Planned Giving Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Planned Giving Officer
Job Grade: 27
Department: Resource Development
Reports to: Manager, Individual Giving
Date Prepared: 1.30.26
FLSA Status: Exempt

The Planned Giving Officer is responsible for growing and stewarding United Way's planned (legacy) giving program. This role manages a portfolio of major donors and builds and maintains strong relationships with Legacy Society members and prospects.

The Planned Giving Officer also leads and supports donor and volunteer committees and networks, engaging members as ambassadors to advance legacy giving efforts and increase retiree participation and philanthropic investment among key constituent groups.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a high level of professionalism and discretion, possess a working knowledge of legacy giving vehicles and opportunities and be able to clearly articulate the long‑term benefits of legacy giving to donors, the organization, and the broader community.

While working closely with organizational leadership, the Manager of Individual Giving, and the Resource Development team, this role builds and manages a robust pipeline of donors whose legacy commitments will help ensure the long‑term future of United Way.

• Manage and grow a portfolio of assigned major ($10,000+) and leadership-level ($1,200+) donors, both in and outside the workplace, by setting goals, cultivating and soliciting gifts, tracking progress, stewarding relationships, and maintaining accurate and timely records in CRM (Andar).
• Lead efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit, and secure new and newly revealed planned gift intentions, including bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and other planned giving vehicles.
• Conduct strategic discovery and prospect research using the CRM and constituent data to identify, qualify, and prioritize prospective planned giving donors in partnership with the Major Gift team.
• Assess and strengthen the legacy giving program by partnering with data and IT teams to develop and maintain effective tracking, documentation, and reporting processes.
• Develop and implement strategies to recruit, cultivate, steward, and recognize legacy donors and qualified prospects through targeted outreach, marketing initiatives, events, and other engagement opportunities.
• Partner closely with the VP of Finance to ensure legal and ethical compliance of planned giving agreements and support related documentation, reporting, and record‑keeping.
• Provide comprehensive support to board and community volunteers engaged in legacy giving, including advising, individualized support, coordination, and follow‑up based on volunteer needs.
• Serve as the internal subject‑matter expert on legacy giving opportunities, providing training, guidance, and resources to Resource Development staff and volunteers.
• Participate in ongoing professional development to remain current on planned and legacy giving best practices and trends.
• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to promote legacy giving, retiree content and the Legacy Society at United Way, including digital presence (social media, blogs, etc.), materials, electronic newsletters, and promotional strategies.
• Leverage best practices from United Way Worldwide and partner organizations nationwide to identify and implement effective planned giving strategies.
• Work with community volunteers and partners to leverage existing relationships, identify potential donors, and engage key decision makers.

• Manage multiple volunteer committees, each consisting of approximately 10–20 members.
• Identify, recruit, and provide a high level of service to members of volunteer committees, including professionals and community leaders such as financial planners, retirees, and estate planning professionals, to ensure a strong and engaged volunteer leadership base.
• Organize and facilitate co‑chair meetings, quarterly committee meetings, subcommittee meetings, and event‑related meetings, as needed.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase engagement and philanthropic contributions among key constituent groups,…