At a glance:
Director of Gift Planning | Scripps College | Claremont, CA | $130K–$140K
Are you passionate about helping donors create lasting legacies while building a premier planned giving program? Scripps College—one of the nation's leading liberal arts colleges for women—is seeking a Director of Gift Planning to lead and grow its legacy giving efforts.
This is an opportunity to own and expand a highly visible gift planning program, partner with senior advancement leaders, and build meaningful relationships with donors across the country. You'll manage a national portfolio, develop creative gift strategies, educate donors on tax-smart philanthropy, and help shape the future of an institution with a nearly 100-year tradition of academic excellence.
Why Scripps?
- Competitive salary: $130,000–$140,000
- Outstanding health, retirement, and generous paid time off benefits
- Exceptional tuition assistance for eligible employees, including undergraduate degrees and select job-related master's programs
- Up to 50% undergraduate tuition assistance for eligible dependent children—a rare and valuable long-term family benefit
- Join a collaborative advancement team at one of the most respected liberal arts colleges in the country
If you have experience in planned giving, major gifts, or advancement fundraising and enjoy building long-term donor relationships that create lasting impact, I'd love to connect.
Description: What you'll be doing:
Another Source's client, Scripps College, is recruiting a Director of Gift Planning to join their team in Claremont, California. This is an onsite opportunity.
Here's a little about Scripps College:
Founded in 1926, Scripps College is consistently recognized as one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges and is a member of The Claremont Colleges consortium. With a mission centered on educating women to think critically, lead boldly, and engage meaningfully with the world's most pressing challenges, Scripps offers an intellectually rigorous and collaborative environment where philanthropy plays a vital role in advancing student success and institutional excellence.
The Office of External Relations and Institutional Advancement partners with alumni, families, trustees, and friends to strengthen the College's future through meaningful engagement and philanthropic support. Learn more about the division here: https://www.scrippscollege.edu/offices/offices-and-services/external-relations-institutional-advancement
About this role:
This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced advancement professional to lead and grow Scripps College's planned giving program. As the Director of Gift Planning, you will help donors create lasting legacies while expanding awareness of the impact of planned giving across the Scripps community.
You'll collaborate closely with advancement leadership, frontline fundraisers, trustees, and volunteers to cultivate meaningful donor relationships, develop innovative gift strategies, and strengthen one of the College's most important philanthropic programs. This highly visible role combines strategic planning, relationship management, marketing, and technical gift planning expertise to inspire transformational giving.
How you will spend your time
Planned Giving Strategy & Program Leadership
-
Lead and continue building a comprehensive gift planning program that educates and inspires alumni, families, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends to make planned gifts.
-
Serve as the College's subject matter expert on gift planning strategies, tax-smart philanthropy, and charitable giving vehicles.
-
Stay current on gift planning trends, tax law changes, and philanthropic best practices to continually strengthen the program.
Donor Engagement & Fundraising
-
Manage a national portfolio of approximately 150-250 planned giving prospects while developing individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
-
Conduct approximately 120 donor visits annually.
-
Partner with development officers and College leadership to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward planned gift prospects.
-
Prepare customized gift proposals and collaborate with donors and their financial and legal advisors to help complete complex planned gifts.
Marketing, Education & Outreach
-
Expand awareness of gift planning through strategic communications, direct mail, print, digital marketing, and educational programming.
-
Organize financial planning seminars and educational events for alumni, reunion attendees, parents, volunteers, and trustees across the country.
-
Train advancement colleagues on planned giving opportunities and blended gift strategies to maximize fundraising success.
Stewardship & Collaboration
-
Lead stewardship efforts for The Elm Tree Society, recognizing donors who have established planned gifts or legacy commitments.
-
Develop meaningful annual engagement plans that celebrate and retain society members.
-
Maintain accurate donor records, contact reports, and prospect strategies within the College's advancement database.
-
Collaborate across the External Relations and Institutional Advancement team to support the College's overall fundraising priorities.
Minimum Qualifications
-
Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
-
Five or more years of successful fundraising experience in planned giving, major gifts, or comparable advancement leadership.
-
Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward philanthropic relationships.
-
Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
-
Ability to explain complex financial and planned giving concepts in an approachable, donor-friendly manner.
-
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and long-term initiatives.
-
Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Experience working in higher education or another mission-driven nonprofit organization.
-
Training or background in legal, financial planning, estate planning, or related disciplines.
-
Understanding of women's philanthropy and the value of a liberal arts education.
What's in it for you:
Salary Range: $130,000-$140,000 annually
Final compensation will be determined based on experience, education, internal equity, specialty, and training.
Scripps College offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees and their families, including:
-
Medical, dental, vision, and retirement benefits.
-
Generous paid time off and holiday programs.
-
Tuition assistance for eligible employees pursuing undergraduate degrees and, in some cases, job-related master's degrees.
-
Tuition assistance for eligible dependent children of up to 50% of tuition and required undergraduate fees, subject to program guidelines and scholarship coordination.
-
Additional employee wellness and work-life benefits available through The Claremont Colleges consortium.
Learn more about employee benefits: https://services.claremont.edu/benefits-administration/
Work Environment
This is a full-time, exempt, benefits-eligible position based on the Scripps College campus in Claremont, California. Occasional evening, weekend, and travel commitments are expected to support donor engagement and College events.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Scripps College is an At-Will employer. Regular employment at the College is for no specified period of time, and conditions of employment—including hours, pay, title, duties, and responsibilities—may change based on the needs of the College. Employees and the College are free to end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause, except as otherwise provided by law.
Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.
#AS1
