Director of Planned Giving

Job Description

Job Description

STATUS: Full Time

DIVISION: Institutional Advancement

REPORTS TO: Senior Director of Major Gifts and Donor Engagement

SUPERVISES: N/A

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

Position Description

The Director of Planned Giving is a senior fundraising role responsible for creating and advancing CCS’s planned giving program, building and managing a portfolio of major, planned, and leadership giving prospects, and leading the development, coordination, and administration of donor agreements, gift documentation, and memoranda of agreement. Reporting to the Senior Director of Major Gifts and Donor Engagement, the Director develops and implements planned giving strategies; identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards prospective donors; and translates donor interests, funding intentions, and philanthropic conversations into clear, accurate, and documented gift commitments. This position qualifies for CCS’ Remote Work Arrangement in accordance with College policy. Some travel, evenings and weekends are required.

Position Accountabilities and Essential Functions:

Planned Giving Program Development:

• Design, implement, and advance a comprehensive planned giving program.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward planned giving prospects.
• Partner with Advancement colleagues to incorporate planned giving strategies into broader fundraising efforts.
• Serve as a resource on planned giving opportunities, donor intent, and legacy giving best practices.
• Maintain knowledge of current trends, charitable giving vehicles, and relevant legal and regulatory considerations that impact philanthropy and planned giving.

Pipeline Development:

• Build and manage a portfolio of planned giving, leadership giving, and major gift prospects.
• Leverage planned giving conversations, constituent relationships, and engagement activities to uncover new philanthropic opportunities.
• Develop and execute strategies that move constituents from engagement to philanthropic investment.
• Develop and support engagement and philanthropic strategies that strengthen the donor pipeline.

Donor Agreements, Gift Documentation, and MOA Administration:

• Oversee the development, review, approval, execution, and stewardship of donor-facing agreements and commitment documents, including gift, scholarship, endowment, and legacy agreements, MOAs, and other philanthropic documentation.
• Ensure donor intent, institutional priorities, funding purposes, stewardship expectations, and compliance requirements are accurately reflected in all documentation.
• Lead the development and maintenance of protocols, workflows, and recordkeeping practices related to donor agreements and philanthropic commitments, ensuring consistent execution and adherence to established procedures.
• Ensure accountability, stewardship, and institutional compliance through the effective management of donor agreements and supporting documentation.

Qualifications and Experience:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in philanthropy, advancement, higher education, administration, nonprofit leadership, constituent engagement, legal or contract administration, compliance, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success building, managing, and deepening relationships with institutional stakeholders.
• Experience developing, reviewing, coordinating, or managing formal agreements, commitments, or related documentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex discussions into clear and effective documentation.
• Experience managing complex projects involving multiple interests, approvals, timelines, and competing priorities.
• Strong organizational and project management skills; emotional intelligence; sound judgment, discretion, and diplomacy; and exceptional attention to detail, particularly when working with donors, families, advisors, and institutional stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree or comparable legal training preferred.
• Experience in administration, higher education or philanthropy.
• Experience with fundraising, donor management, or constituent relationship management (CRM) systems.
• Familiarity with planned giving, legacy giving, estate gifts, or gift administration activities.
• Experience managing complex institutional processes involving compliance, documentation, agreements, risk management, confidentiality, and sound judgment.
• Experience designing and executing engagement programs that identify, qualify, cultivate, and advance prospective donors.
• Experience supporting scholarship funds, endowments, donor intent compliance, stewardship reporting, or other philanthropic administration functions.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to identify philanthropic opportunities and move relationships from engagement to commitment.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholder relationships simultaneously.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively across departments and with diverse constituencies.
• Demonstrated professional judgment and emotional intelligence when managing sensitive conversations, complex relationships, competing interests, and institutional priorities.
• Commitment to collaboration, service, accountability, and thoughtful relationship management.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion in handling sensitive donor and institutional information.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This job operates in a professional office and college campus environment.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to maintain a stationary position, use a computer and other office equipment, and communicate effectively in person, by phone, and virtually.  Frequent interaction with others, including staff, faculty, students and third parties is required.  The employee may occasionally be required to move files or other objects weighing up to 25 pounds, including from low and high places.  The ability to move around within the office and between buildings on campus, attend off-site meetings and events, and travel between Ford Campus site to Taubman Center site are required.  CCS will make reasonable accommodations that will allow individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About CCS

The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a nonprofit, private college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. CCS, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries. CCS fosters students’ resolve to pursue excellence, act ethically, engage their responsibilities as citizens, and learn throughout their lives. With world-class faculty and unsurpassed facilities, students learn to be visual communicators who actively use art and design toward the betterment of society. The College is a major supplier of talent to numerous industries, such as transportation, film and animation, advertising and communications, consumer electronics, athletic apparel, and many more. Its graduates are exhibiting artists and teachers, design problem solvers and innovators, as well as creative leaders in business.

To apply

Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. The search will close when a suitable candidate is hired. Interested candidates should submit the following in PDF format: Resume and a letter of application should be submitted to: View email address on ziprecruiter.com

CCS website: 

The College for Creative Studies, a leading college of art and design, represents a community composed of individuals with many perspectives, personal experiences, values, identities and worldviews and we value what this brings to our organization. CCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We consider applicants for all positions without regard to age, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, height, weight, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

The College for Creative Studies subscribes to the principle of equal opportunity in its employment, admissions and educational practices and strives to provide an environment and workplace free from unlawful harassment or discrimination.  We encourage applications from all.