Director of Major and Planned Giving
Fourth Presbyterian Church

Position Description

The Director of Major and Planned Giving is responsible for developing and managing a portfolio of major donors and prospects in support of the annual fund, the capital campaign, and long-term planned giving. Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, this role plays a vital part in deepening relationships with members and supporters who have the capacity to make significant philanthropic commitments.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated fundraising professional to deepen their skills in major and planned giving, with guidance and mentorship from senior staff. The Director partners closely with clergy, senior staff, and volunteer leadership to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors. They also oversee and grow the planned giving program, helping donors make legacy commitments that will sustain Fourth Church and Chicago Lights for generations to come.

About Fourth Presbyterian Church and Chicago Lights
Fourth Presbyterian Church is a welcoming and inclusive congregation located on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. With a long tradition of spiritual leadership, civic engagement, and community outreach, the church is home to both a vibrant congregation and Chicago Lights, its nonprofit partner. Together, Fourth Church and Chicago Lights serve thousands of individuals each year through worship, education, and social service programming.

The church is preparing to launch a transformational $50 million capital campaign while sustaining a thriving $5 million annual giving program.

Schedule

The role is a full-time position, generally based on a 40-hour work week. The typical schedule is Monday through Friday; however, occasional evening and weekend work may be required depending on project deadlines or business needs, which may result in work weeks exceeding 40 hours. This position is hybrid with a minimum of two days required onsite. Remote workdays are negotiable with the Supervisor based on job responsibilities and activities.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gift Portfolio Management

• Manage a dynamic portfolio of 75–100 major gift prospects, with a focus on gifts of $25,000 and above
• Create and execute personalized cultivation and solicitation strategies
• Conduct 8–10 donor meetings per month to advance relationships and gift conversations
• Maintain detailed contact reports and track progress toward individual and team goals
  Capital Campaign Engagement
• Partner with the CDO, clergy, and campaign leadership to move prospects through the gift pipeline
• Prepare briefing materials, proposals, and personalized campaign communications
• Support campaign volunteers in their peer-to-peer outreach
  Planned Giving Program
  
• Oversee and grow the Fourth Presbyterian Church legacy giving society
  
• Identify and cultivate planned giving prospects through conversations, events, and educational materials
  
• Work with donors and advisors to facilitate bequests and other planned gift vehicles
  
• Support legacy society volunteers in their outreach and stewardship efforts
  Collaboration and Communication
  
• Work closely with the Senior Director of Development and development team to ensure coordinated outreach
  
• Partner with clergy to build donor relationships grounded in shared values and vision
  
• Serve as an ambassador of the church’s mission and ministries in all donor interactions
  

Qualifications

• Minimum 3–5 years of progressive experience in major gifts or individual giving, with a proven track record of securing 5-figure or more gifts desired
• Experience with planned giving, estate planning, or legacy society management preferred (but not required)
• You’re a natural relationship-builder who thrives on one-on-one conversations and mission-driven connection
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Comfortable engaging donors in faith-informed giving conversations
• Highly organized, goal-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities
• Familiarity with donor CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce)
• Knowledge of or experience within a church or faith-based context is a strong plus
  

Compensation
This is a full-time salaried position with an annual salary range of $90,000–$95,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with different abilities to perform essential functions.

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15-25 pounds at times.
• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities.
• Smoke- and drug (illegal or recreational)-free environment.
• Fourth Presbyterian Church and Chicago Lights aims for accessibility in any off-site location that we have control of, but some of them may not be fully accessible.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and scanners. An employee is regularly required to communicate effectively via computer, via phone, and in person.
• Fourth Presbyterian Church’s/Chicago Light’s office is located in downtown Chicago.

EEO Statement

Fourth Presbyterian Church/Chicago Lights is committed to equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, without regard to race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status or familial status, veteran status, military status, source of income, political affiliation, or any other factor protected by law. Fourth Church/Chicago Lights seeks to build and retain a diverse staff and is committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace where everyone is treated as a respected and valued member of the team. Fourth Church/Chicago Lights is committed to elevating the voices of women, young people, people of color, Native people, immigrants and refugees, low-income people, LGBQ+, and transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary people, people with disabilities, and young parents. We encourage people from these communities to apply.

Robust Benefits Package

• Medical insurance (church pays 85% of employee monthly premium and 75% of eligible dependents)
• Optional dental and vision insurance plans
• Generous 17 days of PTO plus 11 paid holidays
• 403b retirement plan (employer contributions after one year of employment)
• FSA for unreimbursed medical and dependent daycare expenses
• Mass transit and commuter parking benefits
• Life and short-term disability insurance, optional life insurance, and long-term disability plan

Application Process

• Interested candidates should: (1) email their resume to jobs@fourthchurch.org and (2) include their salary requirement in the body of the email.
• Email subject line should read Your name/Director of Major and Planned Giving
• No phone calls, please.
• Fourth Presbyterian Church/Chicago Lights seeks to fill this position as soon as possible and will work actively to build a diverse pool of candidates.

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