Senior Planned Giving Officer

Job Description

Overview

Are you passionate about philanthropy and ready to help donors create a lasting legacy at Auburn University? Do you thrive on building high-level relationships and using your expertise to guide transformational giving?

Auburn Advancement is excited to begin the search for a Senior Planned Giving Officer to join our Gift Planning team! In this pivotal role, you will leverage expertise in financial, tax, and estate planning to secure transformative philanthropic gifts of $1 million and greater. You will partner with donors to align their philanthropic goals with Auburn University’s strategic priorities, helping shape the future of our institution.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide Strategic Gift Planning Expertise: Serve as a trusted resource on charitable estate planning and tax-related strategies. Collaborate with alumni and development officers to align donor goals with university priorities.
• Build and Manage Relationships: Manage a portfolio of planned gift prospects, conducting 100–140 meaningful face-to-face visits annually. Cultivate, solicit, and close significant planned gifts through personalized engagement.
• Inspire Philanthropy: Develop and present compelling gift proposals. Confidently make direct solicitations that result in transformative support for Auburn University.
• Lead and Mentor Others: Provide guidance and mentorship to development staff, sharing best practices in charitable estate planning and fostering a culture of collaboration and growth.
• Steward Donor Relationships: Deliver exceptional stewardship through thoughtful acknowledgment, ongoing engagement, and participation in events that celebrate donor impact.

Why You’ll Love It Here:

• Impactful Work: Your efforts will directly contribute to the growth and success of Auburn University and its priorities.
• Collaborative Environment: Join a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to making a difference.
• Purpose-Driven Work: Align your passion with meaningful work where you’re empowered to reach your full potential.
• Culture by Design: Thrive in a culture that champions respect, accountability, and professional development.

Now is the perfect time to join Auburn Advancement, a dynamic team encompassing Operations and Strategy, Culture and Talent, Engagement, Philanthropy, and Communications. Under the leadership of Senior Vice President Rob Wellbaum, our organization is positioned to shape the future of Advancement in bold and innovative ways.

This role is highly externally focused, requiring frequent travel and engagement both on and off campus, including evenings and non-traditional business hours. The position operates with a high level of autonomy and strategic responsibility.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities as a Senior Planned Giving Officer:

Purpose:

• Guide donors in developing transformational philanthropic partnerships, aligning their passions with Auburn’s mission.
• Create customized estate and tax related proposals and strategies for principal-level gifts ($1M+), ensuring meaningful impact and efficient gifting tools and techniques.

Collaboration:

• Cultivate and steward relationships with donors, alumni, and advisors, foster trust and alignment with university priorities.
• Mentor and support development staff to promote a cohesive, high-performing team culture.

Innovation:

• Develop creative charitable estate giving strategies that explore a menu of planned giving options and that inspire major and principal-level giving.
• Stay current on tax and charitable giving laws and changes that will impact giving. Implement forward-thinking approaches to donor communications, proposals, and relationship management.

Production:

• Manage a portfolio of 100–140 major gift prospects, completing significant face-to-face visits annually.
• Prepare illustrations and tax deductions for various charitable gift options while maintaining accurate CRM records.
• Monitor progress toward fundraising goals and coordinate with internal teams to ensure successful outcomes.

Qualifications

Senior Major Gifts Officer I

• Bachelor’s degree
• 7 years of experience in gift solicitation experience, development, fundraising, marketing, or portfolio management.

Senior Major Gifts Officer II

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10 years of experience in gift solicitation experience, development, fundraising, marketing, or portfolio management.

Senior Major Gifts Officer III

• Bachelor’s degree
• 12 years of experience in gift solicitation experience, development, fundraising, marketing, or portfolio management.

Licenses & Certifications:

• Driver License, Valid and in State Upon Hire Required

Desired Qualifications:

• MBA, CPA, CFP, JD, CLU
• Financial planning, law, accounting, estate planning, securities, investment

Contract Type

Continuing

Why Work at Auburn?

• Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
• Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
• We’re Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
• Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
• A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
• Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!