Job Description

Job Function Summary:

Involves designing, developing, delivering, and administering fundraising programs. Identifies new donor prospects through researching background information on potential donors and developing materials, marketing plans, and organizing related programs / events; cultivates, stewards, and may solicit donor prospects.

Generic Scope

Recognized organization-wide expert. Has significant impact and influence on organizational policy and program development. Regularly leads projects of critical importance to the organization; these projects carry substantial consequences of success or failure. Directs programs with organization-wide impact (or may have impact beyond the University) that include formulating strategies and administering policies, processes, and resources. Significant barriers to entry exist at this level.

Custom Scope

Position Overview

Are you driven to leverage sophisticated gift planning strategies to transform healthcare, advance groundbreaking biomedical research, and improve outcomes for people locally and globally?

The Office of University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) - a global leader in health sciences and medical innovation - is seeking an expert, collaborative, and strategic Director of Gift and Endowment Planning. Reporting to the Executive Director of Gift & Endowment Planning, this high-impact position serves as a lead gift planning professional for broad UCSF priorities. Operating with significant autonomy, you will manage a high-capacity donor portfolio, partner with multiple frontline fundraising teams, and structure complex planned and blended gifts that build long-term support for UCSF.

Why This Role Is Unique

• Gift Planning Leadership: Serve as a gift planning expert and lead development strategist across broad UCSF advancement areas, providing diverse and expansive gift structuring exposure.
• Deep Strategic Collaboration: Partner closely with frontline development officers, department heads, faculty, and hospital leaders to co-solicit, negotiate, structure, and document complex planned and outright gifts.
• Internal & External Ambassadorship: Serve as an institutional resource and educator, elevating gift planning literacy among faculty, development colleagues, donors, and professional legal/financial advisors.
• Premier Academic Environment: Join UDAR's renowned Gift & Endowment Planning team in a flexible hybrid model, embedded in one of the nation's premier academic medical health systems.

Desired Mindset & Competencies

• Sophisticated Gift Structuring Expertise: Strong technical command of legal, financial, and tax implications across deferred giving instruments, charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities, real estate, and other complex assets.
• Collaborative Partnership & Influence: Demonstrated ability to work seamlessly with frontline major gift officers, elevating team efficacy and co-soliciting major, principal, and blended gifts while becoming a trusted expert in UCSF policies and practices and applying that expertise to develop and execute effective gift strategies.
• Strategic Ambassadorship & Communication: Exceptional ability to translate complex financial and legal gift vehicles into accessible, compelling philanthropic opportunities for donors and faculty.

Responsibilities

% of timeEssential Function (Yes/No)Key Responsibilities (To be completed by Supervisor)
40%
Yes
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%
Yes
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%
Yes
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%
YES
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%
YES
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.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and AbilitiesReq / Pref
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

Professional level of expertise in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, SharePoint, Power Point, etc.).ReqBachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.Req
Advanced degree (JD, LLM, CFP, or MBA) in law, taxation, finance, or related field.

Pref