Dir of Major & Planned Giving

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ADMINISTRATIVE/BENEFITED FULL TIME Galesburg, IL, US

5 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $80,000.00 To $85,000.00 Annually

Title:
Director of Major and Planned Giving

Reports to: Vice President for Advancement

FLSA: Exempt

The Director of Major and Planned Giving leads a frontline fundraising operation that builds deep and lasting individual relationships with donors and prospects across the philanthropic continuum. The Director is responsible for securing philanthropic support to advance Knox College’s mission in conjunction with the strategic framework Venture Boldly. This position develops and executes integrated strategies for major gifts ($50,000+) and planned giving, manages a robust portfolio of high-capacity prospects, and oversees the planned giving program and major giving team, ensuring coordinated cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities that maximize philanthropic support for the institution.

Knox College is a nationally recognized liberal arts college committed to preparing students to flourish in a diverse world through transformative learning experiences. As Director of Major and Planned Giving, you'll serve as a strategic partner to donors who want their philanthropy to make a profound, lasting impact on this mission. You'll think relationally about each donor's full philanthropic potential, working across the giving continuum to structure gifts that achieve donors' charitable objectives while advancing Knox's most critical priorities.

Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Director is a key member of the Advancement Leadership Team and works collaboratively with colleagues to promote the institution's mission, deepen donor relationships, and increase transformational philanthropy.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all aspects of major gifts and planned giving programs to secure $15-20M+ annually in endowed, capital, and unrestricted funding.
• Manage a portfolio of 75-100 major gift prospects while overseeing team cultivation of additional prospects.
• Develop and implement strategies for leadership gifts, complex gifts, and deferred giving that integrate seamlessly across donor life cycles.
• Manage and mentor major giving staff, establishing metrics, training protocols, and professional development opportunities.
• Serve as the institution's primary resource on charitable estate planning, tax-advantaged giving strategies, and complex gift structures.
• Oversee planned giving program operations, including bequests, trusts, and charitable gift annuities.

Strategic Planning & Analysis (20%)

• Collaborate with the Vice President for Advancement and advancement leadership in developing strategic and operational plans for major gifts and planned giving growth as part of comprehensive campaign planning.
• Analyze pipeline data and trends to identify opportunities for portfolio growth, prospect identification, and program enhancement.
• Work with Prospect Development to identify major gift and planned giving prospects, applying analytics and gift planning indicators to build sustainable pipelines.
• Utilize CRM and other advancement technologies to track activities, analyze trends, and evaluate strategies for achieving fundraising goals.
• Understand institutional vision and priorities, develop clear and compelling messages, and craft giving opportunities aligned with donor interests and institutional needs.
• Represent the institution within the advancement network of professionals to create opportunities for talent recruitment, best-practice sharing, and learning.

Planned Giving Program (30%)

• Lead the continued development, growth, and strategic direction of Knox’s planned giving program.
• Oversee all aspects of the institution's planned giving program, including bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and other deferred gift vehicles.
• Create and manage the plan for marketing the planned giving program and communicating with identified donor segments about smart giving and planned giving…