Director of Gift and Endowment Planning - Gift Endowment Planning

Expert working knowledge of all aspects of planned giving, fundraising, and donor relations concepts, principles, procedures, and techniques. 

Req

3–5 years of direct experience in gift planning, preferably within an academic health center or higher education environment. 

Req

Strong technical command of legal, financial, tax, and estate planning principles related to planned gifts, charitable trusts, endowments, and complex assets. 

Req

Expert written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including high political acumen, to build effective relationships across internal leadership and external constituencies. 

Req

Expert organizational, analytical, critical thinking, and project management skills to manage gift pipelines and meet strategic goals within timeline and budget constraints. 

Req

Demonstrated ability to partner collaboratively with frontline major gift fundraisers, division chiefs, and health system leadership. 

Req

Expert level skill in maintaining strict confidentiality and exercising sound judgment in complex organizational environments. 

Req

Advanced degree (JD, LLM, CFP, or MBA) in law, taxation, finance, or related field. 

Pref

40%

Serves as an expert or lead development professional in a specialized area such as major / principal gifts, gift planning or corporate / foundation relations, or a specific academic discipline that includes, or potentially includes, donors capable of making very significant contributions to the campus and / or medical center.

Portfolio Management, Direct Donor Activity & Gift Solicitations:

• Maintains and manages an active portfolio of gift planning prospects and high-capacity donors UCSF areas as assigned. 
• Qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors capable of making significant contributions via planned gifts, major gifts, or blended gift structures. 
• Responds directly to inquiries from prospective donors and their legal or financial advisors, providing technical guidance on legal, financial, and tax implications of planned gifts. 
• Provides stewardship of planned gifts, individually and in collaboration with UDAR colleagues and campus partners. 

20%

Develops, creates, writes, implements, and / or evaluates individualized marketing plans, gift agreements and / or strategies for cultivation and solicitation of major gifts, gift planning or corporate / foundation prospects (strategies typically require a high degree of innovation).

Marketing, Outreach & Institutional Education:

• Leads marketing and tailored outreach strategies for specific UCSF initiatives as assigned. 
• Contributes to central GEP marketing efforts, including direct marketing campaigns, and donor communications. 
• Designs, participates in and/or delivers internal planned giving education and training sessions for development officers, UDAR onboarding, faculty and/or health system leadership. 

30%

Analyzes needs and creates strategic and long-range plans for fundraising and other advancement programs and may have the authority to make commitments and precedent-setting decisions regarding program design, development, and procedures.

Collaborative Development Partnership & Complex Gift Structuring:

• Partners with frontline development officers and other UDAR colleagues to co-solicit, structure, document and steward complex gifts (both planned and outright). 
• Serves as a technical subject matter expert on gift structuring, drafting and reviewing gift agreements, bequest provisions, trust documents, endowment terms and UCSF policies. 
• Advises fundraisers and academic leadership on structuring gifts restricted to specific clinical, research, or capital priorities.

5%

GEP Team Collaboration & Internal Administration:

• Participates in GEP team meetings, strategic planning, UDAR internal governance, and administrative reporting. 
• Leverages collective team talents to enhance individual and departmental fundraising efficacy across the UCSF ecosystem. 

5%

Other Duties as Assigned 

Core Objective: Maintain flexibility to support broader institutional advancement priorities, special projects, and team-wide campaigns.

• Special Campaigns & Institutional Initiatives: Support comprehensive capital campaigns, institutional milestones, or emergency funding initiatives as directed by advancement leadership.
• Departmental & Team Support: Participate in team planning, staff mentoring, and cross-departmental working groups to enhance advancement processes, templates, and collaborative workflows.