Director, Gift Planning

University of Illinois Foundation • Champaign, IL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Illinois Foundation (UIF), the official fundraising and private gift-receiving organization of the University of Illinois, seeks a Director, Gift Planning. The position serves as a subject matter expert in planned giving arrangements and works collaboratively with colleagues across the three universities in the University of Illinois System and the Foundation to provide technical support and guidance on gift planning. This includes consulting with frontline major gift officers, donors, and professional advisors on charitable gift planning, administrative policies, tax matters, and gift documentation requirements. The Director also secures major and planned giving commitments, both outright and deferred, through management of a personal portfolio and travels nationally to seek major gift support.

The Director provides technical guidance, calculations, proposals, documents, and assistance related to outright and deferred gifts, including tax, estate, and financial considerations. The position serves as a liaison between the UIF Office of Gift Planning and Trust Services and the universities at Chicago, Urbana-Champaign, and Springfield. It advises prospects and donors about charitable giving options and funding opportunities, manages a portfolio, and identifies, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards gift planning prospects and donors. The Director maintains professional knowledge of tax laws, regulatory changes, industry practices, standards, and technical aspects of charitable gift planning; ensures administrative standards and processes are followed; contributes to process and documentation improvements; supports planned-gift marketing strategies and fundraising campaigns; and may provide training on gift-planning techniques and documentation guidelines.

The role requires a bachelor's degree and 5–8 years of experience in fundraising, charitable gift planning, or related areas of law, taxation, trusts, or investments. A JD, CFP designation, similar designation, related advanced degree, and higher-education experience are preferred. The position requires travel as needed, occasional night and weekend work, and a valid driver's license. The role offers a hybrid schedule for many positions, with up to two remote-work days, in a LEED-certified workspace with an on-site wellness center and café. The projected starting salary range is $95,000–$105,000 per year.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree.
• 5–8 years of experience in fundraising, charitable gift planning, or related areas of law, taxation, trusts, or investments.
• Exemplary integrity, relationship-building skills, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytic ability, oral and written communication skills, resourcefulness, and strong attention to detail.
• Ability to travel as needed to advance gift-planning strategies and stewardship and to attend staff meetings and professional development.
• Occasional work on nights and weekends.
• Valid driver's license.

Nice To Haves

• Juris Doctorate (JD), Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, and/or similar designation.
• Experience in a higher education institution.
• Related advanced degree.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely guidance, calculations, proposals, documents, and other assistance concerning technical aspects of outright and deferred gifts, including tax, estate, and financial considerations.
• Serve as a liaison between the UIF Office of Gift Planning and Trust Services and the University of Illinois System campuses in Chicago, Urbana-Champaign, and Springfield.
• Advise prospects and donors about charitable giving options and funding opportunities across universities, colleges, departments, and programs.
• Maintain and manage a portfolio of prospects and donors.
• Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward gift-planning prospects and donors through inquiries, marketing responses, and analytics, including prospects in the Director's own portfolio.
• Keep current with tax laws, regulatory changes, industry best practices, standards, and technical aspects of charitable gift planning.
• Ensure University and UIF administrative standards, procedures, and processes are followed, including in guidance provided to others.
• Contribute to improvements and updates to department processes and documentation.
• Assist University units with implementing planned-gift marketing strategies and fundraising campaigns.
• As appropriate, deliver training to internal and external stakeholders on gift-planning techniques and administrative guidelines for planned-gift documentation.
• Secure major and planned giving commitments, both outright and deferred, through personal portfolio management.
• Travel nationally to seek major gift support and travel as needed for gift-planning strategies, stewardship, staff meetings, and professional development.

Benefits

• Medical coverage.
• Vision coverage.
• Dental coverage.
• Company-paid life insurance.
• 24 days of vacation annually.
• Generous pension benefits.
• On-site wellness center.
• On-site café with healthy dining options.
• Hybrid schedule for many positions, with up to two days of remote-work flexibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director