Director, Estate and Gift Planning - Chicago Area

American Cancer Society; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Retirement benefits

Wellness programs

Professional development

Job summary

American Cancer Society is seeking a Planned Giving Director to develop and manage a comprehensive program for securing deferred gifts, including bequests, trusts, and annuities. This strategic role emphasizes donor relationship management and collaboration with legal/financial advisors to secure long-term support for the Society’s mission.

The Director will lead a portfolio through moves management, meet with prospects and advisers, and drive annual targets while partnering with philanthropy

Qualifications

• Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor’s Degree and/or equivalent experience.
• Certificate(s) or License(s): CAP, CFRE.
• 3+ years' experience in nonprofit fundraising or related nonprofit networking/relationship building.
• Driver’s License: Must have a valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle.
• Reliable internet connection.

Responsibilities

• Meet with prospects, donors, and advisors in person (60%+), by phone, or virtually to share information about the planned giving program.
• Grow and manage a portfolio of qualified, active prospects through moves management stages.
• Attain annual targets for visits, proposals, and new planned gifts.
• Utilize Salesforce to track, qualify, and report contacts and progression.
• Collaborate with philanthropy colleagues to expand blended gift proposals and cultivate additional prospects.
• Remain current on estate and gifting techniques, applicable tax laws, and charitable giving trends.
• Know the Society’s life-saving work across cancer research, patient support, prevention information, and treatment.
• Model collaborative behavior aligned with Society values.

Skills

Planned giving software

Salesforce

Strong judgment

Confidentiality

Organizational skills

Oral and written communication

Customer centricity

Strategic mindset

Action oriented

Results driven

Interpersonal savvy

Networking

Persuasive

Education

Bachelor's Degree

CAP

CFRE

Tools

Crescendo

Salesforce

Job description

At the American Cancer Society, we're working to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. Our employees and 1.3 million volunteers are raising the bar every single day. We are a culture comprised of diverse backgrounds and experience, to better serve our communities.

The people who work at the American Cancer Society focus their diverse talents on our lifesaving mission. It is a calling. And the people who answer it are fulfilled.

A Planned Giving Director is responsible for developing, managing, and implementing a comprehensive program of work to secure deferred gifts such as bequests, trusts, and annuities. This strategic role involves extensive donor relationship management, collaboration with legal/financial advisors, and ensuring long‑term financial support for the American Cancer Society’s mission.

The Director, Planned Giving is a part of a team who raises 24% of the organization’s revenue and is the number one revenue source. The director builds, cultivates, and stewards relationships with planned giving prospects and donors as well as estate and financial planning professionals to secure and retain planned gifts that support the life‑saving work of the organization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Meet personally (in-person {60%+}, via phone, and at times virtually) with prospects, donors, and professional advisors to share information and materials about the American Cancer Society, Inc.'s (Society's) planned giving program as well as the life‑saving program of work.
• Grow and manage a portfolio of qualified, active prospects through various stages of the moves management process (identification, cultivation, solicitation, execution, and stewardship).
• Attain annual targets for: personal visits with prospects, donors, and/or financial advisors; planned gift proposals delivered; and new planned gift commitments closed in support of the Society's mission (First three bullets mentioned above 60%).
• Utilize Salesforce to track, qualify and report prospect, donor and advisor contacts and progression through stages of the moves management process (25%).
• Actively collaborate with philanthropy (and other) colleagues to leverage opportunities to expand blended gift proposals and cultivate additional planned giving prospects (5%).
• Remain current on various estate and gifting techniques/vehicles, applicable tax laws, and charitable giving trends (5%).
• Remain knowledgeable about the Society's life‑saving work in the areas of cancer research, patient support, prevention information/education, and detection and treatment (2.5%).
• Model behavior that encourages collaboration with Society colleagues throughout the organization and is also consistent with the cultural beliefs and values of the Society (2.5%).

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor's Degree and/or equivalent experience
• Preferred Degree: Bachelor's Degree
• Certificate(s) or License(s): CAP, CFRE
• Years of experience: 3+ years' experience in nonprofit fundraising, or equivalent experience in nonprofit networking/relationship building. Planned Giving experience preferred.
• Driver’s License Requirement(s): Must have a valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle.
• Reliable internet connection.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITY:

• Experience with planned giving software (Crescendo/Salesforce) is preferred.
• Candidate must exhibit strong judgment and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Impeccable organizational skills and ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills as well as computer proficiency.
• Customer Centricity - Builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer‑centric solutions.
• Strategic Mindset – Thinks ahead to future possibilities and translates them into breakthrough strategies.
• Action Oriented - Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Results Driven - Consistently achieves results, even under tough circumstances.
• Interpersonal Savvy - Relates openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people.
• Networking - Effectively builds formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.
• Persuasive - Uses compelling arguments to gain the support and commitment of others.Resiliency - Rebounds from setbacks and adversity when facing inconvenient situations.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Three or more travel days a week are required within designated territory.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Sitting in a car/airplane while traveling, some days for 2+ hours.
• Sitting in meetings.
• Walking to and from car/airplane to meetings.
• Walking through airports.
• Standing while networking.
• Carry items to and from car to table at conferences.

The starting rate is $110,000 to $120,000. The final candidate's relevant experience/skills will be considered before an offer is extended. Actual starting pay will vary based on non‑discriminatory factors including, but not limited to, geographic location, experience, skills, specialty, and education.

ACS provides staff a generous paid time off policy; medical, dental, retirement benefits, wellness programs, and professional development programs to enhance staff skills. Further details on our benefits can be found on our careers site at: jobs.cancer.org/benefits.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer.