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Director, Legacy Giving

San Francisco, CA

About the California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, research center, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

Our extensive collections span plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. We are a diverse team of leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who work collaboratively to advance knowledge and inspire action through science and storytelling.

When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. Whether you're working behind the scenes in research or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

About the Opportunity

The Director of Planned Giving is a leader on the dynamic Advancement team. This position works closely with Leadership Philanthropy team members and the Chief Advancement Officer to create innovative planned giving strategies that achieve team and divisional goals.

Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, this position oversees the Eastwood Associates legacy giving society and leads acquisition efforts to produce gift commitments from donors in the Bay Area and beyond to support the Academy’s mission. 

This position is required to work in the Academy offices with the Advancement Division on a recurring basis with some flexibility for a hybrid office schedule. The candidate must easily be able to work on-site in San Francisco when needed. Attendance is required for fundraising events, benefit fulfillment events, and other in-person activities at the museum and in the field, including evenings and weekends.

Organizational Culture
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are intrinsic to Academy culture and operations, from recruitment and retention to science and advocacy.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 2-3 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. The California Academy of Sciences is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace, to protect its employees, volunteers and guests.

Key Responsibilities:

Legacy Society Program Oversight and Management: Eastwood Associates 

  • Create and maintain an annual comprehensive program plan in coordination with the Advancement Division’s priorities to integrate planned giving into the cultivation of current Academy donors and new prospects.
  • Lead strategy and execution for the Legacy Match Challenge and ensure the campaign achieves its five-year goals.
  • Create, execute, and monitor a planned giving marketing plan and marketing collateral materials, as needed, overseeing relationships with consultants to support the planned giving program and campaign. Partner with the Direct Response, Membership, and Marketing teams to promote planned giving to external audiences and prospective legacy supporters.
  • Guide and manage Estate Management, Pooled Income Funds, Endowments, and various gift instruments in partnership with Finance, Accounting, Legal, and Advancement Operations teams.
  • Support strategy and messaging to promote and solicit multi-year blended gifts (major gift + planned gift) to increase annual contributed revenue for strategic initiatives and operating support.
  • Lead Planned Giving events with the Donor Experiences team and Partnership events with other institutions as engagement opportunities to acquire planned giving prospects.
  • Serve as the Academy’s subject-matter expert on planned giving. Provide guidance and consultation to gift officers and senior leadership on how to incorporate planned giving strategies into donor conversations and proposals across all levels of giving.
  • Deliver educational presentations about planned giving across the Academy for staff, volunteers, docents, and trustees to build awareness about the program and the advantages of gift planning.
  • Work closely with legal and financial professionals in designing and executing planned giving instruments.
  • Be thoroughly knowledgeable on all deferred giving vehicles and regularly update knowledge through professional development seminars.
  • Pilot messaging or digital tactics aimed at donors under 50, including environmentally-conscious supporters and donors who may value legacy but are not yet traditional bequest prospects.
  • Partner with Advancement Operations and Finance to model future planned gift revenue projections to inform strategic planning and campaign forecasts.

Portfolio Management and Donor Stewardship

  • In coordination with the Leadership Giving team, maintain the portfolio of 280+ Eastwood Associates by appropriately stewarding this group to minimize attrition.
  • Grow the Eastwood Associates society significantly by securing new planned gift commitments through personal interactions with prospects and their advisors including in-person meetings, museum tours, and written correspondence.
  • Lead new prospect identification and qualification activities to expand the pipeline of prospects outside of the Academy’s existing supporters. 
  • Partner with the Leadership Gifts team to develop stewardship plans for blended gift prospects; accompany Major Gift Officers on donor visits; assist in drafting blended gift proposals.
  • Optimize Eastwood Associates benefits to focus on the Academy’s mission and strategic priorities while maximizing donor engagement.

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

  • Manage consultants to support Planned Giving and Advancement Division goals by soliciting gifts, stewarding donors, and providing estate administrative support.
  • Supervise a Planned Giving Coordinator, with an opportunity to grow the team as the program grows.
  • Partner with Advancement Operations and others to monitor Planned Giving progress and Estate Management; Lead analysis of the efficacy of program strategies and activities and make recommendations for improvements.
  • Maintain income and expense budgets for program oversight and maximum impact on Academy programs.  

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and/or Education:

  • Undergraduate Degree in relevant field required; Graduate Degree, CFRE, or CAP designation preferred.
  • Seasoned planned giving professional with expertise in fundraising or related fields, preferably in a cultural, sciences, education, or cause-based institution.
  • Experience managing staff in a goal-driven environment; excellent team player in cross-functional teams.
  • Experience and demonstrated success managing a portfolio of donors through personal contacts, cultivation, closing gifts, and stewardship. 

Skills and Abilities:     

  • Proven strength in managing multiple tasks and working with diverse constituents across a complex organization in a collaborative and team-oriented manner, balancing competing priorities and timelines. - required

Advance knowledge of estate planning, planned giving vehicles and uses, and tax laws and can easily communicate this knowledge to peers and donors. - required

  • Advance knowledge of estate/trust/life income gift management, record keeping, and maintenance of planned giving database. Competency with MS Office, Google Suite, and donor databases; Tessitura competency a plus. - required
  • Excellent communication skills to speak effectively before groups of people or individuals. - required

 

Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $160,000 - $170,000. Actual compensation will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualifications and experience, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications and aligned with the internal peer group. We believe in fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to providing competitive salaries within the industry and market standards. The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits based on the hours per week worked. Further details regarding compensation and benefits will be discussed during the interview process.

Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week

APPLICATION PROCESS:
Please upload your resume, optional cover letter, and complete the brief online application 

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance(SF Police Code, Article 49).

We are committed to ensuring that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placements, transfers, promotions, compensation, benefits, terminations, training, and social and recreational programs, will be on the basis of qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled. The Academy does not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment on account of any characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. Read our full Equal Opportunity Statement here.

 

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