Bushman Legacy Initiative Director

Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City; Overland Park (KS); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

401(k)

Generous vacation and sick leave

Job summary

A prominent community foundation in Overland Park, Kansas, is seeking a Director of Communications to lead the Bushman Legacy Initiative, enhancing the culture of planned giving and deepening multi-generational philanthropy. The ideal candidate will have 5-7 years of leadership experience in fundraising, excellent communication skills, and the ability to build relationships within the community. This full-time role offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, making it a prime opportunity for leaders in the nonprofit sector.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in related program leadership or philanthropic consulting.
• Excellent communication skills to convey complex concepts clearly.
• Strong relationship-building abilities and coaching skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Bushman Legacy Initiative and develop annual goals.
• Serve as primary consultant for partner organizations on legacy giving.
• Coordinate marketing strategy and legacy campaign materials.

Skills

Program leadership

Fundraising

Planned giving

Coaching

Communication skills

Data management

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree in nonprofit management or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office (Excel, Word)

Job description

Director of Communications at Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Position Overview

This full‑time exempt position leads the Bushman Legacy Initiative, a transformative community‑wide effort to enhance the culture of planned giving, strengthen endowment development, and deepen multi‑generational Jewish philanthropy through the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City and its partner agencies and congregations.

The Bushman Legacy Initiative Director will develop this initiative in collaboration with the JCF team and serves as the day‑to‑day manager of the initiative, coaching partner organizations, overseeing an incentive‑based model, advancing donor and community engagement around legacy giving, and coordinating marketing, data, and evaluation activities in collaboration with JCF colleagues. This position reports to JCF’s Director of Philanthropy and President/CEO.

Specific Responsibilities

• Collaboratively design the initiative and lead its implementation, including annual goals, work plans and performance metrics.
• Coordinate internal JCF teams to support initiative objectives.
• Serve as primary consultant and coach to participating agencies and congregations on legacy giving, endowment development and related best practices.
• Work with each partner agency to develop and update customized legacy plans, including prospect identification, cultivation strategies and stewardship.
• Plan and facilitate trainings for professional and lay leadership on legacy giving, donor stewardship and building a legacy culture.
• Design and administer an incentive‑based model (matching grants, capacity‑building micro‑grants and achievement incentives) that rewards partners for implementing best practices and meeting agreed‑upon benchmarks.
• Monitor partner performance and provide regular feedback and coaching to help achieve maximum success.
• Develop and advance a “philanthropic life journey” framework that engages donors and families at key life stages and integrates lifetime and legacy giving.
• Coordinate with the Director of Communications to develop a marketing strategy including donor features and legacy campaign materials.
• Plan and implement Foundation for Our Future, JCF’s biennial community‑wide legacy event, ensuring meaningful donor recognition and visibility of legacy giving.
• Ensure accurate tracking of legacy prospects, commitments and reaffirmations in the donor database and prepare regular initiative reports and dashboards.
• Contribute to budgeting, grant reporting, and long‑term sustainability planning for the Bushman Legacy Initiative.
• Report as requested to the Board of the Stanley J. Bushman Supporting Foundation.
• Handle special projects and duties as assigned by the Director of Philanthropy and/or President & CEO.

Profile of the Ideal Candidate

• 5–7 years of experience in related program leadership, fundraising, planned giving, major gifts, or philanthropic consulting.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in nonprofit management, business, communications or related field preferred.
• Knowledge of legacy and planned giving concepts or demonstrated ability to quickly acquire this expertise.
• Ability to work with and advise multiple partner organizations and volunteer leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple ongoing activities, manage projects, and meet deadlines.
• Strong relationship building and coaching skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to translate complex concepts into clear donor‑facing messages.
• Comfort with data and metrics, including use of donor databases/CRM systems and Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Word.
• High attention to detail, discretion, and professionalism in handling confidential donor and organizational information.
• Knowledge of, or strong interest in, the Jewish community, values and traditions, and comfort working within a Jewish communal context.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The Foundation offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), life insurance, long‐term and short‐term disability, and generous vacation, sick leave and holidays.

To Apply

Email a letter of interest highlighting applicable skills that make you an ideal candidate, and your resume to [e-mail].

About the Jewish Community Foundation

The Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) partners with individuals, families and community organizations to help them achieve their philanthropic goals. In fiscal year 2024, JCF awarded and facilitated more than $31 million in 5,600+ grants to nearly 1,200 Jewish and general community organizations locally and nationally. As a leading regional resource for philanthropy, the Foundation manages more than $400 million in assets and has facilitated more than $450 million in grants over the past 20 years. JCF is recognized for innovative, high‑impact programs and services, including receipt of the Nonprofit Connect Excellence in Impact Award.