Director of Gift Planning

Westminster School, one of the leading independent boarding schools in the country, is a diverse, close-knit community of approximately 190 employees and 430 male and female students (seventy-five percent boarding, twenty-five percent day students) set on a 200-acre campus in Simsbury, Connecticut. Since its founding in 1888, Westminster School has been committed to the core values ofcommunity, character, balance, and involvement.

Our motto describes our community –“virtute et numine”– by Grit & Grace.

From a philanthropic perspective, Westminster is operating from a position of strength. The school completed a $102 million comprehensive campaign in 2021 and continues to build on that momentum. Today, fundraising centers on The Westminster Fund, which raises more than $3.2 million annually, as well as capital, endowed and donor-directed support for Westminster’s people, programs and strategic priorities. Together, these efforts generate more than $10 million in philanthropic support each year.

Gift planning will play an important role in Westminster’s next chapter. As the school prepares for future campaign planning, long-term financial sustainability and continued growth in endowed support, the Director of Gift Planning will help connect donor intent with Westminster’s enduring needs and future opportunities.

Position Summary

Westminster School seeks a thoughtful, experienced and relationship-centered Director of Gift Planning to lead and grow the school’s robust planned giving program. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, the Director of Gift Planning will be responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, documenting and stewarding planned gifts that support Westminster’s long-term financial sustainability.

This role will manage Westminster’s planned giving strategy, including the Thring Society, legacy gift marketing, donor stewardship, partnership with the Seventh Form, blended gift conversations and collaboration with annual and major gift colleagues. The Thring Society recognizes the 336 members of the Westminster community who have shared their intention to include Westminster in their estate plans. The Seventh Form is Westminster’s engagement program for alumni who have celebrated their 50th reunion and beyond, and it serves as an important relationship and stewardship platform for the school’s most senior alumni.

The Director will work closely with alumni, parents, grandparents and friends who are interested in supporting Westminster through bequests, beneficiary designations, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, retirement assets, gifts of real estate or other tangible personal property, appreciated securities, non-cash assets and other complex or deferred gifts.

The successful candidate will bring strong fundraising judgment, technical knowledge of gift planning vehicles, comfort with donor conversations and the ability to work appropriately with donors’ financial, legal and other professional advisors. This person must also be able to translate complex giving options into clear, donor-centered language.

This is a frontline fundraising role and an important strategic partner in Westminster’s campaign readiness, stewardship and long-term philanthropic growth. As a senior member of a 15-person Advancement Office, the Director of Gift Planning will collaborate closely across annual giving, major gifts, stewardship, advancement services, alumni engagement and communications to strengthen Westminster’s culture of philanthropy and secure resources for the school’s future.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Planned Giving Strategy

• Lead and manage Westminster’s planned giving program, including annual goals, donor strategy, marketing, stewardship and reporting.
• Devel…