Advancement Management

University of Utah; Campus (IL); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Utah is seeking a Senior Director of Gift Planning to lead a comprehensive planned giving program within University Advancement. The role partners with major gift staff, deans, and institutional leaders to cultivate and document planned gifts such as bequests, trusts, and annuities, while building systems, training, and marketing support.

The Senior Director will oversee up to three staff, including a vacancy, and collaborate across units to enhance fundraising performance and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent plus 14 years related work experience
• Master’s degree or equivalent plus 12 years related work experience

Responsibilities

• Actively manage a portfolio of planned gift prospects through identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward.
• Coordinate with Advancement Services to code donors and plans for reports and metrics.
• Partner with IFR leadership and frontline fundraisers to cultivate, solicit, and steward planned gifts across units.
• Create and oversee Gift Planning and Financial Advisors Council engagement and education.
• Coordinate with Donor Relations to ensure meaningful stewardship and donor recognition.

Skills

Donor relations

Communication skills

Leadership

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Master’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Monday through Friday, with some work hours for events and travel for donor events and meetings as needed.

VP Area

VP Area President

Department

Department 00289 - Development

Location

Location Campus

City

City Salt Lake City, UT

Type of Recruitment

Type of Recruitment External Posting

Pay Rate Range

Pay Rate Range $130,000 - $150,000

Close Date

Close Date 12/15/2026

Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time)

Job Summary

Reporting to the Principal Director of Institutional Fund raising, the Senior Director of Gift Planning is responsible for leading the strategy, growth, and execution of a comprehensive planned giving program for University Advancement at the University of Utah. This role is within the Institutional Fund raising ( IFR ) team and is highly collaborative, working with major gift staff across multiple constituent schools, colleges, and areas throughout the institution. The focus of this role is to encourage and support the acquisition of planned gifts from donors interested in utilizing and appropriately documenting planned gift vehicles for the benefit of the University of Utah. Responsibilities will include generating philanthropic gifts from donors through planned gift vehicles such as simple bequests in wills or living trusts, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities, gifts utilizing retirement assets. etc.
The Senior Director of Gift Planning will oversee a team of up to three planned giving staff, with one role currently vacant. The Senior Director will be tasked with both enhancing the work of the existing gift planning officers, and building out the systems, training, marketing, and best practices that support all frontline and major gift fundraisers to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and appropriately document planned gifts for the benefit of the U.
Please note, the posted salary range reflects the compensation range within which we will make an offer. Offers are determined based on qualifications, skills, and experience. Placement at the top of the range is reserved for candidates who demonstrate exceptional qualifications and experience directly aligned with the role.

Responsibilities

• Actively manage and maintain an appropriately sized portfolio of planned gift prospects and donors at the stages of identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward.
• Works with the various Advancement Services teams and the Fund Development Specialist in Gift Planning to ensure systematic coding of donors and plans are recorded so that reports and metrics related to planned gift fundraising performance are accurate and reflect fund raiser activity.
• The Senior Director will partner with leadership and all frontline fund raisers, particularly major gift staff, as well as work with deans and institutional leaders, to encourage the development of and to provide support for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding planned gifts. This position will work closely with the entire University Advancement team to ensure coordination among institutional giving programs and across all units within the institution.
• Create, implement, and provide oversight to the engagement of a Gift Planning and Financial Advisors Council comprised of local leaders in the financial planning and services space who will advocate for and provide education around the utilization of gift planning vehicles for the benefit of the University of Utah.
• Coordinates with the Donor Relations team to ensure that effective and efficient stewardship of planned gift donors is achieved. This work will include developing and executing meaningful touch points for donors and reimagining the donor recognition experience within the John R. Park Society.
• Maintains accurate records for engagement activities, productivity, and prepares monthly fundraising progress reports for accountability and dissemination. The Senior Director will be jointly accountable for the achievement of individual and planned giving team performance metrics including monthly contact reports, solicitations, new qualifications, and overall annual fundraising performance goals.
• Partner with both the IFR’s Campaign and Communications team and the Donor Relations and Communications team, to implement and execute marketing and educational promotional materials for planned giving information, planned giving acquisition, donor storytelling, and stewardship.
• With the support of our Talent Enhancement and Training team, provide both regular, in-person gift planning education seminars and on-going, virtual trainings for fundraising staff.
• As necessary, partner with professionals in the Office of General Counsel, Real Estate, and University Advancement staff in Donor Relations and related areas of gift agreements, compliance, and others for the execution of donor gift intentions.
• Serves as an integral member of the IFR leadership team by contributing to leadership meetings, thinking boldly and big across systems, being a One U player, supporting the institution’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, and leading out on planned giving strategy for University Advancement.
• Participates in professional development activities to remain current on relevant activity and trends in gift planning, financial and estate planning, federal tax law and regulations that govern charitable giving, new services offered by other nonprofit groups and organizations, and to raise the University Advancement’s visibility as a top ten public higher education advancement organization.

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT : 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Senior Director, Advancement Management: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 14 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 12 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences

• Prefer experience in a large complex higher education or health care institution.
• Ability to build relationships with current and future donors to the institution.
• Expert knowledge of applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, etc. related to gift planning.
• Expert written and interpersonal communication skills, including political acumen, to establish and maintain good working relationships throughout the organization and with outside constituencies. Expert skills in making persuasive and compelling presentations of goals and objectives for a location in order to secure gifts.
• Expert organizational, analytical and critical thinking skills, problem recognition/avoidance/resolution skills. Expert project/program management skills, including skills in setting and meeting program/project goals and objectives within budget and time constraints.
• Experience managing teams
• Additional credentials such as: Juris Doctorate, Certified Specialist in Planned Giving, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, or paralegal studies degree, Member of Gift Planning organizations at a leadership level, etc.

Type

Special Instructions Summary

Additional Information

The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at [phone] for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at [phone] or [phone] or University Human Resource Management at [phone] if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.
This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.
The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.
Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.
Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy‑related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.
To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX ( OEO ). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page .
Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu
https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/ This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.
As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members , a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * What is your highest level of completed education?
  • None
  • High School Diploma or Equivalent
  • Associate Degree
  • Bachelor's Degree
  • Master's Degree
  • Doctorate Degree
• * How many years of related work experience do you have?
  • Less than 2 years
  • 2 years or more, but less than 4 years
  • 4 years or more, but less than 6 years
  • 6 years or more, but less than 8 years
  • 8 years or more, but less than 10 years
  • 10 years or more, but less than 12 years
  • 12 years or more, but less than 14 years
  • 14 years or more
• * Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B status)?
  • Yes