Position: Legacy Gifts Officer

Department: Development

Office Location: The ideal candidate is located in New York, NY or Los Angeles, CA.

Work Type Designation: Work from Home

Reports To: Senior Director of Legacy Giving

Union Status: D4. This is a union position.

Annual Salary Range: $85,197 - $136,951. The salary for this role will be determined by a candidate's years of relevant experience related to the position, as well as their geographic region. Our salary scale steps start at 1 year or less and go up to 30+ years of experience.

Travel: Some travel is required.

FLSA Status: Exempt/ Full-Time

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Who We Are 

Lambda Legal is a national advocacy organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Since 1973, Lambda Legal has used impact litigation and other advocacy tools to decriminalize same-sex relationships; challenge discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in the workplace, in the home, in schools, in health care, and in the military; and protect LGBTQ+ families, including by winning and defending marriage equality. Our clients are not charged for legal representation or advocacy and Lambda Legal receives no government funding. Headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal also has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC.  
 
We believe that serving the full breadth of the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities requires cultural competency and enthusiasm for diversity of all kinds. To be successful, we must approach our work with an understanding that discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status is not the only obstacle to achieving full formal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV; rather, we recognize the intersectional nature of discrimination, specifically including biases based on race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, education, and class. Considering this reality, we prioritize a proactive commitment to counteracting these biases and their compounding effects in the work we do, but also in how we work together as an organization.

Legacy Gift Officer

Lambda Legal seeks a charismatic Legacy Gifts Officer (LGO) who will work closely with the Senior Director of Legacy Giving and other Development staff to assist in the expansion of Lambda Legal’s Legacy Giving program. The ideal candidate should have direct experience soliciting legacy or major gifts and a proven record of successful donor and volunteer engagement.

The LGO will maintain a portfolio of current legacy donors (part of Lambda Legal’s Guardian Society program), as well as legacy giving prospects. They will also work alongside Lambda Legal’s Regional Directors, Major Gift team, and Development Department to ensure the fulfillment of a holistic donor cultivation strategy.

This position is designated for either Lambda Legal’s Western Regional Office (Los Angeles) or Headquarters (New York City).

What you’ll do: 

The Legacy Giving Officer reports to the Senior Director of Legacy Giving. The LGO role requires someone who takes initiative and has a keen attention to detail. This person will be responsible for donor moves management processes, reporting, and relationship-building. The following is a list of the core responsibilities of the LGO:

• Manage a portfolio of legacy giving donors/prospects with key emphasis on direct stewardship in specific markets. This position will also be responsible for a limited major gift portfolio for a blended cultivation strategy.
• Assist the Senior Director of Legacy Giving, National Director of Individual Philanthropy, and national staff to implement Lambda Legal’s legacy giving strategy that includes identifying, soliciting, and securing legacy gift intentions.
• Implement donor cultivation, stewardship, and appreciation programs, including recognition events in assigned markets. This also includes providing programmatic updates to donors on an ongoing basis. Lead and/or collaborate with other team members to promote and execute legacy giving /blended events across Lambda Legal’s western region.
• Craft customized proposals for Legacy Giving prospects, leveraging existing communications materials and programmatic information.
• Identify and cultivate prospective volunteer solicitors, including potential Board and NLC members in assigned markets as well as support and manage annual solicitation of donors in assigned portfolio by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Development Officer, Board, NLC members, and other key volunteers. This includes identifying and securing major donor prospect meetings for senior staff and organizational leadership.
• Research, prepare calculations, and present planned giving proposals to donors/prospects.
• Steward Lambda Legal’s Legacy Giving Council by managing local volunteers and aid in the recruitment of new members.
• Help in the development of a long-term marketing strategy that includes collecting and highlighting compelling donor narratives while promoting the Guardian Society program.
• Support the Senior Director of Legacy Giving in processing estate paperwork and communicating with estate attorneys as needed.
• Pulling data driven reports on legacy prospects and donors to inform market-based outreach.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Who you are: 

With the understanding that no one person will offer every desired skill and characteristic outlined below, compelling candidates will offer much of the following:

• 3+ years of demonstrated success in direct legacy gift or major gift fundraising experience (or transferable skills), and coordinating fundraising events desired.
• Experience soliciting and closing gifts.
• Proven experience having expanded and cultivated and maintained existing donor relationships over time.
• Fluency in gift planning vehicles and/or the estate administration process is preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel in the interest of donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Experience working closely with Board and key volunteers and knowledge of LGBTQ and/or philanthropic communities in assigned areas is required.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and interpersonal, including excellent listening skills.
• Ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build trust for long-term, authentic relationships.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Conduct in-depth research to identify and evaluate potential legacy giving prospects, leveraging databases, public records, and donor histories to inform personalized engagement strategies.
• Ability to communicate a passion for Lambda Legal’s mission is essential.
• Must be able to work in an autonomous environment and be self-directed and self- motivated.
• Campaign experience is a plus.
• Experience in donor database management and reporting; Raiser’s Edge preferred.

Successful candidates will welcome the opportunity to work in a racially- and gender-diverse environment and to contribute to a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Working at Lambda Legal requires a demonstrated awareness of and commitment to the concerns of the breadth of the communities that Lambda Legal serves. Prior work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and/or people living with HIV is highly desirable. Experience working with other historically marginalized communities (in a professional or volunteer capacity) is also desirable.

All employees at Lambda Legal are expected to adhere to ethical conduct in all interactions and tasks, ensuring a positive and respectful workplace environment.

Why Work at Lambda Legal?

You get to do meaningful, life-changing work at a national level for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. Lambda Legal also proudly offers competitive benefits for our team. We understand that our staff’s dedication and effort are instrumental in achieving our mission. A highlight of the benefits we offer include:

• Medical benefits that begin on your start date
• Dental, Vision, and Life insurance (effective 30 days from your start date)
• Short & Long-Term Disability plans (effective 30 days from your start date)
• 403(b) Retirement Plan (employer contribution and matching program begins after 90 days of employment)
• Paid Time Off:
  • Paid Vacation (15 Days)
  • Sick Leave (12 Days)
  • Personal Leave (3 Days)
  • Religious Observance Leave (3 Days)
  • Bereavement and Bereavement Anniversary Leave
  • Floating Holiday (1 Day)
• 12 paid holidays and 5 early office closures
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA/DC FSA) and Commuter Benefits
• Health Reimbursement Account
• $50 monthly mobile phone reimbursement
• Summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day
• Premium subscription to the Calm App
• Paid sabbatical after 7 years of service at Lambda Legal (4 weeks for non-exempt positions and 8 weeks for exempt positions)

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Read more about Lambda Legal's work on our blog and Instagram.

Lambda Legal believes in creating a more equitable playing field for applicants and values the depth of relevant skills built through successful education, work, and life experiences. If your background and skills are a close match for this position, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

Lambda Legal is committed to further building and maintaining a staff that reflects the full range of LGBTQ+, HIV-affected and allied communities, and is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Lambda Legal encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and gender-diverse people, women, people with abilities in multiple languages, immigrants, people living with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals and individuals living with HIV are all encouraged to apply.