Planned Giving Program Specialist

Job Description:

The Planned Giving and Philanthropic Strategies Program Specialist serves as the operations coordinator for the department. Reporting to the Executive Director (ED), this hybrid role blends high-level organizational policy design, cross-functional project management, institutional compliance, and strategic executive support.

A defining priority of this role is the unique opportunity to design, implement, and own the operational framework for accepting complex asset gifts (such as founders' stock). The ideal candidate will not merely maintain existing workflows, but will lead collaborative efforts across university departments to design new, robust standard operating procedures. Designed for a highly organized, tech-savvy, and proactive generalist, this position values transferable operational excellence, administrative skills, and the ability to navigate complex administrative systems with confidence.

This position is located in Providence, RI.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in a related field, such as project management, operations, business analysis, logistics, marketing, or legal assistant/paralegal. 
• Demonstrated transferable operational background in fast-paced corporate, legal, consulting, tech, or start-up environments is highly valued. Candidates with paralegal, business operations, management consulting, or agency project management experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Job Competencies

• Proficiency with creating workflows, policies, or standard operating procedures (SOPs) from scratch, rather than just maintaining existing ones.
• Advanced proficiency with Google Workspace functions (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive) for project tracking and collaboration.
• Direct experience utilizing or navigating Workday (or a similar enterprise resource planning/financial system).
• Experience utilizing or managing modern project management and workflow management platforms (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Trello, Jira, or AirTable) to track multi-stage projects.
• Demonstrated technical agility and the ability to quickly master complex, proprietary institutional database systems. Experience using a customer relationship management (CRM) system is preferred.
• Exceptional project management, communication, and organizational skills with a commitment to accuracy.
• Stakeholder Management & Diplomacy: High emotional intelligence. Proven ability to build consensus across different departments and manage executives and frontline fundraising officers to meet operational deadlines.
• Prioritization Under Pressure: Capacity to self-manage; able to balance long-term project planning (like policy rollouts and marketing cycles) with daily tasks such as scheduling emergencies or immediate invoice routing.
• Attention to Detail: A commitment to accuracy, from proofing strict routing sheets and auditing invoices to tracking precise stock liquidation windows.
• Strong organizational and planning skills with the ability to initiate, collaborate, implement, monitor, evaluate, and advance funding proposals that support program activities and contribute to Advancement’s overall goals and objectives and the University’s fundraising enterprise.
• Superior interpersonal skills with proven ability to effectively interact and collaborate with varied constituencies in a professional manner, exhibiting excellent written and oral communication skills, team-building skills, and demonstrating tact, poise, and diplomacy while working with a wide variety of personalities.
• Ability to apply sound judgment and proven responsible decision-making skills; tact and discretion are required to handle highly confidential information from alumni, parents, students, families, donors, and prospects.
• Must be able and willing to work occasional evenings and weekends. 

Background Check: All offers of employment are contingent upon a successful criminal background check and education verification satisfactory to Brown.

Additional Information: Please submit a resume and cover letter when applying for this position.

Read more about the benefits of working at Brown here.

Benefits of Working at Brown:

Please review additional information on the Benefits of Working at Brown.

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Submission Guidelines:

The designated Position Work Location for each position determines the approved modality of work. Positions are classified based on the operational and business needs of the department and may be designated as on-site, hybrid, or remote.

Employees with a designated position work location as remote must reside and perform their work in a state where Brown University is registered to do business. Brown University is a registered employer in the following states: Rhode Island, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington, D.C.

Please note that to be considered for a staff position at Brown University, you must submit a separate application for each position you wish to be considered for. Applications are reviewed only for the specific position to which they are submitted and are not automatically considered for future openings.  

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Still Have Questions?

If you have any questions you may contact [email protected].

Brown is an E-Verify Employer.

EEO Statement:

Brown University provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation based upon a person’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law, in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. The University recognizes and rewards individuals on the basis of qualifications and performance. The University maintains certain affirmative action programs in compliance with applicable law.