Planned Giving and Donor Engagement Officer

Perkins School for the Blind; United States; On-site; USD 92,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental & Vision insurance

Wellness programs

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

Flexible Spending Accounts

401(k) with employer match

Education Benefits: Tuition Reimburse.

Paid Time Off

Employee Recognition Programs

Job summary

Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA seeks a Planned Giving and Donor Engagement Officer to oversee a high-capacity portfolio and drive major gift strategies. You will lead cultivation, solicitations, and stewardship for up to ~100 prospects, working with cross-functional teams to advance campaigns and gift planning initiatives.

Join a mission-driven community expanding a comprehensive campaign tied to Perkins’ bicentennial.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of development experience with major planned gift solicitations and donor cultivation.
• Deep knowledge of all aspects of planned giving (bequests, trusts, QCDs, real estate) and PGCalc proficiency.
• Working knowledge of Salesforce or similar fundraising CRM platforms.
• Ability to articulate a compelling case for support to diverse constituents.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio Management: manage ~100 planned giving prospects with a robust donor visit cadence.
• Pipeline Development & Engagement: create targeted engagement for parents, alumni, families to build a steady estate gift pipeline.
• Strategic Marketing & Stewardship: collaborate with Marketing on targeted mailings, digital campaigns and events; oversee Perkins 1829 Circle stewardship.
• Team Collaboration & Training: act as subject matter expert on planned giving, train Major Gift and Annual Giving teams.
• Program Planning & Metrics: support short- and long-term strategic planning based on data-driven insights.
• Relationship & Leadership Building: cultivate deep relationships with Board members, families, volunteers, staff and leadership.
• Database & Compliance: maintain accurate Salesforce records and stay updated on legal and tax changes.

Skills

Planned giving expertise

Donor cultivation

CRM systems (Salesforce)

PGCalc

Bequests/Trusts knowledge

Tools

PGCalc

Salesforce

Job description

Perkins helps children with disabilities find their place in the world. An international NGO, we are committed to delivering best-in-class education to children, providing immersive training and support to professionals and families, advocating for inclusion, and accelerating innovation for people with disabilities. At Perkins, we think courageously, act collaboratively, and we own our work. Join a supportive community committed to growth where your work makes a difference.

What you can expect as a Planned Giving and Donor Engagement Officer

This role comes at a pivotal moment of expansion: our Development team is on track to double fundraising revenue over the next three years. With an upcoming comprehensive campaign leveraging Perkins’ bicentennial in 2029, you will support the strategy, growth, and execution of Perkins School for the Blind’s Planned Giving and Donor Engagement activities. In this role you will oversee a high-capacity portfolio of ~100 prospects and donors, cultivating long-term relationships to secure major planned gifts, including bequests, charitable trusts, qualified charitable distributions and other gifts. You will also help develop and execute the strategic marketing of planned giving and steward the Perkins 1829 Circle. Additionally, you will support building a robust, multi-generational pipeline by designing targeted engagement strategies for parents, alumni, and their families to help donors transition seamlessly from annual supporters to legacy contributors.

How you will make an impact

• Portfolio Management: Actively manage the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of approximately 100 planned giving prospects, maintaining a vibrant visit schedule of 10 donor visits per month
• Pipeline Development & Engagement: Implement targeted engagement strategies for parents, alumni, and families to cultivate a continuous pipeline of current and estate gifts
• Strategic Marketing & Stewardship: Partner with the Marketing team on targeted mailings, digital campaigns, and special events for key constituencies, including overseeing stewardship for the Perkins 1829 Circle
• Team Collaboration & Training: Serve as the subject matter expert on planned giving, educating and training Major Gift and Annual Giving team members to identify and maximize blended gift opportunities
• Program Planning & Metrics: Support short- and long‑term strategic planning and goal-setting based on data-driven metrics, marketing insights, and best practices
• Relationship & Leadership Building: Build deep, long‑term relationships with top prospects and stakeholders, including Board members, Perkins families, volunteers, staff, Committee members, and Corporators
• Database & Compliance: Maintain complete, timely records in Salesforce/CRM, and stay up to date on legal developments, gift planning trends, and tax changes to optimize gift results

Education/Experience

• Experience: 5-7 years of development experience, with a proven track record of significant, high‑level planned gift solicitations and donor cultivation
• Technical Knowledge: Deep and accurate knowledge of all aspects of planned giving (bequests, trusts, Qualified Charitable Distributions/QCDs, real estate, etc.) and expert proficiency in PGCalc
• Systems: Working knowledge of Salesforce or similar fundraising CRM platforms
• Mission Alignment: A genuine appreciation of Perkins’ mission with the ability to articulate a compelling case for support to diverse constituents
• Interpersonal Skills: Exceptional skills in building trusted relationships with donors, colleagues, volunteers, and senior leadership, along with an ability to train and empower team members

The following shared salary range is what Perkins reasonably expects, in good faith, to pay for the position. The applicable range could differ based on experience and qualification.

$91,500.00-$129,225.00

Perkins offers a comprehensive benefits package for part time and full time employees, including:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Wellness programs available
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employer-Paid Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Plan with employer match
• Education Benefits: Tuition reimbursement day one
• Paid Time Off
• Extras: Employee Recognition Programs, EAP, legal services, referral bonuses, credit union access, pre-tax MBTA passes and more!

Perkins is a mission-driven community that supports your well‑being at work and beyond.

We are located in the heart of Watertown, adjacent to the Charles River and less than 1 mile from food & entertainment at Arsenal Yards.

Perkins is an equal opportunity employer. View the Perkins Notice of non-discrimination.

Through Perkins’ core programs and services, we work to fulfill our mission of serving children and young adults with multiple disabilities and their families around the globe, as well as the educators, professionals and researchers who support them, by focusing on innovation and excellence in educational services, accessibility and professional development.

At Perkins, diversity and inclusion are at the core of our mission and we firmly believe that people with different backgrounds and experiences bring unique and necessary perspectives.

If you are interested in an opportunity and your past experience doesn’t match every requirement listed in the job description, we wholeheartedly encourage you to apply. You may be a great fit for this opportunity or others at Perkins.