How to hire a planned giving officer

How to hire a planned giving officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step planned giving officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a planned giving officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new planned giving officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a planned giving officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The planned giving officer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect planned giving officer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of planned giving officers.

   Type of Planned Giving Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Planned Giving Officer	Public relations managers plan and direct the creation of material that will maintain or enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.	$19-38
   Director, Customer Relations	Director of Customer Relations is responsible for leading the design and improvement of an organization's overall customer service experience. Their duties include developing customer service budget, driving customer service process improvements, implementing customer service agents, managing email and telephony customer service routing, and creating training programs for customer service staff... Show more	$43-94
   Communications Director	A communications director is responsible for monitoring and supervising the overall media relations from internal to external communications. A communications director's duties include managing campaigns, providing organizational updates to the employees, supporting social media marketing, developing effective communication strategies to build the organization's reputation, and efficiently leading team members in handling events that represent the business... Show more	$29-90

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Alumni
   • PowerPoint
   • Appeals
   • Annuities
   • Remainder
   • Strategic Plan
   • Logistics
   • Capital Campaign
   • Technical Assistance
   • Emergency Operations
   • Combat
   • Training Exercises
   • Operations Orders
   • US Army

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage, coordinate, and synchronize all unit redeployment efforts.
   • Manage SharePoint data system for facility safety inspections and inventory tracking; develop organizational plan and access for over 3K personnel.
   • Develop and coordinate USMC classify requirements and ensure they are included in appropriate planning documents and forums throughout DoD.
   • Coordinate VIP visits to the unit.
   • Perform long-range assessments of an operation's progress and maintain estimates of available combat power.
   • Develop and implement deliberate and crisis action plans in accordance with DOD regulations and policy directives.

   More planned giving officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your planned giving officer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A planned giving officer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, planned giving officers' average salary in maine is 41% less than in delaware.
   • Seniority. Entry-level planned giving officers 50% less than senior-level planned giving officers.
   • Certifications. A planned giving officer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a planned giving officer's salary.

   Average planned giving officer salary

   $57,443yearly

   $27.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level planned giving officer salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average planned giving officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$72,047	$35
   2	New York	$71,890	$35
   3	New Jersey	$70,783	$34
   4	Illinois	$67,040	$32
   5	District of Columbia	$65,849	$32
   6	California	$65,716	$32
   7	Pennsylvania	$62,711	$30
   8	North Carolina	$62,137	$30
   9	Texas	$60,819	$29
   10	New Mexico	$60,301	$29
   11	Virginia	$60,005	$29
   12	Wisconsin	$58,944	$28
   13	Massachusetts	$58,533	$28
   14	Alaska	$58,056	$28
   15	Maryland	$57,589	$28
   16	Rhode Island	$57,158	$27
   17	Oregon	$57,142	$27
   18	Louisiana	$53,037	$26
   19	Washington	$51,983	$25
   20	Ohio	$50,051	$24

   Average planned giving officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Rotary International	$100,242	$48.19
   2	Citi	$87,325	$41.98	37
   3	Providence College	$82,841	$39.83
   4	Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation	$81,468	$39.17	12
   5	Earthjustice	$81,100	$38.99	6
   6	Seattle Opera	$74,693	$35.91
   7	Alstom	$67,749	$32.57
   8	Children's Hospital Colorado	$64,168	$30.85	1
   9	Summer Search	$61,521	$29.58
   10	Emerson College	$61,311	$29.48	1
   11	CFP Board	$61,077	$29.36
   12	Merrimack College	$60,637	$29.15	6
   13	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	$60,215	$28.95	7
   14	United Way of Metropolitan Dallas	$60,082	$28.89	1
   15	Recruit	$58,851	$28.29	1
   16	Columbia University in the City of New York	$58,682	$28.21	30
   17	California Academy of Sciences	$58,597	$28.17
   18	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$58,577	$28.16	10
   19	Yale University	$58,521	$28.14	7
   20	American Red Cross	$58,492	$28.12	21

4. Writing a planned giving officer job description

   A planned giving officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a planned giving officer job description:

   Planned giving officer job description example

   + Department: Vice Pres for Resource Development
   
   + School Area: VP for Resource Development
   
   + Employment Type: Full-time (Hybrid)
   
   + Employment Category: Exempt
   
   + Visa Sponsorship Available: No
   
   + Schedule:
   
   Email a Friend Save Save Apply Now
   
   Information on MIT's COVID-19 vaccination requirement can be found at the bottom of this posting.
   
   LEADERSHIP GIVING OFFICER (LGO), NEW YORK., Resource Development, to qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward prospective donors who are capable of making gifts of $100,000 to $5 million, and in some cases, beyond $5 million. Will manage and build successful fundraising strategies for a portfolio focused on 2.0-4.0 rated prospects and some 1.0 rated prospects in a major market, and possibly micro-market, by creating individualized solicitation plans leading to major gifts in support of MIT's fundraising priorities. Will collaborate with Resource Development and Alumni Association staff, school-based fundraisers, senior Institute officers, faculty, alumni, volunteers, donors, and members of the Corporation Development Committee.
   
   Job Requirements
   
   REQUIRED: bachelor's degree; at least three years' related experience (e.g., direct fundraising, relationship management, or direct sales); ability to deal effectively with MIT's benefactors and prospects; proven record of accomplishment in a position requiring independent planning and efficient utilization of time and resources; excellent interpersonal skills, specifically emotional intelligence and the ability to engage and build relationships with colleagues, faculty, leadership, staff, alumni, volunteers, donors, alumni, advisors, and others; ability to collaborate as part of a team in a service-oriented environment; excellent communication (written, verbal, listening, presentation) skills, including demonstrable ability to write persuasively; strong planning and organizational skills; discretion with confidential information; ability to manage several projects simultaneously in a complex fast-paced environment; attention to accuracy, quality, detail and time sensitivity; proven record of accomplishment in a position requiring independent planning, creative problem solving, and the efficient utilization of time and resources; and support for MIT's Advancement's commitment to and diversity, equity, and inclusion. PREFERRED: familiarity with the business markets within the territory. Job #21914-10
   
   Must be willing and able to travel and work evenings and weekends on occasion (30% of the time).This position will be hybrid, with a combination of on-campus and remote work.9/27/22

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right planned giving officer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with planned giving officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit planned giving officers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your planned giving officer job on Zippia to find and recruit planned giving officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as pr news job board, pr council, prsa job center, hoojobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit planned giving officers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new planned giving officer

   Once you've selected the best planned giving officer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new planned giving officer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a planned giving officer?