Director, Advisor Relations & Gift Planning

BlueSteps Connect; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

BlueSteps Connect seeks a Director, Advisor Relations & Gift Planning to lead philanthropy functions and advance engagement with professional advisors in Greater Los Angeles. The role oversees planned and complex giving strategies and serves as a primary relationship manager for attorneys, CPAs, wealth managers, and trust officers.

The director will manage a portfolio of planned giving prospects, act as an internal resource on complex gift strategies, and partner with donors and internal teams

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced credential preferred in philanthropy or related field.
• 7+ years in planned giving, gift planning, or advisor relations.

Responsibilities

• Build and strengthen relationships with professional advisors including attorneys, CPAs, financial planners, and wealth managers.
• Develop and execute strategies to generate donor referrals, planned gifts, and philanthropic partnerships.
• Manage a portfolio of planned giving prospects and legacy donors; serve as internal resource on planned giving vehicles, bequests, and donor-advised funds.
• Lead advisor-focused educational events, workshops, and networking; represent the client at industry events.
• Supervise and mentor the Officer, Advisor Relations & Gift Planning.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication

Presentation

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree in philanthropy/estate planning/financial planning

Tools

CRM systems

Donor tracking tools

Job description

The client is seeking a Director, Advisor Relations & Gift Planning to provide key leadership within its philanthropy function. This role advances engagement with professional advisors and oversees planned and complex giving strategies, serving as a primary relationship manager for attorneys, financial planners, CPAs, trust officers, and wealth managers. The director supports connections between charitable giving opportunities and the philanthropic goals of donors and their advisors, offering expertise across planned giving, legacy gifts, complex assets, and donor-advised fund strategies.

Key responsibilities include building and strengthening relationships with professional advisors across Greater Los Angeles, and developing and executing strategies to generate donor referrals, planned gifts, and philanthropic partnerships. The director will manage a portfolio of planned giving prospects and legacy donors, act as an internal resource on planned giving vehicles, bequests, charitable trusts, donor-advised funds, and complex asset gifts, and partner with donors, advisors, and internal teams to facilitate charitable gift planning opportunities. The role also includes leading advisor-focused educational events, workshops, and networking, representing the client at industry events, and supervising and mentoring the Officer, Advisor Relations & Gift Planning.

Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree, with an advanced credential or degree in philanthropy, estate planning, financial planning, or a related field preferred. The director is expected to bring 7+ years of experience in planned giving, gift planning, advisor relations, or related fundraising, including experience working with attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and high-net-worth donors. Strong knowledge of planned giving vehicles and complex gift strategies is required, along with excellent relationship-building, communication, presentation, and leadership skills, as well as the ability to explain complex financial and legal concepts clearly. The role calls for strong strategic thinking, organization, attention to detail, collaboration across teams, proficiency with CRM systems and donor tracking tools, and a commitment to exceptional customer service and confidentiality aligned with the client’s mission and values.