Director of Planned Giving

at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois, United States

Job Description

The Director of Planned Giving provides strategic leadership for Illinois State University’s planned and legacy giving program, with responsibility for growing deferred gift commitments, strengthening the University’s planned giving pipeline, and embedding gift planning strategies throughout the development enterprise.
The Director leads strategies to actively manage, validate, grow, and ultimately realize the University’s $138+ million planned giving pipeline while expanding the next generation of legacy donors. The position manages a portfolio of planned giving prospects and donors, provides subject matter expertise on complex and blended gift strategies, and works closely with development officers, donors, professional advisors, and University partners to secure long-term philanthropic commitments that advance institutional and campaign priorities. The position is an essential strategic partner in maximizing many of the largest gift commitments to ISU, especially those with transformational impact potential.
The Director provides leadership in planned giving marketing, prospect identification, donor education, Heritage Society engagement, performance measurement, and continuous improvement of the University’s planned giving program.
Primary Strategic Outcomes
• Growth in the number and estimated value of documented bequest commitments and other deferred gifts.
• Growth and active engagement of the University’s Heritage Society.
• Expansion of the qualified planned giving prospect pipeline.
• Increased integration of planned and blended gift strategies within major and principal gift proposals.
• Improved documentation, valuation, forecasting, stewardship, and realization of planned gift expectancies.
• Expanded awareness of planned giving opportunities among alumni and friends.
• Increased effectiveness of planned giving marketing, donor engagement, and lead conversion.
• Increased contribution of planned giving to University campaign priorities and long-term endowment growth.

The position operates as part of the Development Department in the Division of University Advancement, which is a collaborative environment focused on building philanthropic partnerships with alumni and friends of the University.