Senior Director of Gift & Estate Planning

At The Salvation Army our employees are the heartbeat of our mission. We foster a community of passionate people dedicated to changing lives and bringing hope to those who need it most.

Position Summary: The Senior Director of Gift and Estate Planning provides leadership, strategic direction, accountability, and fundraising oversight for the Great Lakes Division Planned Giving program. This position is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive divisional strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit, secure, and steward planned gifts and endowment commitments.

The Senior Director leads and supervises the division's Gift and Estate Planning team while maintaining a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects. The position is responsible for achieving assigned fundraising goals, developing team accountability standards, strengthening collaboration across development disciplines, and ensuring the long-term growth and success of the Great Lakes Division Planned Giving program. This role serves as the primary divisional liaison with Territorial Planned Giving leadership and helps align divisional efforts with territorial priorities and best practices.

Essential Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Provides overall leadership and strategic direction for the Great Lakes Division Gift and Estate Planning Program.
• Develops and implements divisional planned giving goals, business plans, and fundraising strategies.
• Assists in setting annual performance standards, metrics, and portfolio expectations for Planned Giving staff.
• Evaluates departmental performance and recommends improvements to increase fundraising effectiveness.
• Works collaboratively with divisional leadership to identify opportunities for endowment growth and planned gift development.
• Serves as the divisional resource and subject matter expert regarding charitable gift planning, estate planning concepts, and planned giving best practices.

Fundraising Responsibilities

• Maintains a portfolio of major planned giving donors and prospects.
• Develops and executes strategies to cultivate, solicit, and close planned gifts and blended gifts.
• Personally manages high-level donor relationships requiring advanced gift planning expertise.
• Collaborates with Major Gifts, Donor Relations, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Capital Campaign, Corps, and Service Extension staff on integrated donor strategies.
• Ensures proper stewardship of planned gift donors, professional advisors, and Hope Brigade members.
• Responsible for achieving an annual planned giving fundraising goal established by division leadership.

Staff Leadership and Supervision

• Directly supervises Directors of Gift and Estate Planning, Planned Giving Administrative Assistant and other planned giving personnel as assigned.
• Conducts regular coaching, accountability meetings, performance reviews, and portfolio reviews.
• Assists with recruitment, onboarding, training, and professional development of Planned Giving personnel.
• Provides strategic guidance on donor qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and portfolio management.
• Promotes collaboration and information sharing among planned giving staff throughout the division.
• Ensures consistent use of Salesforce, reporting standards, and fundraising best practices.

Program Management

• Oversees departmental reporting, forecasting, pipeline management, and goal tracking.
• Monitors fundraising performance and prepares regular reports for divisional and territorial leadership.
• Ensures accurate documentation of donor activity, gift intentions, and estate notifications.
• Participates in divisional leadership meetings, planning sessions, and fundraising strategy discussions.
• Assists with donor events, educational seminars, professional advisor programs, and planned giving marketing initiatives.
• Serves as primary divisional contact with Territorial Planned Giving leadership.

Fiscal Management

• Assists in the development and management of Planned Giving budgets working closely with the Director of Philanthropy.
• Monitors departmental expenditures.
• Ensures responsible stewardship of divisional resources.

Additional Responsibilities:

Qualifications:

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum seven years of fundraising experience, including major gifts, planned giving, estate planning, financial planning, insurance, wealth management, or related fields.
• Minimum three years of successful supervisory or leadership experience.
• Demonstrated record of securing major and planned gift commitments.
• Experience building and managing fundraising teams.
• Experience working with volunteer leaders, board members, donors, and professional advisors.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities:

• Thorough understanding of charitable estate planning instruments and planned giving strategies.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and organizational management skills.
• Ability to build productive relationships with donors, attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, officers, volunteers, and staff.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• High degree of confidentiality, professionalism, and integrity.

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and donor management systems, including Salesforce.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Working knowledge of TEAMS and SharePoint
• Proficiency in the use of email applications such as Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes
• Willingness to learn new software as needed

Certificates and Licenses:

• Complete Safe From Harm training, and keep current as needed
• Must have and maintain a current valid driver's license and pass the Salvation Army Motor Vehicle Record check (MVR)