Director of Estate & Planned Giving
American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA)
Location: Metro New York (Hybrid)
American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) has exclusively retained Sterling Search, Inc. to find its next Director of Estate & Planned Giving (DEPG).
AFMDA is a partner in the vital work Magen David Adom (MDA) does every day for Israel’s 9.4 million population by funding a wide variety of emergency vehicles, a new national blood center, critically needed medical supplies, and rigorous EMT training. AFMDA is one of the fastest-growing Jewish nonprofit organizations in the US.
Magen David Adom is Israel’s emergency services system and the country’s representative to the International Red Cross. It is Israel's only government-mandated ambulance and emergency medical response organization. A leader in mass-casualty response, blood services, and EMS technology, Magen David Adom saves hundreds of thousands of lives every year, providing critical pre-hospital medical care to everyone from victims of heart attacks to terror attacks and arriving first to the scene of medical emergencies more than 91% of the time. In times of war and conflict escalation, the organization plays a vital role in national security.
MDA operates 24 hours a day, responding to all reported incidents and emergency calls across the entire country, handling more than 21,600 emergency calls on October 7, 2023, alone. With a network of 37,500 volunteers, employees, and national service personnel operating from 206 primary stations nationwide, MDA delivers critical care and lifesaving support in the face of unprecedented missile and rocket attacks, mass casualty events, terrorist infiltrations, and community evacuations.
AFMDA supports Magen David Adom’s efforts to save lives in Israel with charitable donations from the United States. In the immediate aftermath of the October 7th attacks, MDA called up all medics, staffed the entire ambulance fleet, put all 2,000 vehicles on the road, expanded shifts to 24 hours, and started to strategize for the days ahead. Fourteen ambulances were destroyed in just the first two days of the conflict and more than 40 EMTs and paramedics have been lost in the line of duty since the attacks.
MDA built a state-of-the-art underground National Blood Center to safeguard Israel’s vital blood supply. It opened in 2022 with the dedication of the Marcus National Blood Services Center, the world’s first underground and shielded blood bank and processing center. Designed to safeguard Israel’s critical blood reserves against missile, chemical, and biological attacks, Israel’s lifeblood would be in daily jeopardy without it. Also housed in the Marcus Center is MDA’s Sussman Family Foundation Human Milk Bank, which provides breast milk to premature babies with urgent medical needs, thereby dramatically increasing their chances of survival. Groundbreaking in its concept, design, engineering, and functionality, the Marcus Center was constructed at a cost of $135M, funded almost entirely by AFMDA.
Click here to visit American Friends of Magen David Adom Website Click here to visit American Friends of Magen David Adom - Planned Giving Home Click here to visit AFMDA Impact Reports
AFMDA is led by highly respected industry veteran Catherine Reed, CEO, a role she assumed in early 2020 after originally joining as CDO and leading the capital campaign efforts for the Marcus National Blood Services Center. Prior to joining AFMDA, Cathy held leadership positions with 92nd Street Y in New York and Hadassah.
Pre-October 7th, AFMDA was a $65M agency with the United States fundraising efforts divided into 4 regions. In 2023 the agency raised almost $300M across all four regions due to wartime fundraising efforts which included a match from Michael Bloomberg and Bloomberg Philanthropies and emerging corporate funding. Last year AFMDA raised almost $110M which is the projected average annual budget going forward.
Position Overview:
Reporting to the CEO and based out of the New York headquarters, the Director of Estate & Planned Giving (DEPG) holds primary responsibility for gifts of estates, trusts, and various other financial vehicles that reflect financial planning and deferred giving opportunities. The DEPG is a senior-level fundraising professional responsible for developing, managing, and expanding the organization’s national planned giving program. This individual will lead the strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of planned giving prospects and donors, including bequests, charitable gift annuities (CGAs), trusts, and other legacy gifts. They will also lead the strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the Loyalty Donor Program, with the goal of converting loyal donors into legacy donors.
Over the past six years, the Legacy Circle has grown from 100 to just over 600 members. The successful candidate should expect to develop moves management strategies for approximately 200 members annually, in addition to overseeing comprehensive cultivation and stewardship efforts as part of annual Legacy Circle activities. This role involves close collaboration with regional development staff, major gifts officers, and marketing and communications teams to identify and engage donors nationwide. The DEPG will also be responsible for direct mail and e-blast donor communications.
The successful candidate holds a national, multifaceted portfolio that represented $11 million in estate funds realized during 2024. In the same year, a record-setting 45 CGAs were secured representing an additional $1M in revenue. It is anticipated that 2025 will see a volume of approximately 30 CGAs. The ideal candidate should have an entrepreneurial disposition and a proven track record of securing legacy gifts of varying complexity. They will be enthusiastic about building upon the Estate and Planned Giving structure already in place and will have the autonomy to develop more robust performance metrics.
The ability to command a room of high-net-worth individuals, while bringing a deep understanding of the Jewish philanthropic landscape and knowledge of Israel, will be essential. Exceptional interpersonal skills with individuals of all age groups are required. Strong oral and written communication skills, along with excellent organizational abilities—particularly in planning, meeting deadlines, and evaluating progress—are also necessary. This position is paperwork-intensive and demands proficiency in proofreading, editing, attention to detail, and follow-through. An understanding of current tax laws related to charitable giving, familiarity with deferred giving strategies, and knowledge of a broad range of financial instruments are essential. The successful candidate will be highly collaborative and possess both confidence and drive.
Key Responsibilities:
Program Leadership & Strategy
· Develop and implement a comprehensive national planned giving strategy support of Israel’s emergency medical services.
· Oversee and enhance all aspects of the planned giving program, including donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, recognition, and stewardship.
· Establish performance metrics, reporting systems, and revenue forecasts for the program.
Donor Cultivation & Solicitation
· Manage a national portfolio of high-value planned giving prospects and legacy donors.
· Conduct in-person and virtual donor visits to inspire legacy gifts and provide technical support in coordination with estate planning advisors.
· Partner with major gift officers to incorporate planned giving into donor strategies and visits.
Marketing & Communications
· Oversee the development of targeted planned giving marketing materials, including direct mail, email, newsletters, website content, and donor guides.
· Oversee updates and promotion of the organization’s legacy giving website.
· Work with internal and external teams to execute multi-channel legacy marketing campaigns.
· Promote legacy giving through storytelling and donor spotlights to inspire and educate.
Collaboration & Training
· Partner with frontline fundraisers to identify and refer planned giving and loyalty donor prospects.
· Provide training and support to development staff to build knowledge and confidence in discussing planned giving options.
· Serve as the primary resource for technical expertise for staff and leadership on charitable estate planning tools and strategies.
· Coordinate with external consultants, attorneys, and marketing vendors as needed.
Donor Recognition & Stewardship
· Lead efforts to recognize and steward legacy donors through a formal legacy circle recognition program.
· Ensure thoughtful, ongoing stewardship of legacy donors through personal outreach, events, and tailored communications.
· Plan and execute recognition initiatives to celebrate legacy donors’ impact on Israel’s emergency services.
Administrative & Legal Oversight
· Work with legal counsel and finance teams to manage estate administration and ensure timely and accurate receipt of realized gifts.
· Maintain up-to-date documentation and prospect records in the donor database.
· Stay current on tax laws, philanthropic trends, and best practices in charitable estate planning.
Qualifications:
· Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in planned giving, estate law, major gifts, or a related field.
· Strong understanding of charitable estate planning vehicles and relevant tax laws.
· Proven track record of securing planned gifts and cultivating long-term donor relationships.
· Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to donors and colleagues.
· Exceptional relationship-building, interpersonal, and listening skills.
· Demonstrated leadership and strategic planning abilities.
· Experience managing a national portfolio and working in a decentralized multi-office environment.
· Experience working with high-net-worth individuals and professional advisors (e.g., attorneys, CPAs, wealth managers).
· Proficiency with CRM/database systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge).
· Willingness and ability to travel nationally.
· Bachelor's degree required; JD, CFP, CAP®, or other relevant advanced degree or credential strongly preferred.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. American Friends of Magen David Adom’s management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
American Friends of Magen David Adom is an equal opportunity employer.
A competitive compensation package will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate. The budgeted salary range is $165-190k, the salary will be commensurate with experience.
Please send resumes to:
Sterling Search, Inc.
[email protected] (310) 909 4897
Direct all correspondence, emails, and telephone calls to Sterling Search, Inc.