Assistant Vice President, Estate & Gift Planning

Job Summary

The Assistant Vice President for Estate and Gift planning provides strategic leadership for the University's comprehensive estate and gift planning program, building and executing a multi-year strategic plan that expands philanthropic support through bequests, trusts, gift annuities, and other planned and deferred giving vehicles. Serving as the University's senior authority on gift planning, the Assistant Vice President partners with the Vice President for University Advancement, Foundation leadership, and colleges/schools/units to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major and principal-level outright and deferred gift prospects. The Assistant Vice President leads and manages estate and gift planning staff, oversees marketing and compliance for the gift planning program, and cultivates strategic relationships with the estate planning and advisor community.

• Provides strategic leadership for the development and execution of a comprehensive, multi-year Estate and Gift planning program that advances University and Foundation fundraising priorities.
• Serves as the University's Subject Matter Expert (SME) on planned and deferred giving, providing technical expertise to donors, prospects, and University/Foundation leadership on the tax and financial implications of gift planning vehicles.
• Manages a personal portfolio of major and principal-level outright and deferred gift prospects, leading their identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship independently and in partnership with colleagues across the University.
• Negotiates, structures, and finalizes the terms of complex new planned and estate gifts, working with general counsel, finance, and academic/administrative colleagues as needed.
• Recruits, manages, supervises, mentors, and evaluates Estate and Gift planning staff, setting performance standards and implementing professional development and performance management plans.
• Leads the design and implementation of the annual operating plan and long-term strategy for the Estate and gift planning program, establishing measurable goals and reporting progress to senior leadership.
• Provides expert guidance and consultation to college/school/unit-based development staff on gift planning strategy, devising annual operating plans and conducting regular progress meetings with Deans and program leadership.
• Oversees compliance with gift acceptance policies, campaign counting standards, and legal/tax requirements applicable to planned and estate gifts.
• Leads marketing and communications strategy in collaboration with Foundation Campaign Planning and Communications for the estate and gift planning program, including the gift planning website, newsletters, donor recognition society, and print/digital collateral.
• Plans, coordinates, and leads seminars and educational programming on gift planning topics for prospects, donors, advisors, faculty, and staff.
• Cultivates and maintains strategic relationships with the regional estate planning and legal/financial advisor community, identifying partnership and sponsorship opportunities that expand referral networks.
• Establishes, interprets, and implements policies and procedures governing gift planning activities across the University, recommending changes to senior leadership as necessary.
• Oversees the preparation of proposals, gift agreements, and stewardship materials for planned and estate gift prospects, collaborating with development communications and donor relations colleagues.
• Monitors and reports progress toward institutional revenue and activity goals, providing regular updates to the Vice President and senior advancement leadership.
• Directs and supervises principal gift officers and assigned support staff. Responsible for recruiting, training, mentoring, and conducting performance evaluations to ensure the team meets measurable annual and long-term fundraising metrics.
• Represents the University at professional organizations, estate planning councils, and community events to build visibility and philanthropic partnerships.
• Tracks and documents prospect and donor contact and moves in the donor database, ensuring adherence to university-wide prospect management guidelines and protocols.
• Keeps abreast of new laws, regulations, and best practices related to planned and estate gifts, ensuring the program's continued compliance and competitiveness.
• Participates in on-campus and off-campus events and activities, including division-wide and university-wide committees and project teams, in support of donor qualification, cultivation, and institutional priorities.
• Serves as a key member of the Development senior leadership team, contributing to broader strategic and campaign planning.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or directed. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

• Master's degree in an appropriate specialization and six years of experience; or a bachelor's degree in an appropriate specialization and eight years of experience.