AnnouncementDetails
Open Date 09/21/2026
Requisition Number PRN46259B
Job Title Advancement Management
Working Title Senior Director of Gift Planning
Career Progression Track M00
Track Level M7 - Senior Director
FLSA Code Administrative
Patient Sensitive Job Code? No
Standard Hours per Week 40
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Shift Day
Work Schedule Summary Monday through Friday, with some work hours for events and travel for donor events and meetings as needed.
VP Area President
Department 00289 - Development
Location Campus
City Salt Lake City, UT
Type of Recruitment External Posting
Pay Rate Range $130,000 - $150,000
Close Date 12/15/2026
Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time)Job Summary Reporting to the Principal Director of Institutional Fund raising, the Senior Director of Gift Planning is responsible for leading the strategy, growth, and execution of a comprehensive planned giving program for University Advancement at the University of Utah. This role is within the Institutional Fund raising (IFR) team and is highly collaborative, working with major gift staff across multiple constituent schools, colleges, and areas throughout the institution. The focus of this role is to encourage and support the acquisition of planned gifts from donors interested in utilizing and appropriately documenting planned gift vehicles for the benefit of the University of Utah. Responsibilities will include generating philanthropic gifts from donors through planned gift vehicles such as simple bequests in wills or living trusts, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities, gifts utilizing retirement assets. etc.
The Senior Director of Gift Planning will oversee a team of up to three planned giving staff, with one role currently vacant. The Senior Director will be tasked with both enhancing the work of the existing gift planning officers, and building out the systems, training, marketing, and best practices that support all frontline and major gift fundraisers to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and appropriately document planned gifts for the benefit of the U.
Please note, the posted salary range reflects the compensation range within which we will make an offer. Offers are determined based on qualifications, skills, and experience. Placement at the top of the range is reserved for candidates who demonstrate exceptional qualifications and experience directly aligned with the role.
Responsibilities - Actively manage and maintain an appropriately sized portfolio of planned gift prospects and donors at the stages of identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward.
- Works with the various Advancement Services teams and the Fund Development Specialist in Gift Planning to ensure systematic coding of donors and plans are recorded so that reports and metrics related to planned gift fundraising performance are accurate and reflect fund raiser activity.
- The Senior Director will partner with leadership and all frontline fund raisers, particularly major gift staff, as well as work with deans and institutional leaders, to encourage the development of and to provide support for cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding planned gifts. This position will work closely with the entire University Advancement team to ensure coordination among institutional giving programs and across all units within the institution.
- Create, implement, and provide oversight to the engagement of a Gift Planning and Financial Advisors Council comprised of local leaders in the financial planning and services space who will advocate for and provide education around the utilization of gift planning vehicles for the benefit of the University of Utah.
- Coordinates with the Donor Relations team to ensure that effective and efficient stewardship of planned gift donors is achieved. This work will include developing and executing meaningful touch points for donors and reimagining the donor recognition experience within the John R. Park Society.
- Maintains accurate records for engagement activities, productivity, and prepares monthly fundraising progress reports for accountability and dissemination. The Senior Director will be jointly accountable for the achievement of individual and planned giving team performance metrics including monthly contact reports, solicitations, new qualifications, and overall annual fundraising performance goals.
- Partner with both the IFR's Campaign and Communications team and the Donor Relations and Communications team, to implement and execute marketing and educational promotional materials for planned giving information, planned giving acquisition, donor storytelling, and stewardship.
- With the support of our Talent Enhancement and Training team, provide both regular, in-person gift planning education seminars and on-going, virtual trainings for fundraising staff.
- As necessary, partner with professionals in the Office of General Counsel, Real Estate, and University Advancement staff in Donor Relations and related areas of gift agreements, compliance, and others for the execution of donor gift intentions.
- Serves as an integral member of the IFR leadership team by contributing to leadership meetings, thinking boldly and big across systems, being a One U player, supporting the institution's comprehensive fundraising campaign, and leading out on planned giving strategy for University Advancement.
- Participates in professional development activities to remain current on relevant activity and trends in gift planning, financial and estate planning, federal tax law and regulations that govern charitable giving, new services offered by other nonprofit groups and organizations, and to raise the University Advancement's visibility as a top ten public higher education advancement organization.
Minimum Qualifications EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
Senior Director, Advancement Management: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 14 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 12 years of directly related work experience.
Preferences - Prefer experience in a large complex higher education or health care institution.
- Ability to build relationships with current and future donors to the institution.
- Expert knowledge of applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, etc. related to gift planning.
- Expert written and interpersonal communication skills, including political acumen, to establish and maintain good working relationships throughout the organization and with outside constituencies. Expert skills in making persuasive and compelling presentations of goals and objectives for a location in order to secure gifts.
- Expert organizational, analytical and critical thinking skills, problem recognition/avoidance/resolution skills. Expert project/program management skills, including skills in setting and meeting program/project goals and objectives within budget and time constraints.
- Experience managing teams
- Additional credentials such as: Juris Doctorate, Certified Specialist in Planned Giving, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, or paralegal studies degree, Member of Gift Planning organizations at a leadership level, etc.
Type Benefited Staff
Special Instructions Summary 
