Assistant Director, Estate and Gift Planning

Assistant Director, Estate and Gift Planning

This individual is part of the Estate and Gift Planning (EGP) team, which is responsible for advancing ASU Foundation's relationships with benefactors to facilitate significant future giving and/or gifts of non-cash assets. In partnership with EGP leadership, the Assistant Director will lead the conceptualization, design, and execution of a high-impact planned gift marketing and outreach program. Through a coordinated and strategic approach, this role ensures consistent, mission-aligned engagement across key donor audiences.

They will support achieving ASUF's goals of identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and closing outright, blended, and planned gifts. The Assistant Director will serve as a resource and collaborate with colleagues across the ASU Foundation and ASU Enterprise Partners (EP). This individual will oversee essential data management, data collection, and analysis, applying critical thinking to drive process improvements and enhance operational efficiency.

This position reports directly to the Executive Director of Estate and Gift Planning.

• Lead the strategy, design and execution of a high-impact planned gift marketing and outreach program to drive continued growth in philanthropy.
• Prospect lead generation for front line EGP and Unit development staff.
• Coordinate with internal resources to accelerate the comprehensive EGP program.
• Oversee essential data management, data collection, and analysis.
• Supports development and maintenance of dashboards, reports, prospect lists, and other data tools that equip frontline fundraisers with actionable insights into EGP, ensuring consistent access to accurate information.
• Drive process improvements, enhance operational efficiency, and leverage the usage of AI.
• Manage, strategically evolve, and grow participation of ASUF Gift Planning Advisory Council (GPAC), a group of volunteer professionals who work to advance ASU philanthropy through estate and planned gifts.
• First line communication triage with prospects and donors related to EGP inquiries.
• Advance relationships between prospects and internal staff across the enterprise through individual and mass communication.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the enterprise to standardize and institutionalize EGP outreach as a powerful tool to help advance philanthropy.
• Partners with Donor Relations and Engagement to enhance the Cornerstone Legacy Society, including communication strategies and operational processes.
• Serves as a strategic partner to the Annual Giving and Donor Relations teams, driving initiatives that deepen donor relationships, foster meaningful engagement, and inspire additional philanthropic commitment.
• Effectively utilizes AI, databases, software, and related technology to support systems and strategies that enhance execution and success of the EGP program.
• Leads and participates in meetings, develops agendas, and monitors progress to ensure project alignment with leadership objectives, and performs related administrative tasks to support successful outcomes.
• Collaborates with ASU EP Outreach Hub and external vendors on communication and marketing assets.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with ASU/ASUF leadership, donors, and volunteers, projecting a positive image of the University through personal interactions.
• Collaborative, customer service-driven style, combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment, with a passion for working with people and being hospitable.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and thoroughness in completing assigned duties.
• Project management experience is essential, along with strong analytical, strategic-thinking, adaptability, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Problem solver who can take initiative and set priorities while being flexible.
• Well-organized and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Understand and demonstrate an extremely high level of sensitivity to customer relations, embrace a donor-centric philosophy, etiquette protocol, and drive to deliver the best possible…