Director of Estate and Gift Planning

University of the Pacific; Stockton (CA); On-site; USD 87,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

University of the Pacific is seeking a Director of Estate and Gift Planning to lead a comprehensive program that aligns donor goals with institutional priorities. You will manage a portfolio, secure legacy gifts, and supervise staff, partnering with officers and advisors to maximize impact across campus.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, marketing, stewardship, and collaboration with donors, attorneys, and financial professionals to advance sophisticated planned gifts that benefit Pacific

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and/or planned gifts.
• Experience managing a donor portfolio and building relationships with donors.
• Experience supervising staff or leading cross-functional projects or initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of estate and gift planning prospects and donors, advancing relationships through identification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and closur.
• Secure documented planned gift commitments through outreach and partnership with development officers.
• Structure and facilitate gifts including bequests, charitable gift annuities, trusts, and other planned giving vehicles.
• Develop and implement an annual Estate and Gift Planning plan with measurable goals.
• Oversee planned giving marketing and communications, including vendor partnerships, digital content, publications, and donor outreach.

Skills

Relationship building

Donor cultivation

Portfolio management

Staff supervision

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Raiser's Edge NXT

Blackbaud CRM

Job description

Posting Details

Job Title: Director of Estate and Gift Planning

Department: Planned Giving

Campus: Stockton

Posting Number: 201304368P

Contract Type: Full Time

Position Length: 12 months

Open Until Filled: No

Visa Sponsorship Eligibility: This position is not eligible for a visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Special Instructions to Applicants: For Applicants Seeking Job Opportunities within the University Internal: Internal applicants will be considered within the first five (5) business days of the posting period. External applicants will be considered on the sixth (6) business day of the posting period.

Position Summary

The Director of Estate and Gift Planning will lead University of the Pacific's comprehensive estate and gift planning program through frontline fundraising, program administration, strategic marketing, donor stewardship, and collaborative partnership across University Development. Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Development, this role serves as the university's primary resource on charitable estate and gift planning. The Director will manage a portfolio of planned giving prospects and donors, secure legacy gifts, supervise departmental staff, and partner with development officers, university leaders, donors, and professional advisors to align philanthropic goals with Pacific's institutional priorities. This is an opportunity to shape and grow a sophisticated planned giving program while helping donors create meaningful, lasting legacies that support future generations of Pacific students.

Essential Functions

• Manage a portfolio of estate and gift planning prospects and donors, advancing
• relationships through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation,
• stewardship, and closur
• Secure documented planned gift commitments through personal outreach and in
• partnership with development officers.
• Structure and facilitate gifts that may include bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, IRA and insurance beneficiary designations, qualified charitable distributions, gifts of appreciated assets, and other planned giving vehicles.
• Develop and implement an annual Estate and Gift Planning plan with measurable fundraising, marketing, stewardship, donor engagement, and pipeline development goals.
• Oversee planned giving marketing and communications, including vendor partnerships, digital content, publications, donor outreach, and awareness initiatives.
• Create timely and compelling gift proposals, donor correspondence, briefing materials, contact reports, gift illustrations, and stewardship communications.
• Serve as Pacific's subject matter expert on charitable estate and gift planning.
• Partner with development officers to identify and advance planned giving opportunities across their portfolios.
• Educate colleagues on charitable gift planning strategies and emerging opportunities.
• Collaborate with donors and their legal, financial, and tax advisors to facilitate complex and meaningful charitable gifts.
• Manage the department's operating budget, monitor performance, maintain accurate records, and ensure compliance with university policies, gift acceptance procedures, and applicable legal and ethical standards.
• Partner with Donor Relations to recognize and steward members of Pacific's Heritage Society.
• Supervise departmental staff and help build a collaborative, high-performing team.

University of the Pacific recognizes that diversity, equity, and inclusion is foundational to the success of our valued students and employees. We prioritize policy and decision-making that demonstrates awareness of, and responsiveness to, the ways socio-cultural forces related to race, gender, ability, sexuality, socio-economic status, etc. impede or propel students, faculty, and staff.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, advancement, estate planning, wealth management, financial services, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and/or planned gifts.
• Experience managing a donor portfolio and building relationships with donors and prospective donors.
• Experience supervising staff or leading cross-functional projects or initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education fundraising or advancement.
• Demonstrated success securing deferred, blended, and complex charitable gifts.
• Experience collaborating with attorneys, accountants, financial planners, and other professional advisors.
• Experience with Raiser's Edge NXT, Blackbaud CRM, or a comparable donor management system.
• Experience using planned giving marketing platforms such as Stelter or similar solutions.
• Knowledge of charitable gift planning vehicles, estate planning principles, and current trends affecting philanthropic giving.
• Demonstrated success developing planned giving marketing initiatives, donor stewardship programs, and collaborative fundraising strategies.
• A positive, collaborative approach and demonstrated success working with diverse populations.
• A commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming work environment.
• Experience and sensitivity in working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Demonstrated experience in advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in a university setting.
• Ability to engage and integrate culturally responsive practices and knowledge in their work.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative but not definitive of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Requires extended periods of sitting and repetitive hand/wrist motion while using computer keyboard and phone. Occasional standing, walking across campus, climbing stairs, bending, stooping and reaching. Occasional lifting up to 25 pounds or more. Work Environment/Work Week/Travel Work is frequently performed in a standard office environment with use of computer and phone. Must be prepared to work non-business hours and weekends. Frequent travel both local and overnight. Frequent use of laptops and cellular devices to access data while traveling. Valid driver's license required. Incumbent must also be able to meet the University's fleet rules and be eligible to drive for University business. The University and its insurance carrier reserves the right to exclude applicants based on their driving record.

Hiring Range

$86,620-$125,000; We consider factors such as, but not limited to, scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, internal equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Background Check Statement

All applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment are required to execute a release and authorization for a background screening. AB 810 Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: University of the Pacific complies with California Assembly Bill 810, requiring candidates accepting conditional job offers to disclose any final administrative or judicial findings, ongoing proceedings, allegations, resignations under investigation, or appeals related to sexual harassment or misconduct within the past seven years.

Anti-Discrimination/EEO Policy Statement

University of the Pacific is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to workforce diversity across backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints. Pacific does not unlawfully discriminate in its hiring of faculty and staff, or in the provision of its employment benefits to its faculty and staff on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, sex/gender, marital status, military and veteran status, sexual orientation, medical condition, pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, or mental or physical disability, or other legally protected characteristics or combination of such characteristics. While we strive to attract a broad and representative pool of candidates, all hiring decisions are made based on merit, selecting the most qualified individual for each position.