Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Gift Planning and Estate Administration is a frontline fundraising position, reporting directly to the Associate Vice President of Principal & Major Gifts. This role is responsible for managing a portfolio of donors and prospects, with a specific focus on cultivating, soliciting, and securing planned gifts. The Director will engage with external prospects, guiding them through the process of making legacy commitments. Additionally, the role includes overseeing the administration of estate gifts, honoring the donor’s intentions while ensuring the timely and accurate receipt of bequests and other deferred gifts.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Planned Giving Fundraising & Donor Engagement (80%)

• Manage a portfolio of 100-125 prospects and donors to solicit and document bequests, charitable trusts, beneficiary designations, and other planned gifts.
• Develop and execute personalized cultivation strategies to deepen relationships with donors and secure legacy commitments.
• Collaborate with major/principal gifts officers to integrate planned giving into overall fundraising strategies.
• Partner with financial advisors, attorneys, and other professionals to identify new planned giving prospects and integrate gift planning into overall fundraising efforts.
• Conduct donor visits, attend events, and give presentations on estate planning and legacy giving.

Estate Gift Administration (20%)

• Oversee the administration of realized estate gifts, working closely with executors, attorneys, and financial institutions to ensure timely distributions.
• Review estate documents (wills, trusts, retirement accounts, insurance policies) to document intentions and confirm compliance with donor intent.
• Work with the Development Services team to ensure accurate documentation of gifts, effective tracking of commitments, and lifetime stewardship of Legacy Circle members.
• Details of established essential functions for this position will be addressed/discussed during the interview process.    
    

COMPENSATION: 

The expected hiring range for this position is $120,000 to $144,000/annually, commensurate with experience. Consideration will be given to experience that exceeds the listed requirements.  

COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Employer Contributed Retirement Plan – Depending on eligibility, employees receive an employer contributed retirement plan (no employee contribution required) and the option to contribute to a 403(b) (which is similar to a 401(k) using your own pre or post-tax dollars)
• Full Suite of Health and Welfare plans including three medical plan options (including an HSA available option), dental, vision, life insurance, disability, EAP and more
• Access to Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical/Dependent Care)
• Competitive vacation and sick leave policies
• Free, on-site parking 
   

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or CFRE/CPA/JD a plus.
• 5+ years of experience in planned giving, estate administration, or related fundraising.
• Strong knowledge of charitable gift planning vehicles (bequests, trusts, annuities, beneficiary designations, etc.).
• Exceptional ability to build relationships, negotiate complex gifts, and engage high-net-worth donors.
• Comfort discussing estate planning concepts and working with legal and financial professionals.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience presenting to donors and prospects.
• Ability to travel as needed for donor meetings and events.
• While subject to change based on business needs, this is an on-campus position requiring a minimum of 4 days per week working onsite from our La Jolla campus, with flexibility to work 1 day per week remotely from home.