Senior Manager, Planned Giving

Job Type Full-time Description

About Trout Unlimited

Trout Unlimited (TU) is a national organization with more than 300 staff and 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of conservation and restoration experts, scientists, and policy experts, who work out of more than 45 offices across the country. Over the past 10 years, the organization has nearly tripled from an annual budget of $34 million to almost $100 million. TU has a shared conservation mission to “bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams so that our children can experience the joy of wild native trout and salmon.” 

Position Overview

Trout Unlimited seeks a visionary and experienced Senior Manager of Planned Giving to lead and expand our existing planned giving initiatives. Reporting to the Senior Director of Principal and Major Gifts, the Director will design and implement a robust planned giving strategy, cultivate meaningful relationships with donors and advisors, expand our visibility and marketing to potential donors, and advance Trout Unlimited’s conservation mission through legacy and structured philanthropy. 

This is a unique opportunity for a development professional with an exceptional track record of success in planned giving to help sustain TU's growth by retaining and growing our existing base of support. With extraordinary on-the-ground and national conservation impact, multiple ways to engage donors in our work, and a collegial team to surround and support you, this position is poised for success and impact. A successful Senior Manager of Planned Giving understands the legal, tax, and philanthropic possibilities of bequests, trusts, retirement assets, charitable gift annuities, donor advised funds, and real estate. Prospects and donors are interested in conservation, angling, restoration, science, and policy issues, and the ideal candidate can communicate on these issues while listening for opportunities for gifts of assets or other non-cash gifts. S/he understands and complies with TU’s gift acceptance policies, procedures, and associated development protocols, and can maintain a high level of confidentiality and discretion. This position is remote, and occasional travel for donor visits and events is expected.

More information is available here: https://legacy.tu.org/

Requirements KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Fundraising & Donor Engagement 

• Develop and manage a pipeline of new and established planned giving prospects, including bequests, trusts, charitable gift annuities, donor-advised funds, and real estate. 
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward legacy gifts from individuals, legal advisors, and financial planners. 
• Develop and nurture Trout Unlimited’s Legacy Society (Stream Guardian Society: https://legacy.tu.org/stream-guardian-society) to recognize committed donors and foster long-term relationships. 
• Provide personalized stewardship and ensure timely acknowledgment and gratitude to donors. 
• Working in partnership across the Development and program teams, coordinate and host virtual and in-person events and recognition activities for planned giving donors. 

Strategy, Marketing & Stewardship 

• Design and implement a comprehensive planned giving program, expanding TU’s existing efforts. 
• Create and execute planned giving marketing campaigns, both print and digital, to raise awareness and grow legacy donations. 
• Collaborate with Development Marketing and Communications to produce compelling content, stories, and collateral for donor engagement. 
• Establish performance metrics and reporting systems to track program growth and donor engagement.  
• Offer training and resources to development staff and volunteers on planned giving best practices and strategies. 

Program Leadership & Collaboration 

• Lead cross-functional planning for long-term fundraising objectives and integrate planned giving into broader development strategies. 
• Serve as Trout Unlimited’s planned giving subject-matter expert by liaising with legal, finance, and external advisors to navigate tax and estate planning complexities. 
• Manage donor recordkeeping in TU’s donor database, ensuring accuracy and donor data integrity. 
• Stay current on tax and other applicable laws and trends related to charitable giving, and ensure all materials and practices are compliant and up to date. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience: 5–8 years in planned and major gift fundraising within nonprofits (preferably conservation or environmental sectors); demonstrated success in securing planned gifts. 
• Knowledge: Deep understanding of estate planning, tax law, and planned giving vehicles (e.g., bequests, trusts, CGAs). 
• Skills: Exceptional relationship-building, strategic thinking, written/oral communication, and organizational acumen. Strong organizational skills and experience using donor databases. 
• Attributes: Self-starter with a strong conservation ethos, attention to detail, collaboration-oriented, and committed to equity and donor stewardship. 
• Location & Travel: Based in the U.S.; hybrid or remote work with travel (10–15%) for donor meetings and events. 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITSThe salary range for this position is $100,000-$120,000, depending on experience and qualifications. Staff and leadership at TU understand that life outside of work is important to personal health, and we strive to create a healthy and family-friendly atmosphere. This is a full-time position with a competitive benefits package.
At TU, we value a diverse representation of staff, and we actively seek candidates for this position who come from communities that have been historically under-represented in conservation and those who have been most impacted by degraded rivers and streams. We are committed to building space for all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

HOW TO APPLYPlease upload a resume and cover letter using TU's Paylocity application system linked on this page. Salary Description $100,000-$120,000