Grants & Planned Giving Officer

WHO WE ARE 

At Make-A-Wish Illinois®, we are more than a great place to work:  our work is life-changing.  Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.  Nearly 40 years ago, the inspiration for Make-A-Wish began with one little boy’s wish to be a police officer.  Today, together with our volunteers, donors, staff and supporters, Make-A-Wish Illinois has granted more than 17,000 life-changing wishes and transformed countless lives.  We typically serve over 700 children per year with the goal to double our impact across our communities.  The diversity of our team of staff and volunteers, and our board, are of critical importance for us as it positions us to reach every child eligible for a wish with an equitable, high quality and impactful wish experience. 

The Illinois chapter of Make-A-Wish is one of the largest chapters in the Make-A-Wish enterprise.  It has a reputation for being an innovator and often is a collaborator on national opportunities, co-creating solutions for all chapters to adopt. 

THE ROLE 

Title: Grants & Planned Giving Officer 

Reports to: Individual Giving Director 

Department: Development  

Position Description: The Grants and Planned Giving Officer manages the grants and planned giving programs. This role reports to the Director of Individual Giving. The Grants and Planned Giving Officer identifies grant opportunities, writes compelling proposals, manages relationships with foundations and advisors, and ensures compliance with grant and estate administration requirements. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: 

Grants -

• Manage the full range of activities for a portfolio of foundations 

• Grant Research and Identification: Research grant opportunities and maintain a calendar of deadlines 

• Proposal Development: Lead the writing and submission of grant proposals in collaboration with internal teams 

• Grant Management and Compliance: Track deliverables, timelines, and budgets to ensure compliance with funding requirements 

• Support colleagues in corporate and major gifts with grants: assist in preparing and submitting grant applications 

• Serve as lead writer of annual, donor-focused proposal content for use by Development team 

Planned Giving -

• Provide assistance with the marketing and online visibility of planned giving at MAWI 

• Oversee the estate administration process, serving as MAWI liaison to executors and advisors in the facilitation of distributions and stewardship of estate gifts 

• Utilize CRM for prospect engagement and to track bequest intentions  

• Coordinate stewardship of donors who make planned gifts including assisting in the launch of a legacy society  

Education 

• Bachelor's degree is required – nonprofit management, communications, business, or a related field preferred 

Experience & Skills 

• 2+ years of experience in grant writing with a proven track record of securing funding 

• Demonstrated knowledge and proven track record in grant writing, reporting processes, & compliance with funder requirements  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the proven ability to produce compelling proposals resulting in revenue for the organization/company 

• Knowledge, familiarity, & awareness of planned giving & estate gift administration required 

• Demonstrated experience and proficiency with Salesforce or similar CRM platform 

• Proven track record of strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple relationships and projects 

Additional Attributes 

• Ability to focus on the tasks and details relevant to the position and the organization, while also switching quickly between tasks 

• Ability to exercise excellent independent judgment and take ownership of decisions. 

• Ability to work independently and self-manage to achieve goals while being a strong team player. 

• Ability to organize, meet deadlines, and delegate appropriately. 

• Ability to cope with and embrace change, risk, and uncertainty. 

• Ability to develop strong relationships within a collaborative setting that values diverse opinions; enthusiasm for helping drive change to become a more data-driven organization. 

Other: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Activities and Working Conditions: The physical demands and working conditions described here are representative, but not exhaustive, of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• This position is typically performed in an interior, environmentally controlled office setting. The duties of the job require extended periods of time being stationary and manipulating a computer (keyboard, monitor, mouse), and other standard office equipment including, but not limited to printer, fax, calculator, copier, telephone and associated computer/technology peripherals.

Hiring Range: $66,000 - $70,000 

Work Schedule and Location: Hybrid Schedule – Tuesday & Thursday in-person at the corporate office (200 W. Monroe, Suite 1801, Chicago, IL 60606) and M/W/F are remote. Business needs may dictate occasional need to adjust the hybrid schedule and team member is expected to be able to accommodate the organization’s physical presence needs as part of their hybrid work agreement.  

Time Off: 

• 15 PTO days 

• 8 Sick Days 

• 8 Paid Holidays + 3 Floating Holidays 

• Last Week of Year Off (12/24 – 1/1) 

• 1 Employee Appreciation Day per year 

• 4 Professional Development Days for continuous learning and growth 

• 1 Make-A-Wish Volunteer Day per year 

Benefits: 

• Comprehensive benefit package:  Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical, Vision, Dental, and Wellness 

• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Options 

• Medical Leave Bank 

• Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, and AD&D Insurance 

• Additional Insurance Plans:  Accident and Pet Insurance through SPOT Pet 

• Additional Benefits:  Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Commuter Benefits 

• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with 25% match on 1st 6% of contributions 

• Eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program  

• Milestone Benefit Program 

• Discounts and special offers for theme parks, events, hotels, concerts, and movie tickets 

HOW TO APPLY 

We know interviewing can be challenging, so our goal is to make it as positive of an experience as we can, which includes keeping you informed across the process. 

Here’s what you can expect if invited to participate in the interview process: 

1)     30-minute Human Resources phone screen  

2)     60-minute virtual Hiring Manager interview 

3)     60-minute onsite/in-person panel interview with team members 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

Make-A-Wish Illinois is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.