Senior Coordinator - Gift Planning

The Trust for Public Land; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

The Trust for Public Land in Chicago is seeking a Sr. Coordinator for Gift Planning to provide administrative and operational support to the Office of Gift Planning.

You will streamline workflows, manage data in Airtable and CRM systems, and support reporting, stewardship, and donor communications. This hybrid role requires 3+ years in nonprofit fundraising operations, strong Excel skills, and excellent communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years in nonprofit administration, fundraising operations, donor services, or related field.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (sorting, filtering, formulas, reporting).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams).
• Experience with CRM databases and constituent management systems.
• Ability to learn and manage multiple technology platforms (Airtable, SharePoint, project management systems).
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and time management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
• Strong customer service orientation and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide primary administrative support for the Office of Gift Planning.
• Coordinate calendars, meetings, retreats, and special projects.
• Manage departmental administrative and financial processes (invoices, budget tracking, expenses).
• Manage inquiry intake and routing for Gift Planning.
• Maintain Airtable workspace and related systems; ensure data integrity.
• Prepare recurring reports, prospect lists, dashboards, and analyses.
• Support donor communications, stewardship events, and marketing projects.
• Draft, proofread, format, and distribute routine communications.

Skills

Excel proficiency

Communication

Project coordination

Time management

Customer service

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Airtable

SharePoint

ClearView

Raiser’s Edge

Salesforce

Job description

Who We Are:

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is the leader of a movement to connect everyone in America to the outdoors. A national nonprofit, TPL partners with communities to create high-quality parks and protect public lands—especially in communities that need them most—to improve public health, create social cohesion, strengthen historic and cultural connection to place, and increase climate resilience. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, generated over $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.

“For over 50 years, Trust for Public Land has been working tirelessly towards our vision that every individual should have close-to-home access to the benefits of nature. In today’s world, our land-for-people solutions are even more relevant than ever. Quality parks and natural spaces are a fundamental requirement for sustaining healthy, equitable communities that are resilient and prepared for change. Parks and public lands connect us to each other and to the outdoors. We are a vibrant organization with a strategic plan that builds on our success and positions TPL for a comprehensive fundraising campaign. Join us to become part of a growing and forward-thinking team focused on growing our philanthropic partnerships to ensure healthy, livable communities for generations to come.”

Who We Are:

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is the leader of a movement to connect everyone in America to the outdoors. A national nonprofit, TPL partners with communities to create high-quality parks and protect public lands—especially in communities that need them most—to improve public health, create social cohesion, strengthen historic and cultural connection to place, and increase climate resilience. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, generated over $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.

“For over 50 years, Trust for Public Land has been working tirelessly towards our vision that every individual should have close-to-home access to the benefits of nature. In today’s world, our land-for-people solutions are even more relevant than ever. Quality parks and natural spaces are a fundamental requirement for sustaining healthy, equitable communities that are resilient and prepared for change. Parks and public lands connect us to each other and to the outdoors. We are a vibrant organization with a strategic plan that builds on our success and positions TPL for a comprehensive fundraising campaign. Join us to become part of a growing and forward-thinking team focused on growing our philanthropic partnerships to ensure healthy, livable communities for generations to come.” - Patricia Watson, Chief Advancement Officer

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Senior Director - Gift Planning, the Gift Planning Sr. Coordinator is a member of the Advancement (Communications, Marketing, and Philanthropy) Team and serves as the primary administrative and operational support resource for the Office of Gift Planning. The Sr. Coordinator supports the efficiency and effectiveness of the Gift Planning program through office administration, workflow coordination, data management, reporting, stewardship support, marketing support, and project coordination.

Essential Functions

Office Operations & Administrative Support (25%)

• Serve as the primary administrative support resource for the Office of Gift Planning.
• Coordinate calendars, meetings, retreats, and special projects.
• Manage departmental administrative and financial processes, including invoices, budget tracking, expense reports, and office supplies.

Workflow & Data Administration (25%)

• Manage inquiry intake and routing for the Office of Gift Planning.
• Administer and maintain the Gift Planning Airtable workspace and related systems.
• Support data integrity, record management, workflow monitoring, and system adoption across the team.
• Maintain accurate records in Airtable, ClearView, SharePoint, and other organizational systems.

Reporting & Program Support (20%)

• Prepare recurring reports, prospect lists, dashboards, and analyses supporting Gift Planning operations and decision-making.
• Support campaign tracking, portfolio management activities, and team performance reporting.
• Assist with administrative processes related to planned gifts, estates, and gift acknowledgment activities.

Stewardship, Marketing & Communications Support (20%)

• Provide logistical and administrative support for stewardship initiatives and donor events.
• Support planned giving marketing initiatives through list management, response tracking, and vendor coordination.
• Respond to initial inquiries generated through planned giving marketing efforts, including fulfilling requests for follow-up materials and ensuring appropriate information is recorded in Airtable and ClearView.
• Draft, proofread, format, and distribute routine correspondence and communications materials.
• Coordinate production and distribution of stewardship, marketing, and donor communications.

Project Coordination (10%)

• Coordinate recurring departmental projects and timelines.
• Support cross-functional initiatives involving Philanthropy Operations, Finance, Marketing & Communications, Donor Relations & Stewardship, and Field Philanthropy.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in nonprofit administration, fundraising operations, donor services, project coordination, executive support, or a related field.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including sorting, filtering, formulas, data analysis, and reporting.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
• Experience working with CRM databases and constituent management systems.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and manage multiple technology platforms, including Airtable, SharePoint, and project management systems.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and time management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
• Strong customer service orientation and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a nonprofit fundraising environment.
• Experience supporting planned giving, major gifts, advancement services, donor relations, stewardship, or fundraising operations.
• Experience with Airtable, SharePoint, and CRM systems such as ClearView, Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or similar platforms.
• Experience coordinating events, donor communications, and marketing projects.
• Advanced Excel skills, including Pivot Tables and XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP functions.
• Familiarity with planned giving concepts, estate administration, or gift processing.

Compensation:

Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment; the Sr. Coordinator of Gift Planning will ideally be located near a TPL office in the Chicago, St. Paul, Philadelphia, or Boston area. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $( $72,000 - $82,000.

Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.