• Director of Gift Planning

    Connecticut College (New London, CT)


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    Position Details

    Position Information

    Position Title Director of Gift Planning

     

    Department Annual Giving -Group

     

    Pay Type Exempt

     

    Appointment Type (A) Continuing Full-Time

     

    Hours Per Week 37.5

     

    Number of weeks 52 weeks per year

     

    other - # of weeks 52

     

    Benefits Eligible Full Benefits

     

    Geographical National

     

    Qualifies for Relocation Reimbursement No

     

    Work Schedule

    Job Description

    General Scope of Duties

    Reporting to the Vice President for College Advancement, the Director of Gift Planning leads and

    manages all aspects of the College’s planned giving program and plays a vital role in the development, implementation and successful completion of the College’s current $300 million comprehensive campaign. The Director will identify, cultivate, solicit, record and steward planned gifts from alumni, parents and friends of Connecticut College, working closely with staff from Annual Fund, Alumni Engagement, Leadership Gifts, Donor Relations, Advancement Services and College Relations to grow the program. The Director of Gift Planning also manages the Rosemary Park Society, the College’s gift planning society.

     

    General Duties and Responsibilities

    Priority Duties and Responsibilities:

    + Solicit and Close Planned Gifts, outright gifts, maintain a portfolio of prospects, meeting with gift planning prospects throughout the country.

    + Manage the full gift planning program at the College including the budget, the Rosemary Park Society, collaboration with staff on gift strategies, life income gift program

    + Trust and Estate management at the College for all bequest interactions

    + Marketing planned gifts in all marketing ways (print, email, other electronic, website)

    + Provide expertise on complicated gift cases, IRS allowances, the best way to make a gift conversations, principal gift interactions.

    General Duties and Responsibilities:

    Strategic Planned Giving and Prospect Portfolio Management (60%)

     

    + Develop and implement strategic plan for planned giving activity; Responsible for long range strategic planning for growth of the planned giving program

    + Independently manage a portfolio of prospects capable of making planned and/or outright gifts; This portfolio of prospects for planned gifts will cover a wide geographic area

    + Secure 8-10 personal visits per month: Conduct personal solicitations, write proposals and maintain alumni records and prospect data by providing up-to-date information on contacts, visits, moves, asks and other activities

    + Create gift proposals, PG Calc illustrations, inquiry packets, and acknowledgment letters, or supervise staff assisting with implementation

    + Provide strategy and direction for trustees, campaign lead volunteers, College leadership, and members of the Advancement team; Regularly make informative or training presentations to alumni groups, volunteer and board committees, staff, and others to educate the community and increase program participation

     

    Donor Relations (10%)

     

    + Steward the College’s legacy society – Rosemary Park Society – and review the files of the members to ensure that the College has written confirmation of their gift intentions

    + Work with donor relations to implement effective donor stewardship for planned giving donors; including holding an annual Society event

    + Manage any planned giving advisory or volunteer efforts

     

    Planned Giving Operations and Compliance (20%)

     

    + Guide Leadership Gifts team and other staff on the process for gift acceptance, and work closely with colleagues through the process to secure complex gifts such as real estate and trust gifts

    + Collaborate with finance staff, outside legal counsel and others, as appropriate, to ensure highest standard of accountability and compliance with relevant tax laws and accepted accounting principles for gift recognition

    + Serve as liaison between the College and State Street Global Advisors ( SSGA ) regarding life income gift processing and investment; Manage the internal administration of life income gifts and the bequest program; Maintain regular contact with third party advisors, including estate attorneys and financial planners to build relationships, promote awareness of Connecticut College

    + Manage administrative support for planned giving; Responsible for providing specific job guidance, regular performance feedback, mentoring, formal performance assessment, and professional development to administrative support role

     

    Marketing Strategy (10%)

     

    + In conjunction with Advancement Communications and Donor Relations, coordinate the design and implementation of comprehensive planned giving marketing plan to encourage self identification of prospects and create broad awareness of gift planning opportunities among current donors and new prospects

    + Manage the production of print and electronic collateral, web content, and social networking messages

    + In collaboration with Alumni Relations and Annual Giving colleagues, market planned gift options to class volunteers, reunion classes, alumni boards, and other annual giving or alumni groups

    Education and Skills

    + Bachelors Degree and five years of a proven track record soliciting and closing planned gifts and/or leadership gifts from assigned prospects

    + Knowledge of planned giving vehicles, including charitable gift annuities and charitable trusts

    + Ability to gain the confidence of donors and to build relationships

    + Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex principles in a manner easily understood by a potential donor

    + Knowledge of PGCalc or other planned giving software

    + Proficiency with standard office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and experience in manipulating database information

    + Knowledge of planned giving best practices and of current tax law

    + Extensive travel required

    + Occasional night and weekend responsibilities

    + J.D. or other advanced degree preferred

    Preferred Qualifications

    Physical Demands

     

    Driving Required Yes

     

    Salary Range $110,000 - $125,000

    Note

    Connecticut College is committed to fair and competitive compensation. The final offer will reflect the candidate’s experience, education, and the institution’s pay structure to ensure internal equity.

     

    Applicant Credentialing Thorough applicant credentialing will be conducted on the selected candidate which will include criminal records check, DMV check and depending on the position psychological exam and pre-placement physical.

     

    Posting Detail Information

     

    Open Date 10/28/2025

     

    Applications accepted through

     

    Open Until Filled Yes

     

    Documents needed to Apply

    Required Documents

    + Resume

    + Cover Letter

     

    Optional Documents

     

    Supplemental Questions

     

    Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

     

    + Are you eligible to work in the U.S.?

    + Yes

    + No

    + Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B visa)?

    + Yes

    + No