Job title: estate planning specialist
Department: office of advancement
Location: oakland, ca
Reports to: manager, estates and trusts
Supervises: none
Context: the sierra club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the united statesWe amplify the power of our 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy worldOur work focuses on championing solutions to the climate crisis; working for clean air, safe water, land protection and a vibrant natural world; fighting for environmental and social justice; and getting people outside to enjoy the outdoorsWe have 800 employees located in offices and working remotely across the countrySierra club’s employees are changemakers whose work is rooted in our equity, inclusion, and justice valuesWe are guided by the jemez principles to build just relationships with our community partners to co-create a clean energy future
Sierra club is comprised of staff across the country and a network of local chapters that support our grassroots engagementWe are also proud to be a unionized employer - with two labor unions representing more than half of our employees.
Scope: the estate planning specialist supports the processing of all estate gifts to sierra club, including bequests for the national club, its chapters and groups, and the sierra club foundationThis role reports to manager, estates and trusts, and works closely with others to administer estate gifts, life-income gifts, liquidation of complex assets, and bequests with a focus on estate administrationThere will be frequent outside contact with sierra club donors and sierra club volunteers as neededThis position will also develop positive relations with professionals in the trusts and estates field, work with the finance department and other departments to ensure institutional compliance with regard to restricted estate gifts and revenue sharing arrangementsThe estate specialist will also manage projects relating to donor analysis, donor stewardship, response analysis, prospect segmentation, and similar, as needed.
Job activities include but are not limited to:
Have periodic contact with donors, attorneys, trustees, executors, family members and othersDiscuss estate matters including outreach for estate updates, necessary paperwork, and status on estate distributionsDraft routine correspondence, including new estate, condolence, closed estate and acknowledgements letters.
Support the estate tracking process by opening new estates using the salesforce systemThis will include updating estate activity while scanning and uploading documentation, letters, and other correspondence
Complete beneficiary designation paperwork as needed, including but not limited to life insurance paperwork, ira documents, and other payable on death accountsThen track the progress to ensure the documents are received, processed and the distribution is made.
Support the overall life income gift programThis includes but not limited to preparing and mailing charitable gift annuity contracts to donors, preparing gift acknowledgements, updating donor information as necessary in both the donor record and with tiaa kaspick, our gift planning investment firm.
Performs miscellaneous duties in support of the manager, estates and trusts and the gift planning program as assigned.
The successful candidate must have the following skills and experience:
Solid experience with increasing responsibilities in a legal firm or financial services firm.
The ability to listen and partner productively with a variety of staff, volunteers, donors, and members of a team and outside stakeholders.
Proficiency with fundraising database applications (salesforce a plus), ms word and excel specifically.
Strong communication and interpersonal skillsStrong organizational and problem-solving skills; a willingness to push through barriers and bounce back from setbacks with creative and new ideas in order to meet goals.
The ability to be flexible in your work and priorities be able to work independently and have a self-driven work ethic but also able to connect with others to share ideas and feedback in order to problem solve.
Equity analysis and practiceYou are aware of your group identities and how they have shaped your life and experiences at workYou have an analysis of how racism and other forms of oppression in society impact relationships, systems and cultureYou bring experience and skills for working effectively with colleagues across group identities and position/role.
The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following experience, skills and competencies:
Knowledge of charitable bequests and other gift planning vehicles
Direct estate planning experience in the nonprofit sector
Compensation and benefits
This position is represented by a collective bargaining unit and is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract between sierra club and sierra employee alliance.
The salary for this position is non-negotiable $62,500.
The sierra club offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.
This is a category 5 non-exempt, represented position.
Sierra club is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organizationSierra club employees are not eligible to participate in the federal public service loan forgiveness (pslf) program.
Sierra club values the expertise and talents of foreign nationalsSierra club sponsors both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas when certain criteria are met, based on immigration laws and organizational needsSuch sponsorship is at the discretion of the department head and sierra club human resources in consultation with the employee’s managerThe sierra club cannot guarantee the approval of a visa petitionThe sierra club is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity.
Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.
To apply
This position does not have an undergraduate education requirementIf you choose to include your education history, please remove your school’s from your resumeYou may leave your degree (e.g., “b.aPhilosophy”), but please remove any undergraduate and graduate school names.
This “blind hiring” process is aimed at opening this opportunity to more candidates, reviewing applicants on performance assessments and mitigating bias in the decision making process.
Lastly, we are intentionally not asking for a cover letter, so please do not send one in with your application.
