Reports to: Director of Major and Planned Gifts
Position Summary:
The Manager of Major and Planned Gifts helps implement and manage a comprehensive planned giving program that advances the Saint Louis Zoo’s philanthropic priorities. This position builds and stewards relationships with donors, prospects, professional advisors, and volunteers to secure significant outright, deferred, and blended gifts in support of the Zoo’s mission, conservation efforts, endowment growth, capital projects, and strategic initiatives.
Reporting to the Director of Major and Planned Gifts, the Manager of Major and Planned Giving manages a portfolio of major and planned gift prospects helping donors accomplish their philanthropic goals by providing them with gift opportunities that align with the Zoo’s funding priorities.
Essential Responsibilities:
Planned Giving Program Support
- Help manage the Saint Louis Zoo’s planned giving program, including marketing and management of bequests, charitable gift annuities, beneficiary designations, and other non-cash and deferred gift vehicles
- Implement strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit planned gift prospects and promote legacy giving opportunities to support the Zoo
- Manage and promote the Zoo’s Heritage Society program; identify, qualify, and welcome new members; and steward pool of unassigned members
- Ensure planned gift documentation, tracking and stewardship are maintained according to organizational policies and legal requirements
- Create effective communications and collateral to make the case for endowment and to recognize and steward donors
- Assist with the estate settlement process
- Support the Zoo’s Planned Giving Advisory Committee
- Manage planned giving events
Endowment Building
- Implement fundraising strategies for endowment growth and long-term sustainability
- Manage recognition and stewardship of endowed fund donors
- Manage acknowledgement of endowment gifts including tributes
Major Gift Fundraising
- Manage a portfolio of 125 – 150 major and planned gift prospects and donors
- Develop and implement individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to secure major and planned gifts ($25,000+)
- Meet or exceed annual fundraising goals and activity metrics
Inter- and Cross- Department Collaboration
- Collaborate with and oversee functions done by administrative and gift processing staff as appropriate
- Work with Data Analyst/Prospect Researcher to identify and qualify major and planned giving prospects
- Coordinate with stewardship and Creative Services staff to develop and deliver digital and print communications
- Coordinate with Events team to plan and implement Heritage Society Breakfast and other planned giving events
- Other responsibilities as deemed appropriate
Qualifications:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree
- 5+ years of experience in major and planned gift fundraising with a proven track record of success
- Excellent verbal and written communication and relationship-building skills
- Strong project management/organizational skills with attention to detail
- Professional maturity, credibility, honesty, and integrity
- Computer literate; experience working with Microsoft Office, Raiser’s Edge NXT, and Crescendo or other planned giving marketing platforms or software preferred
Key Competencies:
- Relationship building
- Strategic thinking
- Donor-centered
- Financial and philanthropic acumen
- Collaborative
- Results oriented
- Organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities
All successful candidates for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check
