Director of Planned Giving

 

Job Summary

The Director of Planned Giving is a key fundraising professional responsible for managing a portfolio of prospective and existing donors of planned and deferred gifts requiring financial and estate planning expertise. Reporting to the Senior Director of Planned Giving, this role works to build and deepen long-term relationships, guiding supporters and their advisors through the process of making significant legacy gifts to the university, including outright gifts, real estate, trusts and all forms of deferred giving (estate planning, bequests and other life income gifts). The Director serves as a subject matter expert on complex gift vehicles and collaborates closely with fundraising colleagues across campus to advance institutional priorities and secure support for strategic campaigns through strategic donor engagement. The incumbent works closely with the Senior Director to market and steward a robust program and serves as the backup resource and lead in the absence of the Senior Director.

 

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and cultivate a portfolio of planned giving, major giving and blended gift prospects through regular and direct engagement with high level donors and alumni
• Conduct a high volume of productive donor visits and document all donor contacts and activities in the university’s CRM database to ensure a clear record of engagement. Achieve and exceed the annual goals set by the Senior Director and VP of University Advancement
• Solicit and close a variety of planned gifts, including bequests, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities and gifts of non-cash assets (e.g., real estate, securities) that reach the annual fundraising goals for this position level
• Prepare customized proposals and supporting materials that align with donor interests and explain the financial implications of various gift plans
• Ensure legal recordkeeping requirements are met regarding documentation of planned gifts
• Guide the donor and/or their advisors to complete gift agreements or statements of intent, clarifying objectives and obtaining and recording pertinent information. Inform the donor, tax, legal and financial advisors of the university policies regarding planned gifts
• Partner with the Senior Planned Giving Director with all aspects of the legacy group (Heritage Society) and ensure its effective stewardship and growth
• Serve as the primary resource on planned giving vehicles, providing technical advice and support to donors, their professional advisors (e.g., attorneys, accountants, financial planners, bank trust officers, chartered life underwriters) and development colleagues in the design and structure of deferred or planned gifts
• Lead the collaboration with college development directors to identify planned gift opportunities within their portfolios and execute joint cultivation and solicitation strategies
• Collaborate in the development and delivery of training sessions and educational materials for internal staff and volunteers to understand planned giving and the identification of new prospects
• Responsible for the creation of marketing strategies and materials to raise awareness of planned giving opportunities at the university (e.g., educational seminars, Heritage Society newsletters and events, outreach campaigns)
• Build and maintain relationships with estate and financial planning professionals in the community to generate new leads and enhance the university’s network
• Work closely with various campus departments and University Advancement units to ensure seamless gift processing
• Maintain knowledge of current tax laws, regulations and best practices in gift planning by attending conferences, training sessions and online learning opportunities, and subscribing to relevant listservs and blogs
• Participate in and contribute to the formulation of policies and procedures related to gift planning, university fundraising and donor engagement
• Manage database integrity by ensuring that donor and prospect information is current
• Lead front office assignments as necessary
• Serve on university and division-wide committees as assigned by the Senior Planned Giving Director

 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner
• Demonstrated ability to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward prospects and donors and effectively move them through the development cycle leading to closing six and seven-figure gifts
• Knowledge and understanding of planned giving programs, including charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities as well as gift management and stewardship
• Knowledge of planned giving vehicles, techniques and estate planning concepts
• Knowledge of charitable gift tax law and IRS regulations, as well as financial and estate planning techniques
• Skilled in successfully managing multiple projects on tight deadlines and under pressure in a dynamic and open environment
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills for both internal and external collaboration
• An organized, detail-oriented, and professional approach, with the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information
• Experience in CRM/donor databases, Microsoft Office and gift-tracking tools
• Model high levels of professional ethics and integrity to all campus and external stakeholders
• Strong initiative and self-motivation and ability to work as part of a collaborative team

 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• A minimum of three years of successful development, financial planning, asset management and/or fundraising-related experience

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree or certification in fundraising
• Experience in higher education, hospital, and/or related non-profit fundraising environment
• Experience with various gift and estate planning strategies and technical practices
• Experience with California-specific philanthropic landscape or professional advisor networks

 

Compensation

Classification: Administrator II
Anticipated Hiring Range: $10,000/month - $10,417/month
CSU Salary Range: $5,053/month - $16,221/month

The final hiring salary will be commensurate with experience.

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary.

 

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest

All applicants must apply within the specified application period: March 2, 2026 through March 17, 2026. This position is open until filled; however, applications received after screening has begun will be considered at the discretion of the university.

 

Contact Information

University Personnel
jobs@sjsu.edu
408-924-2252

 

CSU Vaccination Policy

The CSU strongly recommends that all individuals who access any in-person program or activity (on- or off-campus) operated or controlled by the University follow COVID-19 vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and other relevant indications and comply with other safety measures established by each campus. The system wide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to jobs@sjsu.edu.

 

Additional Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will issue a contingent offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was offered the position on a contingent basis.

The standard background check includes: criminal check, employment, and education verification. Depending on the position, a motor vehicle and/or credit check may be required. All background checks are conducted through the university's third-party vendor, Accurate Background. Some positions may also require fingerprinting. SJSU will pay all costs associated with this procedure. Evidence of required degree(s) or certification(s) will be required at time of hire.

SJSU IS NOT A SPONSORING AGENCY FOR STAFF OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. (e.g. H1-B VISAS)

All San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Incumbent is also required to promptly report any knowledge of a possible Title IX related incident to the Title IX Office or report any discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation to the Office of Equal Opportunity.

 

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and Campus Housing Fire Safety Notification: 

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is also available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Campus Security Authority - In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, this position is subject to ongoing review for designation as a Campus Security Authority. Individuals that are designated as Campus Security Authorities are required to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution and complete Clery Act training as determined by the university Clery Director.

 

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University is an equal opportunity employer. The university prohibits discrimination based on age, ancestry, caste, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military status, nationality, race, religion, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, sex stereotype, and veteran status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff, as well as university programs and activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus). Reasonable accommodation is made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.