Director, Gift Planning and Complex Assets University Advancement

External Applicants: 

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Job Description Summary

The Director, Gift Planning and Complex Assets serves as Wake Forest University’s resource for sophisticated charitable planning and complex gift opportunities. This position brings together philanthropic strategy, financial and asset expertise, and donor relationship management to help achieve charitable goals while advancing Wake Forest’s institutional priorities.
Working closely with donors, professional advisors, and frontline development officers, the Director provides counsel on complex and advanced charitable giving strategies and helps transform sophisticated assets into meaningful philanthropic opportunities. The Director plays an active role throughout the gift development process—from identifying opportunities and developing donor strategies to structuring gifts, facilitating due diligence, and successfully completing complex transactions.
The Director will proactively identify opportunities for complex and planned gifts, serving as a partner for development officers across University Advancement. The position will also help strengthen Wake Forest’s culture and capacity for sophisticated gift planning through education, consultation, market development, and collaboration.
The Director brings expertise across a broad range of assets and charitable vehicles, including real estate, trusts, annuities, bequests, artwork, closely held business interests, restricted securities, and other complex assets. The position works closely with Finance and Accounting Services, the Office of General Counsel, donors, and their professional advisors to ensure that complex gifts are thoughtfully structured, appropriately evaluated, and aligned with University policy and applicable regulations.
** This position is not eligible for sponsorship of non-immigrant or immigrant visa status through Wake Forest University. All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply.

Job Description

Essential Functions:

Donor and Philanthropic Advisory:

● Serves as a trusted advisor to donors and their professional advisors, helping them explore sophisticated charitable planning strategies that align their philanthropic, financial, and personal objectives.
● Partners with frontline fundraisers to develop individualized strategies for complex and planned gifts, particularly among Wake Forest’s highest-capacity prospects and donors.
● Serves as a strategic philanthropic advisor and technical expert on planned and complex gift scenarios.
● Develops cultivation and solicitation strategies for prospective donors.
● Translates complex financial, legal, and tax considerations into clear, donor-centered recommendations and opportunities.
● Builds and maintains strong relationships with donors, attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, estate planners, and other professional advisors.
● Develops and executes a marketing plan to help prospective donors think about how they might achieve their philanthropic goals with a focus on life income gifts and other complex gift arrangements.

Complex Gift Strategy and Opportunity Development:

● Serves as Wake Forest’s subject matter expert on complex assets and advanced charitable gift planning strategies.
● Evaluates potential gifts for feasibility, income potential, risk, liquidity, administrative considerations, and alignment with University priorities and Gift Acceptance Policy.
● Develops creative and appropriate strategies for gifts involving real estate, trusts, annuities, bequests, artwork, closely held business interests, restricted securities, and other sophisticated assets.
● Helps development officers recognize opportunities where a donor’s assets, financial circumstances, or philanthropic objectives may lend themselves to an advanced giving strategy.

Fundraising Partnership and Revenue Growth:

● Serves as a partner and force multiplier for development officers across University Advancement,
Athletics, Reynolda House, and WFDD.
● Collaborates with frontline fundraisers to build and advance a pipeline of complex gift opportunities and develop strategies to increase the number and value of gifts utilizing sophisticated charitable planning.
● Provides technical and strategic support for major and principal gift opportunities where complex assets or advanced planning strategies may be appropriate.
● Participates in joint solicitations and strategy sessions for high-capacity prospects and donors.

Gift Structuring, Due Diligence and Compliance:

● Partners with donors and their professional advisors to structure complex gifts in ways that advance donor objectives while protecting Wake Forest’s interests.
● Leads or facilitates due diligence for potentially viable complex and non-cash gifts, evaluating relevant financial, legal, tax, administrative, and risk considerations.
● Serves as a key liaison with Finance and Accounting Services and the Office of General Counsel regarding complex assets, asset liquidation, gift recording, reporting, and related matters.
● Ensures complex gift structures comply with applicable IRS regulations and Wake Forest’s Gift
Acceptance Policy.
● Manages relationships with life-income gift donors and provide ongoing support as appropriate.
● Exercises sound judgment in navigating complex, sensitive, and highly confidential donor and gift matters.

Education, Thought Leadership and Market Development:

● Builds the knowledge and confidence of development officers and University Advancement colleagues through training, consultation, and ongoing education on complex assets and advanced charitable planning.
● Develops and maintains an internal library of resources related to charitable giving vehicles, emerging philanthropic trends, and relevant state and federal tax legislation.
● Develops and executes strategies to educate Wake Forest constituents and professional advisors about complex gift and advanced charitable planning opportunities.
● Stays current on developments in tax law, estate planning, financial markets, charitable planning, and philanthropic trends and translates relevant developments into actionable guidance for Wake Forest fundraisers and donors.
● Helps advance Wake Forest’s overall strategy, visibility, and capacity in the area of sophisticated gift planning.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

● Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of seven years of experience in higher education fundraising, including experience in charitable gift planning, fundraising, estate or tax planning, wealth management, financial services, law, or a related field involving sophisticated assets and/or high-net-worth clients.
 Strong understanding of tax implications and legal considerations relative to non-cash gifts.
● Strong understanding of complex gift types including, but not limited to, real estate, trusts, bequests, annuities, art, closely held business interests, and restricted stock.
● Excellent relationship-building skills.
● Ability to work effectively across a variety of teams and functions.
● Broad understanding of and experience with customer relationship management and project management tools.
● Strong customer service orientation, experience and follow through.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
● Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people and skill levels.
● Excellent logical, negotiation, and analytical skills.
● High degree of self-motivation.
● Respect for the dignity and abilities of all people.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

● JD, CPA, or CFP designation.
● Familiarity and facility with PG Calc, Blackbaud CRM, GiveCampus Gift Officer.
● Familiarity with CASE International Reporting Standards.
● Experience in higher education or nonprofit fundraising, particularly in major, principal, planned, or complex gift fundraising.
● Experience advising high-net-worth individuals and their professional advisors.
● Experience working in estate planning, trusts and estates, tax, wealth management, financial planning, private banking, family office, or a related advisory environment.

Accountabilities:

 Directly supervises the Complex Gift Administrator.
 Responsible for own work.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Conditions:

Sedentary work primarily involving sitting/standing; communicating with others to exchange information; repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers; and assessing the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned. No adverse environmental conditions expected.

Note: This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by the employee’s supervisor.

Additional Job Description

Time Type Requirement

Full time

Note to Applicant:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform job-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and military or veteran status.  

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact [email protected] or (336) 758-4700.