Hiring: Director, Gift Planning Company: Northwestern University Location: Evanston, IL Job Posted Time: 2026-09-03 11:29:30 Employment Type: Full-time Target Skills & Keywords : CFP, Financial Planning, HTML, Microsoft Office, Salesforce About the job Experience: •7 years of development (fundraising) or equivalent experience, including some experience in the gift planning/planned giving field Required Skills: •: The target budgeted salary for this position is $140,000 - $155,000 annually. Offers will be based on candidate experience and education, as well as equity within Northwestern University. •Builds and maintains a portfolio of up to 40 donor/prospect relationships and is responsible for soliciting and closing a target number of major gift ($100K+) commitments annually, as well as achieving an associated “dollars raised” goal. •Maintains a portfolio of liaison assignments and is responsible for providing a high level of support which results in the closure of additional planned gifts for the organization, measured by solicitations, closures and dollars raised. •Oversees and coaches team members who are also responsible for maintaining prospect portfolios and closing new gifts. •Maintains a certain degree of knowledge and expertise about deferred giving options to support donor conversations. •Supervises up to 2 fundraisers on the gift planning team, including the evaluation of work and tracking of progress towards individual goals, as well as supporting their long-term development and growth within the organization. •Participates in key collaborations with fundraisers across Alumni Relations and Development and the professional school teams in support of our larger fundraising efforts by providing planned giving support; coaches team members who are also responsible for collaborating on a regular basis. •Participates in strategic planning related to fundraising activities that will increase the number and level of planned gift donors for Northwestern University. Qualifications: •Successful completion of a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience. •Demonstrated ability to manage donor relationships and a proven track record of fundraising success in a nonprofit organization •Demonstrated experience managing one or more fundraising professionals •Expertise in the area of charitable gift planning, including some knowledge of gift structures and financial planning concepts •Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write and speak with precision and clarity and the ability to adjust language and tone to fit the audience •Excellent analytical skills with the capacity to apply knowledge in new ways to unique situations •Demonstrated capacity to maintain confidentiality and maintain high ethical standards •Demonstrated capacity to work independently to develop and implement initiatives •Demonstrated capacity to collaborate appropriately and respectfully •Demonstrated capacity to articulate the case for supporting Northwestern University in a convincing manner Compensation: •Competitive benefits and rewards package Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!