U

University of Illinois Foundation

Official fundraising and private gift-receiving organization

Gift Planning Operations Representative

Full-TimeDeadline 10/25/26
$35k - $40k/yr
Junior
Champaign, IL, USA
HybridHybrid schedule with up to two remote days per week.
Administrative & Executive AssistanceAdministrative Support

About the job

Requirements
  • At least one year of work experience in an administrative role.
  • Ability to solve problems independently.
  • High integrity and ability to adhere to strict confidentiality standards.
  • Willingness to embrace new ideas and engage in collaboration.
  • Ability to concurrently manage and reprioritize multiple projects.
Responsibilities
  • Support estate administration by accurately processing estate payments, preparing paperwork to record new or additional estate commitments, reviewing estate accounts, tracking follow-up, and corresponding with advisors, attorneys, university colleagues, foundation colleagues, and donors to ensure estate gifts for all three universities are received in a timely manner.
  • Oversee and manage departmental records by creating, updating, revising, and retrieving files and records in the online record management system and customer relationship management system.
  • Maintain the departmental email inbox, including reviewing, prioritizing, responding to, and tracking emails related to approval and recording of revocable, irrevocable, and estate planned gifts.
  • Review and prioritize departmental mail and independently redirect mail more appropriately answered by others.
  • Respond to routine phone and visitor inquiries, requests, and problems, using customer service skills to resolve issues or direct calls and visits to the appropriate internal colleague.
  • Develop working knowledge of planned giving vehicles, internal processes related to recording planned gifts, processing payments, and administering estates.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in higher education or the nonprofit industry.
  • Experience in banking or trust, estate planning, financial planning, taxation, or a similar field.

About the company

U

University of Illinois Foundation

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The University of Illinois Foundation is an independent nonprofit organization that acts as the official fundraising and private gift-receiving arm for the University of Illinois System, including its campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield. It raises money by working with alumni, friends, faculty and staff, corporations, and foundations to create fundraising programs and opportunities that support the university’s teaching, research, public service, and economic development. The foundation coordinates with campus development professionals to connect donors with university needs, operating as a statewide partner rather than a for-profit entity. It stands apart from others by being the formal, system-wide fundraising entity for the University of Illinois across all three universities, with a long-standing history since 1935. The overarching goal is to secure private gifts that sustain and advance the university’s excellence and impact.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Chicago, Illinois

Founded

N/A

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • FY2025 new business hit $656 million, a record announced October 30, 2025.
  • July 2026 donor stories show continued scholarship, planned-gift, and major-alumni momentum.
  • The foundation redirected $245 million of legacy private assets into lower-risk positions.

What critics are saying

  • FY2025 endowment returned 3.3%, far below the 13.2% benchmark.
  • A $119.8 million legacy-investment impairment exposed weak private-market governance.
  • If FY2026 returns stay weak, UIF cuts payouts and loses campaign credibility.

What makes University of Illinois Foundation unique

  • UIF controls a $3.06 billion active endowment and 7,000 farmland acres.
  • Its 2026 Philanthropy Center earned WELL Platinum, signaling premium workplace investment.
  • A system-wide advancement team links Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield fundraising.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • Paid Vacation
  • Hybrid Work Options
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan

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