Director of Estate and Planned Giving - University of the Pacific

At a glance

University of the Pacific's Development team is seeking a Director of Estate and Gift Planning to lead its comprehensive planned giving efforts and inspire transformational philanthropy. Reporting to the Senior Associate Vice President for Development, you'll serve as the university's leading expert in charitable gift planning while building meaningful relationships with donors, overseeing strategic initiatives, and helping shape Pacific's philanthropic future. Join a mission-driven university where every gift helps create life-changing opportunities for future generations of students.

Description: What you'll be doing

Another Source’s client, University of the Pacific, is recruiting a Director of Estate and Gift Planning to join their team in Stockton, California. Relocation assistance is available. 

Here’s a little about University of the Pacific: 

Founded in 1851, University of the Pacific is California's first university and a nationally recognized private institution known for preparing students to lead with purpose. With a strong emphasis on personalized education, innovation, and service, Pacific brings together the resources of a comprehensive university with the close-knit feel of a student-centered community. 

Pacific has three unique campuses across Northern California. The university's flagship 175-acre Stockton campus is consistently recognized as one of the most beautiful college campuses in America. As the only West Coast university featuring collegiate gothic architecture, Pacific offers a distinctive campus experience complemented by iconic carillon bells, Division I athletics, and the renowned Faye Spanos Concert Hall. Additional campuses in Sacramento and San Francisco extend Pacific's impact across the state, supporting nationally recognized programs in health sciences, law, business, and more. 

Learn more about Pacific: https://www.pacific.edu 

 

About this role: 

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. 

How you will spend your time: 

• Manage a portfolio of estate and gift planning prospects and donors, advancing relationships through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and closure.  

• 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.  

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree.  

• Five 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.  

Compensation & Benefits 

The anticipated annual salary range for this position is $110,000–$130,000. Final compensation will be determined based on the scope and responsibilities of the position, the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, and market and organizational considerations. 

University of the Pacific offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees’ health, financial well-being, and professional growth. Eligible employees receive: 

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage  

• Employer retirement contributions of up to 10%  

• Generous paid holidays and vacation  

• Tuition remission and tuition exchange programs  

• Professional development opportunities  

• Wellness resources  

• Employee Assistance Program  

Learn more about Pacific’s benefits: https://issuu.com/pacificreview/docs/2026_pacific_benefit_guide 

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 

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. 

Background Check Statement 

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. 

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us. 

 

 

 

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