Development Management

University of Utah; Campus (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Utah is seeking a Director of Gift Planning in Salt Lake City to advance donor relationships and plan gifts in collaboration with major gift staff across campuses. This role reports to the Senior Director of Gift Planning within Institutional Fundraising and emphasizes securing planned gifts through vehicle types such as bequests, living trusts, and charitable trusts.

Travel and event hours may be required as needed; excellent collaboration with deans, institutional leaders,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalency) plus 12 years of directly related work experience, or Master's degree (or equivalency) plus 10 years of directly related work experience.

Responsibilities

• Actively manage a portfolio of planned gift prospects and donors through identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward stages.
• Build new and maintain existing donor relationships through outreach, travel, meetings, and research; document with contact reports.
• Coordinate with Advancement Services to ensure codings and reports reflect donor activity.
• Partner with leadership and frontline fundraisers to cultivate, solicit, and steward planned gifts.
• Coordinate with colleges and campus units to connect donors to supported areas.
• Provide in-person gift planning education seminars and ongoing virtual trainings for staff.
• Collaborate with General Counsel, Real Estate, and Donor Relations on gift agreements and compliance.
• Stay current on gift planning trends, tax laws, and related areas to raise visibility of University Advancement.

Job description

Monday through Friday business hours, with some travel and event hours as needed.

Department 00289 - Development

City Salt Lake City, UT

Pay Rate Range $100,000 - $130,000

Close Date 11/15/2026

Job Summary

Development Management Reporting to the Senior Director of Gift Planning, the Director of Gift Planning is responsible for building relationships with donors in the gift planning space for University Advancement at the University of Utah. This role is within the Institutional Fundraising ( 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 and University of Utah Health. 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.

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.
• Building new and continuing existing donor relationships through outreach, travel, meetings, and research. Working to drive gift conversations and document with contact reports.
• Works with the various Advancement Services teams 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 fundraiser activity.
• The Director will partner with leadership and all frontline fundraisers, 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. The director will aid and hand-off to colleges and various campus units to tie the donor directly back to the area they wish to support.
• 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.
• 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).

Director, Development Management: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 12 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 10 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.
• Additional credentials such as: Certified Specialist in Planned Giving, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, or paralegal studies degree, Member of Gift Planning organizations at a leadership level, etc..

Additional Information

The University of Utah 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.