Associate Director, Gift Planning; CAS

The Associate Director will lead the administration of existing life-income gifts and will work closely with an experienced and successful Leadership Philanthropy team to strategize and prepare blended giving requests. This role supervises the Planned Giving Coordinator and together the Planned Giving team’s contributed income comprise a significant component of the Academy’s Development efforts. Reporting to the Director of Leadership Philanthropy, the Associate Director of Gift Planning is responsible for the development, implementation, solicitation, and realization of the gift planning initiatives for the California Academy of Sciences A great opportunity for an experienced Planned Giving professional who can be innovative in approaching gift planning and blended gift opportunities with major donors, in coordination with the Leadership Philanthropy team and identify areas to enhance the existing Eastwood Associates legacy giving society to attract a diverse and growing audience of planned giving prospects.

This position is open to discussion for relocation for qualified applicants.

The California Academy of Sciences welcomes people of all backgrounds, identities, and beliefs to join us in achieving our mission to explore, explain, and sustain life. We place diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart of our recruiting efforts and strive to build a culture centered on mutual respect, equal treatment, and the opportunity to succeed.

• Identify, cultivate, and solicit planned gifts; both standalone and as part of a blended gift strategy working with the Leadership Philanthropy team
• Secure planned gifts and endowment gifts through personal interactions with prospects and their advisors
• Create and maintain a comprehensive plan in coordination with the Development Department Strategic Plan to integrate planned giving into the cultivation of current Academy donors
• Set multi-year goals and strategies for the solicitation of new blended gifts in coordination with the Director of Leadership Gifts
• Partner with Leadership Philanthropy team to develop individualized stewardship plans for blended gift prospects; accompany Major Gift Officers on donor visits; assist in drafting blended gift proposals
• Create, execute, and monitor a planned giving marketing plan and marketing collateral materials as needed. Partner with the Membership and Marketing teams on promoting planned giving and blended gifts at the Academy to external audiences and prospective legacy donors
• Maximize engagement with known and prospective legacy donors through meetings, visits, and conversations
• Oversee the administration of realized estate gifts
• Direct the management of the Eastwood Associates legacy society including cultivation and recognition events, stewardship, correspondence, and other communication and activities
• Maintain the portfolio of 250+ Eastwood Associates by appropriately stewarding this group
• Manage Planned Giving budget
• Supervise Planned Giving Coordinator in tracking deferred and matured gifts, estates in process, distributions to beneficiaries of pooled income funds and charitable remainder trusts, charitable gifts annuities, and correct designation and use of donor-restricted matured gifts
• In collaboration with the Planned Giving Coordinator, enhance, monitor, and maintain the Academy’s planned giving website
• Create and deliver educational presentations about planned giving across the Academy: staff, volunteers, docents, and trustees to build awareness about the program and advantages of gift planning
• Attend and host Academy events, and represent the Academy at outside functions, as required
• Position requires occasional attendance at evening/weekend functions.
• Follow all Academy safety regulations
• Other duties as assigned

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/ or Experience

A qualified…