Manager of Planned Giving

GENERAL SUMMARY:

The Planned Giving Manager leads The American Legion’s national planned giving and legacy giving program, advancing the organization’s long-term financial sustainability and mission impact. This is a relationship-centered role that requires both technical knowledge of deferred giving vehicles and the interpersonal skill to engage veterans, families, and philanthropic partners in enduring commitments to the Legion’s mission.

The Manager cultivates and stewards’ legacy gifts across a range of vehicles — including bequests, charitable gift annuities, beneficiary designations, and charitable trusts — while collaborating with donors, volunteer leadership, legal advisors, and affiliated foundations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Program Leadership & Strategy

• Design and execute a comprehensive national planned giving strategy aligned with organizational priorities and long-term revenue objectives.
• Oversee and expand The American Legion’s legacy giving society, including donor recognition programs and stewardship activities.
• Track program metrics, donor trends, and performance indicators; prepare regular reports for leadership and relevant committees.
• Support integration of planned giving into broader fundraising campaigns and major gift efforts.

Donor Cultivation & Relationship Management

• Manage an active portfolio of planned giving prospects and donors, including veterans, military families, and allied philanthropic partners.
• Conduct donor outreach through personalized meetings, presentations, correspondence, and educational events.
• Serve as a knowledgeable, trusted resource for donors and their legal and financial advisors on charitable giving structures and options.
• Collaborate with National Officers, volunteers, and senior leadership on high-level donor engagement where appropriate.
• Oversee the development of strategic communications and educational materials related to estate planning and legacy giving opportunities.

Gift Administration & Compliance

• Coordinate with legal counsel, finance staff, trustees, and external advisors on estate administration and planned gift execution.
• Ensure compliance with donor intent, IRS regulations, charitable gift requirements, and internal policies.
• Oversee administration of estate distributions, beneficiary designations, and deferred gift documentation.
• Maintain accurate, confidential records of gift intentions, documentation, and stewardship activities in the donor management system.

Federation Support & Education

• Serve as planned giving resources for departments, posts, and affiliated organizations, respecting local autonomy within the Legion’s federated structure.
• Develop and deliver training materials, best practices, and educational presentations on charitable estate planning and legacy fundraising.
• Coordinate with affiliated organizations — including American Legion Charities, Inc., the American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation, and the Child Well-Being Foundation — as appropriate.

Staff Supervision

• Supervise staff, providing guidance, performance feedback, and professional development support.
• Conduct performance evaluations, set goals, and address performance issues through coaching and formal disciplinary actions in compliance with organizational and HR policies.
• Other duties as assigned

Reports directly to Director of Development & Strategic Partnerships

Education/Technical Knowledge:

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business, finance, communications, public administration, or a related field.
• Professional training or coursework in planned giving, estate administration, or charitable financial planning preferred.
• Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) designation or planned giving certification preferred.

Additional Skills Needed:

• Strong working knowledge of planned giving vehicles, charitable estate planning concepts, and donor stewardship best practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to discuss sensitive financial and legacy matters with discretion and professionalism.
• Skilled relationship builder with the ability to engage donors, volunteers, legal advisors, and organizational leadership effectively.
• Ability to work within a complex volunteer-led and federated organizational structure.
• Familiarity with donor management systems, fundraising analytics, and nonprofit reporting.
• Genuine commitment to the mission and values of The American Legion.

Experience:

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, estate administration, financial planning, or planned giving.
• Background in nonprofit organizations, associations, veteran service organizations, or federated structures preferred.
• Experience engaging high-capacity donors or navigating estate administration processes preferred.

Supervision of Others:

The position is responsible for recommendations in the areas of compensation, staff selection, disciplinary action, complaints, employee performance appraisal and similar supervisory duties for a work unit. Plans, assigns and evaluates the work of subordinates while also performing technical work not related to supervision. Supervises one or more functional employees.

OTHER JOB-RELATED FACTORS:

Problem Solving:

Involves the evaluation, refining and improving of concepts and practices or the trying out of developments and ideas of others.

Impact of Decisions:

Work involves opportunities for errors in the soundness and timing of judgements that would have a serious short-term effect on overall operations and budgets.

Internal and Public Contacts:

Outside organization which could affect the prestige of the organization and would influencing various citizens and the community.

Physical Factors and Working Conditions:

The employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus, either corrective or uncorrected. Works in a well-lighted, air-conditioned office environment. Position requires travel. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the physical demands of the job.