Associate Director of Development, Estate & Gift Planning

Job Description

Job Description

Department: Office of Estate & Gift Planning

FLSA Status: Full-Time Exempt

About the University of Hawai’i Foundation:

The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation was established in 1955 to encourage private support for the University of Hawaiʻi. Today it is the central fundraising organization for the UH System and is contracted by the Board of Regents to be the sole provider of fundraising and alumni services. In addition to fundraising, the Foundation manages more than 7,000 gift accounts for the benefit of the university and its students.

The UH Foundation is a private, institutionally related corporation designated as a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service. It is a legally separate entity from the University of Hawaiʻi, the UH Alumni Association, and all other UH affiliates. However, the UH Foundation works closely with these organizations, as well as with others in the community, exclusively for the benefit of the university.

Our Vision

To inspire giving and partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi by fostering UH pride and passion among donors, alumni and the community.

Our Mission

To unite donors' passions with the University of Hawaiʻi's aspirations by raising philanthropic support and managing private investments to benefit UH, the people of Hawaiʻi and our future generations.

Our Values

Our values shape our relationships and guide our thinking and actions. By living our values, we build trust with our fellow employees, our donors, the university and the broader community.

Position Summary: 

The Associate Director of Development, Estate & Gift Planning (Associate Director) is a key member of the Office of Estate and Gift Planning (OEGP) team within the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation (UHF), primarily focused on identifying, qualifying, engaging and soliciting prospective donors for planned and blended gifts that support UH System and its campuses. This includes bequests, charitable gift annuities (CGAs), charitable remainder trusts (CRTs), qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), and other complex gift vehicles. The Associate Director will close gifts and steward donors so that positive and mutually beneficial relationships continue and will partner closely with development officers system-wide to embed planned giving into their prospect pipelines.

Success in this role depends on strong prospect qualification skills, excellent in-person and virtual donor meetings, and impeccable follow-through, including timely and thorough contact reports and next-step execution.

Reports to:

Associate Vice President, Gift Planning & Donor Development (AVP)

Unit Focus:

• UH System

Duties & Responsibilities: 

Development and Fundraising (100%)

Prospect Qualification, Cultivation and Solicitation

• Build and actively manage a portfolio of 75-80 planned giving prospects, including those identified by the Associate Director and those referred by development officers, the AVP, and UHF colleagues system wide.
• Qualify prospects for planned giving through discovery conversations, capacity and affinity research, and coordination with Development and Research colleagues, determining appropriate gift vehicles and next steps for each prospect.
• Identify, cultivate and solicit prospective donors for planned gifts (bequests, CGAs, CRTs, QCDs and similar vehicles), as well as blended gifts that combine outright, major and deferred components.
• Make appointments for personal visits with prospects and conduct donor meetings that build trust, uncover philanthropic and estate planning interests, and move relationships toward a gift commitment.
• Develop and present gift illustrations and vehicle options in partnership with the AVP and Director of Development (OEGP) to help donors and their advisors evaluate planned giving options.

Contact Reports, Documentation and Follow-Through

• File timely, clear and complete contact reports after every substantive donor interaction, capturing key details, donor intent, and agreed-upon next steps.
• Participate actively and consistently in the UHF Prospect Management Process: file timely (monthly) prospect clearance requests for cultivation and solicitation; provide monthly schedules of prospect appointments; communicate with all team members on each assigned prospect; develop written strategies and adhere to a scheduled strategy for the cultivation and closing of planned gifts.
• Ensure diligent follow-through on commitments made to donors, colleagues and advisors, including coordinating proposal drafting, gift documentation, and handoff to the Gift Planning Specialist for administration and stewardship.

Partnership and Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with development officers throughout UHF and across UH System to identify planned giving prospects within their portfolios and to embed planned giving conversations into broader donor strategies.
• Develop a clear understanding of OEGP's planned giving vehicles, gift illustrations, and internal gift counting practices in order to speak credibly with donors, advisors and development officer colleagues.
• Support the OEGP team's engagement with the Professional Adviser Network (trust officers, estate attorneys, financial advisors and tax professionals) as appropriate.
• Steward current and past planned giving donors, including Heritage Society members, to assure ongoing involvement and increased giving.
• Work as a positive and productive member of the OEGP and UHF Development teams for the benefit of the total University.
• Perform other duties in support of UHF’s mission as assigned. 

Job Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree required. 
• Two or more years of progressive experience in non-profit, development, educational, financial services, legal, or membership organization settings is preferred; experience with planned giving is a plus. 
• Demonstrated success qualifying prospects, developing gift strategies, conducting donor meetings, and soliciting and closing gifts. 
• Strong written communication skills, with particular attention to producing clear, accurate and timely contact reports, proposals, and donor correspondence. 
• Working knowledge of, or strong willingness and ability to learn, planned giving vehicles (bequests, CGAs, CRTs, QCDs, and similar instruments) and their tax and estate planning implications. 
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and reliable with follow-through on commitments and deadlines. 
• Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive and confidential information. 
• Must possess a valid driver's license or have a reliable mode of transportation to perform the duties of this position. A background check, including a driving record review where applicable, is required upon offer of employment.

Essential Functions: 

• Ability to travel interisland and nationally as requested. 
• Ability to sit at a desk and use a computer for extended periods of time. 
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting of light office items up to 25 lbs. 
• Ability to operate general office equipment such as computer, printer, photocopier, scanner, phone system, etc. 
• Hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity to use office equipment and handle paperwork. 
• Visual acuity to read printed and electronic documents and computer screens. 
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing so others will understand. 
• Hearing and speaking abilities for in-person, phone, and video conversations.

Benefits:

UHF voluntarily pays 100% of the following –

• 10% 403(b) contributions after 7 months of employment. This is automatic and NOT dependent on the employee making any contributions. PLUS, ALL contributions are 100% immediately vested! 
• Term life insurance
• AD&D insurance
• Short term disability insurance
• Long term disability insurance
• Tuition reimbursement after 1 year of employment
• Employee assistance program
• Generous PTO and paid holidays

UHF voluntarily provides the following in which the company and employees share the cost – 

• Health, Prescription, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Free parking after 5 years of service

Other benefits available for employees to purchase –

• Medical Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Insurance coverage for spouse and/or children
• Critical care insurance
• Legal insurance
• Pet insurance