Senior Director Gift Planning and Principal Gifts

Responsible for gifts of estates, trusts, and various other instruments that reflect financial planning and deferred giving opportunities. Provides leadership to all aspects of the University’s estate, trust, and gift planning program. Responsible for developing the University’s donor relationships through strategies and written proposals designed to inform prospective and current donors about planned giving options.

• Leads a comprehensive planned giving strategy. Develops and promotes relationship strategies for principal gift prospects in an assigned portfolio.
• Creates and leads an annual and focused planned giving acquisition campaign for the Development team, reporting on progress and goals.
• Coordinates University strategies with principal gift prospects and determines the interest and affiliation with the University.
• Identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards prospects for planned and outright gifts involving estate plans, or gifts of complex assets.
• Calls on prospective donors to solicit and steward planned gifts and share information on the University’s planned giving program. Build relationships with donors by assisting coordinating strategies and personal visits for the involvement of institutional partners.
• Writes principal gift proposals and agreements. Creates a pipeline of planned gift prospects by analyzing the existing contributor base.
• Identifies prospective major gift donors and develops an appropriate strategy with The Universities major gifts staff for cultivation and solicitation.
• Makes planned giving presentations to donor, prospect groups, and professional organizations to inform constituents on various planned gift vehicles that will support the University.
• Enlists WMU Foundation board members in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting planned gifts, soliciting advice and expertise of board members as needed.

Minimum qualifications based upon job documentation and industry best practices. Any current employees not meeting these qualifications will be grandfathered until they move to a different job.

• Bachelor's degree in related field from an accredited institution.

• Demonstrated record of success in a related field such as law, accounting, or financial planning is required.
• Comprehensive understanding of higher education fundraising.
• Demonstrated written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
• Proven ability to work well as a contributing team member within a complex organization requiring collaboration, teamwork, and communication.
• Demonstrated experience using relational databases.
• Experience with office software applications.
• An understanding of current laws regarding taxability of donations, familiarity with deferred giving strategies, and knowledge of a diverse array of financial instruments are essential.
• Experience closing (or participating in closing) several gifts at the $1 - $10M level, as well as stewarding gifts at this level.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Willingness to travel on a frequent basis.
• Demonstrated high customer service orientation and ability to function as a VIP concierge in complex organizations.
• Proven ability to collaborate and drive complex, multi-unit gifts.

• Ability to work irregular hours and extended hours, including evenings and weekends.
• Ability to travel.

Office or other indoor work with minimal physical demands such as occasionally lifting or moving materials less than 25 pounds.

Work is generally performed in a well-lit, temperature-controlled indoor environment with occasional exposure to the outdoors or any number of elements.

Revised: 2024-02-12