Sr. Director, Growth & Gift and Estate Planning

About the role

Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving all nine coastal counties: Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry and Jasper. Established in 1974, the Foundation manages more than 700 charitable funds and awards tens of millions in grants and scholarships annually. It convenes stakeholders to address housing affordability, economic mobility, education, and health, and supports nonprofits through capacity-building and incubation.

Why work for us

We offer a competitive salary and a full benefits package including Paid Time Off, Holidays, Insurance (health, dental, vision, life, disability), 401(k), and professional training and development opportunities. Inclusion with equity is one of our core values; we actively recruit diverse candidates and provide tools for all staff to succeed.

About this position

The Senior Director of Growth & Gift and Estate Planning is a senior philanthropy leadership role responsible for growing charitable assets, expanding philanthropic capital, increasing estate gift commitments, and strengthening professional advisor engagement across Coastal Community Foundation’s nine-county service area. Reporting to the VP of Philanthropy, this position develops and executes initiatives that attract donors, establish philanthropic funds, grow legacy commitments, and advance fundraising priorities, while serving as the Foundation’s primary internal resource for charitable gift planning and tax-efficient giving strategies.

Essential Functions

Growth & Fund Development

• Develop and implement strategies to increase charitable assets, philanthropic capital, and community impact.
• Lead initiatives focused on new donor acquisition, new fund development, estate commitments, and growth opportunities.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major and planned gift prospects.
• Build and manage a robust pipeline of current and deferred gift opportunities.
• Support campaign planning, prospect strategy, and major gift development for Foundation fundraising priorities, including special initiatives and growth campaigns.
• Collaborate with Philanthropy leadership to establish growth goals, performance metrics, and fundraising strategies.
• Monitor key growth indicators including new funds established, charitable assets secured, planned gift commitments, donor acquisition, and campaign activity.

Gift & Estate Planning Leadership

• Serve as the Foundation’s primary internal resource for charitable gift planning, planned giving best practices, and tax-efficient charitable giving strategies by providing ongoing technical guidance, training, and consultation to Foundation staff and supporting organizations.
• Advise donors, prospects, Philanthropic Officers, and professional advisors regarding charitable planning opportunities.
• Provide expertise involving: Bequests and estate gifts; Charitable remainder trusts; Charitable lead trusts; Beneficiary designations; Retirement assets; Life insurance gifts; Real estate gifts; Closely held business interests; Non-cash and complex assets.
• Collaborate with donors’ legal, tax, and financial advisors to develop charitable solutions that align philanthropic and financial objectives.
• Partner with Operations, Finance, Legal counsel, and Philanthropy colleagues to ensure effective implementation and administration of complex gifts.
• Support development of gift acceptance procedures, planned giving resources, estate gift documentation, and related policies.
• Serve as an internal consultant and strategic resource to relationship managers on planned and blended gift opportunities.

Professional Advisor Engagement & Collaborative Leadership

• Develop and lead the Foundation’s Professional Advisor Collaborative.
• Create and implement a comprehensive strategy for engagement of attorneys, CPAs, CFPs, trust officers, financial advisors, and wealth management professionals.
• Establish an advisor council that serves as both a strategic partner and ambassador network for the Foundation.
• Build relationships with advisors throughout the CCF footprint and across Coastal South Carolina.
• Position the Foundation as a premier charitable planning resource for professional advisors and their clients.
• Develop referral strategies that generate new funds, charitable gifts, estate commitments, and philanthropic partnerships.
• Recruit, engage, and steward advisor ambassadors and volunteers.

Advisor Education & Thought Leadership

• Design and execute an annual professional advisor education plan.
• Lead seminars, workshops, webinars, and continuing education opportunities focused on charitable planning and philanthropy.
• Develop charitable planning resources, publications, case studies, and thought leadership content.
• Partner with professional associations, community organizations, and educational institutions to expand advisor engagement.
• Serve as a Foundation spokesperson on charitable gift planning, legacy giving, and philanthropic strategies.
• Provide ongoing planned giving education and training for CCF staff and supporting organization leadership to strengthen charitable planning knowledge, donor engagement, and gift development capabilities across the Foundation network.
• Develop and deliver regular charitable planning and philanthropic strategy updates, including changes in federal and state tax laws, estate planning regulations, and charitable giving incentives relevant to donors, professional advisors, CCF staff, and supporting organizations.

Strategic Collaboration & Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Philanthropy Leadership Team.
• Collaborate closely with: Director of Philanthropic Advising; Director of Donor Experience & Engagement; Senior Director of Philanthropic Operations; Philanthropic Advisors; Marketing & Communications Team; Finance and Compliance Staff.
• Contribute to strategic planning, campaign development, growth initiatives, and organizational priorities.
• Help define and strengthen systems that support prospect identification, gift planning integration, advisor engagement, stewardship, and donor growth strategies.
• Represent the Foundation at community, philanthropic, and professional events.

Travel & Community Engagement

• Maintain a regular presence throughout Coastal Community Foundation’s nine-county service area to cultivate donor, advisor, and community relationships; represent the Foundation at meetings, events, presentations, and networking opportunities; and support growth, fundraising, and philanthropic engagement initiatives across the region.