University Park, PA30+ days ago
Reporting to the Director of Gift Acceptance and working closely with the members of Gift Acceptance team and other partners across the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, this Gift Planning Assistant will: Provide comprehensive administrative and operational support for gift acceptance and planned giving activities, including estate and trust administration, record management, and processing of gift documentation and recording, while ensuring accurate and effective communication across the Division of Development and Alumni Relations; Articulate Penn State's needs, ambitions, and values through excellent informal and formal communications; Support estate and trust administration, including tracking payments, preparing documentation, maintaining records, and assisting with correspondence and reporting; Coordinate and process guideline agreements and donor intent statements, including routing for signatures, preparing acknowledgment materials, and maintaining tracking systems and archives; Prepare and review bequest expectancy reports, ensuring accurate donor records, calculations, and internal coordination for proper recording; Provide backup support for specialized gift types, including life insurance and gifts-in-kind, assisting with documentation, donor communication, and recordkeeping; Maintain planned giving donor recognition and membership tracking, ensuring accurate qualification and follow-up; Collaborate in identifying opportunities to improve workflows, tracking systems, and documentation processes to enhance efficiency and compliance; Maintain and update internal procedures, guides, and materials related to gift acceptance and planned giving operations; Ensure accuracy and consistency of donor and gift data across systems; assist with audits, reconciliations, and data clean-up projects; Support implementation or enhancement of databases and reporting tools; Assist in ensuring adherence to institutional policies, legal requirements, and donor intent in all gift processing activities; Support preparation for internal and external audits by organizing documentation and responding to requests; Serve as a liaison for internal departments to resolve issues and streamline processes; Contribute to periodic reporting on planned giving activity, trends, and performance metrics; and. The successful candidate will have: Paralegal, Legal Assistant or similar experience; Exemplary interpersonal and communication skills; The ability to create and maintain an inclusive and respectful environment for all students and colleagues; Knowledge of estate and trust administration; Understanding of the Division of Development and Alumni Relations; A proven ability to self-motivate and work both independently and as part of a team; A commitment to professional development, learning, and being mentored.