Giving Strategies Associate

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is seeking to hire a Giving Strategies Associate.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Giving Strategies Associate reports to the Associate Vice President, Client Relations and Communications, and plays an important role in supporting the work of the Giving Strategies team as it helps many generous individuals, families, foundations, and organizations accomplish the good they wish to do in Western New York and beyond. The Giving Strategies Associate administratively supports the Associate Vice President, Client Relations and Communications as well as the Community Foundation’s Giving Strategies team in the following ways: provides responsive and professional customer service to the Community Foundation’s clients, processes gifts and grants, and assists with special projects as needed.

For an individual to do well in the position, they must be highly detail oriented, organized, community-minded, service-oriented, and excellent at follow through and client service.  They enjoy learning about the unique needs of each client in order to provide them with excellent service and are motivated by the important mission-driven work of the Community Foundation to improve lives in Western New York. The Giving Strategies Associate helps to ensure that the Community Foundation’s client relationships are serviced with excellence.

In addition, this position requires sensitivity and integrity due to the Giving Strategies Associate’s access to clients’ highly confidential information. As such, the Giving Strategies Associate must maintain high standards of professionalism, ethics and confidentiality, and use discretion and independent judgment when making decisions.  Accuracy in all client communications is of utmost importance in this position.

This position is based primarily in the office. Compensation is commensurate with experience and includes excellent benefits.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Enter and acknowledge gifts made to the Community Foundation and grants requested by clients and organize and file electronic/hard copy client files.
  • Prepare and distribute communications to clients to acknowledge their donations and to communicate information about their charitable distributions (“grants”); follow acknowledgement processes to ensure compliance with Community Foundation policies.
  • Provide administrative support to the Associate Vice President, Client Relations and Communications, and the Community Foundation’s Giving Strategies team including meeting coordination and scheduling, mailings, and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Assist the Stewardship Officer in ensuring fund statements are distributed to clients.
  • Assist with client-related invitation lists, mailings and responses.
  • Maintain up-to-date contact information for clients, prospective clients, affiliates of the Community Foundation and grantees.
  • Serve as first point of contact when clients call the Giving Strategies phone line or email with inquiries. Route or handle inquiries effectively.
  • Provide clients with excellent personalized service. Be gracious to all and be able to relate effectively with a wide spectrum of people in the community, including the Board of Directors, clients, grantees and the general public.
  • Assist clients in achieving their charitable objectives by connecting them with the correct Community Foundation team members.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE/EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree preferred
  • Minimum of two years experience (or equivalent) in the non-profit or related field (client service, financial services, sales/development or planned giving)
  • Ability to perform the key responsibilities of the position with accuracy throughout
  • Experience with CRM and proprietary databases preferred
  • Demonstrated computer proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel, and an ability to maintain database information in a PC environment
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Maintains confidentiality

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

For more than a century, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has enhanced and encouraged long- term philanthropy in the Western New York community. A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York.

Established in 1919, the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation’s care. Learn more at cfgb.org.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Community foundations are designed to grow and evolve as our community’s needs change, and new positions are regularly created as a result. As the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo continues to grow, we’re looking for talented people who want to use their abilities to make a lasting difference. If that is you, then please send a cover letter explaining your interest in this position and what you would bring to the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Send cover letter and resume as a single Word or PDF document via email to: Jobs@CFGB.org.  Please submit response electronically via email. However, response may also be received by U.S. Postal Service if an electronic medium is not available. No calls please.

Application deadline: Open until filled.  We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity, practices inclusion and works to advance equity.