Specialist, Estate Administration - 25009 - World Wildlife Fund

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Specialist, Estate Administration.

Major Function  

This position is responsible for evaluating and processing gifts from wills, trusts and beneficiary designations.  This entails securing all related gifts by monitoring the probate and estate liquidation process, and includes interactions with estate attorneys, personal representatives, banks, and other financial institutions, as well as our internal Fundraising Operations team.

Salary:  The expected compensation range for this position is $73,400 - $91,800.

• Manages and processes estate gifts from life insurance, retirement accounts, bank/investment accounts, and various other pay on death gifts. This includes obtaining and completing claim forms, acquiring death certificates and other supporting documentation from the executor, attorney or financial institution, and ensuring the gift is realized in a timely manner. 

• Acts as primary manager of estates with a specific bequest, working with executor and attorney to insure timely receipt of gift. This includes initial review of correspondence, creating new estate/trust files, following up on requests for wills or other required documentation, answers inquiries, and triages the large volume of T & E correspondence for efficient handling, noting matters in the database as appropriate.

• Proactively follows up with estate attorneys and executors to ensure timeliness and accuracy of distributions, and prepare acknowledgement letters.

• Ensure estate status is updated in CRM database.

• Review and prepare documents for signature (receipts, refunding bonds, inheritance or annuity claim forms, etc.) and forward to appropriate signatory.

• Maintain electronic and physical records of all bequests.

• Monitor and update donor database to ensure all gifts are correctly recorded.

• Performing other duties as assigned.

Key Competencies 

1. Initiative: Uses judgment to make decisions and do things without needing to be told what to do.
2. Organization and Attention to Detail:  Detail-oriented and attentive to organizational systems.
3. Cross-Cultural Communication: Able to operate effectively and with sensitivity in cross-cultural and multi-cultural environments.
4. Interpersonal Communication and Collaboration: Collaborate effectively with colleagues, and receive and incorporate feedback well.

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required.

• MUST HAVE 2-3 years of professional experience with Trusts & Estates administration or trust and estate-related paralegal experience (OR 1-2 years as a Paralegal - if no Trusts & Estates experience).

  • Wills, life insurance, retirement plans, gift annuities, life income gifts, and other planned gifts.

• MUST HAVE 2-3 years of basic administrative experience.

• Knowledge of CRM database is strongly preferred.

• Strong organizational and analytical skills.

• Strong commitment to providing quality customer service.

• Interpersonal skills that require empathy for donor situations, and a pleasant friendly style to handle customer grievances with patience.  Enjoys working with people. 

• High standard of ethics, assuring discreet handling of donor records and follows the model standards of practice for gift planners.

• Strong writing, proofreading, and editing skills.

• Takes initiative, prioritizes, and completes work with minimal supervision to meet deadlines.

• Ability to operate with independence.

• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.

• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability, and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and ensure that we learn and evolve.
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page,  Requisition #25009.
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone.

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.