Senior Director of Gift & Estate Planning

Clemson University

The Opportunity Overview

Clemson University’s Advancement Division is seeking a strategic and accomplished Senior Director of Gift & Estate Planning to lead and expand the University’s planned and complex giving program. This senior leadership role is responsible for planning, managing and executing fundraising strategies that emphasize major and deferred gifts in support of Clemson’s long-term priorities. The Senior Director identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards alumni, parents, faculty and friends capable of making significant philanthropic commitments, working closely with donors and their legal and financial advisors to secure and document both current and future gifts across a wide range of planning vehicles.

The Senior Director manages an active portfolio of major and planned gift prospects, requiring extensive donor engagement and deep expertise in gift planning instruments such as charitable trusts, gift annuities, bequests, beneficiary designations, real property and closely held assets. In addition to frontline fundraising, the role leads stewardship and marketing efforts for planned giving donors, supports the Clemson Legacy Society and serves as a key internal resource and mentor for advancement colleagues. The position provides leadership to gift planning staff, contributes to organizational strategy and budgeting and ensures alignment with University fundraising priorities. Qualified candidates will bring at least seven years of successful fundraising experience, strong technical knowledge of estate and tax planning concepts and the leadership skills necessary to advance Clemson’s deferred giving efforts.

These Senior Director roles offer a competitive salary range of $115,000–$125,000, along with an excellent benefits package.

About Clemson University

As a Carnegie R1 research institution, Clemson is at the forefront of groundbreaking research and innovation. The faculty and researchers are leading efforts to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from sustainability and health to advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity. Clemson University is among the top 25 public institutions in America, according to recent Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings. Clemson also holds the top spot among universities in the Palmetto State, according to the WSJ/College Pulse and recent rankings announced by Forbes and Niche. In addition to its overall ranking, the University also notched several impressive marks in the WSJ/College Pulse 2024 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings, including a score of 84 in salary impact, measuring universities’ impact on their graduates’ salaries and how this relates to the cost of attending the college.

About Clemson University Foundation

Clemson University, founded in 1889 and located in Clemson, South Carolina, is a top public four-year institution offering more than 80 undergraduate majors and 130 graduate programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R1 research university, Clemson is a national leader in groundbreaking research and innovation, tackling global challenges in areas such as sustainability, health, advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity. Consistently ranked among the nation’s best—including placement among the top 25 public universities by the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse and the top institution in South Carolina by WSJ, Forbes and Niche—Clemson is a purpose-driven community where students, faculty and staff work together to shape the future, supported by strong outcomes such as an 84 salary-impact score in recent national rankings.

The Clemson University Foundation, chartered in 1933, is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that promotes the welfare and future development of Clemson University.

Location

Clemson, South Carolina