Executive Director of Planned Giving - Norman Campus

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Assistant Vice President of Principal and Planned Giving, advance all aspects of a robust and growing planned giving program for the OU Foundation on the Norman campus. Provide leadership and strategic vision for operational needs ensuring appropriate processes are in place to support a best-in-class planned giving program. Work in partnership with development professionals across all OU campuses and OU Foundation staff to provide strategic, proactive support to maximize charitable contributions through appropriate, donor‑aligned planned giving vehicles.

Establish annual marketing plans to amplify awareness of planned giving opportunities. This position involves a full range of donor cultivation and stewardship duties, including working with other advancement staff to develop planned giving strategies, tracking the overall productivity of planned giving efforts, and actively managing a portfolio.

• Provide Planned Giving leadership on the Norman campus, working in partnership with the Executive Director of Planned Giving, OU Health (formerly HSC).
• Research, identify, and contact planned giving prospects.
• Fundraise, with emphasis on personal one‑on‑one contacts, focused on a variety of planned giving vehicles including bequest commitments, testamentary gifts of retirement accounts, charitable remainder and lead trusts, charitable gift annuities, pooled income fund gifts, and retained life estates.
• Educate prospects and donors about various planned giving opportunities.

• Provide leadership to the Advancement team on the Norman campus including planned giving training, consultation and solicitation support.
• Develop and manage planned giving policies and procedures to ensure all planned giving commitments are appropriately recorded, managed and celebrated.
• Work in partnership with AVP of Principal and Planned Giving to ensure appropriate gift details and respective processes are in place to support a best‑in‑class planned giving office.

• Implement planned giving programs to increase membership in the George Lynn Cross Society, which recognizes planned giving donors.
• Assist in developing programming to highlight members of the OU George Lynn Cross Society.

• Initiate programs and methodologies to attract new donors and steward donors.
• Engage existing donors, alumni and friends of OU to educate and encourage personal participation in planned giving opportunities.
• Adopt appropriate institutional solicitation strategies for potential planned giving prospects.

• Identify potential donors and maintain up‑to‑date major donor prospect details in the OU Foundation database of record.
• Refine the annual marketing and communications plan to support planned giving operational needs and generate new leads.
• Build awareness with financial advisors, trust and estate attorneys and other professionals in the charitable giving community.

Perform related responsibilities as required or assigned.

• Demonstrated expertise in and knowledge of fundraising programs, including direct solicitation responsibilities.
• Ability to analyze data to enhance fundraising strategies.
• Ability to work with legal documents including donor agreements with attention to detail.
• Experience with Development software, e.g., Agilon, Salesforce or similar software.
• Ability to make effective presentations groups, both large and small.
• Knowledge of media, communication and dissemination techniques and methods.
• Ability to communicate well, and build rapport quickly with donors, faculty, and colleagues.
• Ability to compose business documents with appropriate formatting and grammar.
• Proficient in MS Office.
• High level of initiative and creativity.
• Team‑oriented and willing to travel 25% of the time.

• Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Marketing, Public Relations, or closely related field.
• Ten or more years of fundraising experience, including five years in planned giving, and a record of significant personal achievement in fundraising.
• Will consider equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Knowledge of OU fundraising operations with experience and deep understating of strategy development for planned giving and principal prospects.
• Willingness to complete professional certifications to provide comprehensive support and leadership to planned giving efforts.
• CFRE preferred.