She joined McMaster from McGill University, where she held several advancement roles, including most recently that of Senior Advisor, Advancement Affairs and Liaison to the Provost and Executive Vice President. She has also worked in the US, including at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, where she was Director of Advancement for Strategic and Pan-Institutional Priorities, and the University of Texas at Arlington, where she held the role of Assistant Vice President, Development.
Angela holds three degrees from the University of California, Irvine and was a Fulbright scholar at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Devise a strategic planning approach in the creation and implementation of bequest and planned giving goals.
- Develop strategies for researching, identifying, engaging, and soliciting donors and prospects to secure planned gifts for McMaster University
- Drive plans for philanthropy leads for each of McMaster’s faculties/units to develop a targeted planned giving plan for each faculty/unit.
- Develop strategies to ensure confirmed future gifts to the university, and individually confirm future gifts and current gifts.
- Develop and lead charitable gift annuity, endowment, bequest, life insurance and other planned and complex gift options to benefit McMaster University.
- Develop and execute strategic and creative planned giving communications including articles, presentations, brochures and other marketing and educational materials to market planned gifts to donors in collaboration with the advancement communications staff.
- Establish and provide oversight of recognition opportunities.
- Personally build and manage a portfolio of high net worth major and principal planned gift donors and prospects, with significant impact on overall institutional financial goals and revenue.
- Design and implement individual giving strategies, and engage donors and prospects through written proposals, personal contacts, and visits.
- Work within a key performance indicator environment to achieve quantifiable goals based on mutually agreed upon targets of irrevocable and revocable gifts while documenting prospect and donor actions and contacts through the university’s prospect management system.
- Identify and participate in planned giving speaking engagements and opportunities throughout the province.
- Deliver regular internal educational planned giving presentations to staff and volunteers on planned gift options, and serve as a subject matter expert for colleagues.
- Work closely with professional advisors regarding charitable estate planning to educate about the work of McMaster University, and charitable gift options to enhance their clients’ financial and estate plans.
- Maintain current knowledge and advise on the impacts or changes in tax laws and other emerging issues in the planned giving field.
- Maintain active involvement in planned giving and philanthropy professional associations at provincial and national level.
- Advise in the development and monitoring of McMaster’s planned giving policies.
- Lead the planned giving team in the development and execution of bequest and planned giving goals.
Qualifications & Competencies
Education:
- Completion of a Bachelor’s degree at minimum. A Master’s degree is considered an asset.
- Preferred education: Advanced degree in law, business, communications, organization management, or health would be considered desirable
- CFRE designation desirable
Experience:
- 8-10+ years of related work experience required.
- 8 years minimum of demonstrated fundraising experience in planned giving with increasing levels of responsibility.
- Experience in leading a team is required.
- Specialized training in financial and/or estate planning, tax law, and philanthropy.
- Philanthropy-based experience in a university or other complex organization highly desired.
- Knowledge of planned giving vehicles, current trends in philanthropy, donor advised funds and basic estate and financial planning for individuals, including tax implications of charitable giving.
- Public relations and marketing experience is a plus.
Knowledge/Skills:
- Working knowledge of the post-secondary sector and current trends in North American Advancement
- Proficiency with computerized information management in an advancement setting.
- Possess strong oral and written communications skills, and organization skills, self-directed with ability to meet deadlines.
- Thorough knowledge of and substantial experience working with leadership, capital campaigns, and planned giving.
- Able to deal effectively with people and inspire others to perform at a high level of efficiency and productivity.
- The ability to communicate effectively with academics, colleagues, donors, and university leadership.
- Achievement oriented, a team player, and a successful team builder.
- Capable of developing and implementing clear goals, systems, and priorities.
- Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and skilled at developing relationships both internally and externally with various constituencies.
- Professionalism and discretion in interpersonal communications.
- Willingness to travel to meet with alumni and donors.
Working at McMaster
At McMaster, you will find a community of talented individuals who are inspired by the University’s mission and the sense of purpose this mission brings. It is through these talented individuals, their creativity and drive for results that McMaster University has earned its reputation as being Canada’s “most innovative” university.
Leaders in The Management Group (TMG) are vital contributors to McMaster’s renowned culture of creativity, innovation and excellence. They demonstrate the value they place on their leaders with a highly competitive total rewards package featuring compensation, well-being, growth and inclusion provisions.
McMaster University strives to embody the values of integrity, quality, inclusiveness and teamwork, and has a strong commitment to employment equity. Building an inclusive community with a shared purpose is something that McMaster University prioritizes. They believe it is important for their workforce to reflect the diversity of their students and community. The diversity of their workforce is at the core of their innovation and creativity and is a key area that strengthens their research capabilities and teaching excellence.
Compensation & Benefits
To learn more about the total rewards available to the successful candidate, please access McMaster’s interactive guide with a summary of the compensation, benefits, retirement income, work life, development and career opportunities, and performance and recognition provisions offered at McMaster. To further explore the extensive total rewards program, detailed information can be accessed through the links throughout the guide.
The hiring range for this position is $120,000 – $140,000 plus a performance pay bonus eligibility of up to 10% of base salary, along with an excellent benefits package.
Application Instructions
If you would like to apply, please send your CV and cover letter to Lindsay Preston (lindsay@phcap.ca) by December 9, 2024, at 5pm ET. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require any accommodations, please notify Lindsay Preston.
The University seeks qualified candidates who share their commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.
McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement. The diversity of their workforce is at the core of their innovation and creativity and strengthens their research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity and has a strong commitment to employment equity.
We thank you in advance for your interest. Please note only qualified candidates will be contacted.