Estate Planning Associate Attorney Jobs in Raleigh, NC

Position Summary:

The Foundation of the Diocese of Raleigh is seeking a dynamic and mission-driven Director of Planned Giving. This executive will lead, design, and execute a comprehensive planned giving strategy supporting parishes, Catholic schools, ministries, and Catholic works throughout Eastern North Carolina.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with donors, pastors, parish and diocesan leadership, educators, ministries, and professional advisors to encourage charitable gifts that support the long-term mission of the Church. The Director guides individuals and families as they prayerfully consider how their estate, financial, and charitable goals can reflect their Catholic faith, advancing the mission of the Diocese, strengthening faith communities and providing for the spiritual and temporal needs of future generations.

This key position demands sophisticated technical knowledge of planned gift vehicles, exemplary relationship-building skills, sensitivity to donor intent, and a profound respect for the teachings, mission, and pastoral life of the Roman Catholic Church.

Travel and Work Requirements:

This position is a Full-Time, Remote-Hybrid role based out of Raleigh, NC. While day-to-day operations are primarily remote, the Director is expected to attend scheduled in-office leadership meetings in Raleigh, as well as on-site events, donor visits, and parish meetings across Eastern North Carolina. This requires occasional evening and weekend hours.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Program Leadership

• Develop and execute a diocesan-wide planned giving strategy encouraging gifts through wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder or lead trusts, life insurance, retirement assets, real estate, appreciated securities, among other planned giving vehicles.
• Establish annual and long-term milestones for planned giving activity including prospect identification, cultivation, stewardship, documentation, and realized gift tracking.
• Maintain robust policies, procedures, and best practices for gift acceptance, documentation, recognition, and stewardship of planned gifts in alignment with diocesan policies, canon law considerations, civil law, and philanthropic best practices.
• Partner with diocesan leaders to identify vital funding needs, including parish, Catholic school, seminarian education, priest retirement, Catholic Charities, evangelization, youth ministry, endowments, and other diocesan initiatives.
• Work in close collaboration with the Office of Development of the Diocese of Raleigh.

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

• Conduct personal visits with prospective and current donors to explore legacy vision and charitable intentions, and opportunities to support the mission of the Church.
• Educate supporters on planned giving solutions while encouraging them to consult their own legal, tax, and financial advisors.
• Design and oversee donor recognition efforts, including legacy societies, Masses of thanksgiving, annual gatherings, and personal acknowledgments, and other expressions of gratitude consistent with Catholic values tailored to donor preferences.
• Prepare reports on planned giving activity, pipeline development, gift expectancies, realized gifts, donor engagement, and program performance utilizing Raiser’s Edge.
• Maintain exact, confidential donor records, gift intentions, stewardship plans, and interaction logs.
• Maintain high standards of confidentiality, ethics, accuracy, and professionalism in all donor and diocesan matters.

Parish, School, & Professional Advisor Engagement

• Serve as a planned giving resource for pastors, parish staff, school leaders, ministry directors, and diocesan personnel.
• Produce materials and quality presentations as toolkit resources that assist parishes and schools educate parishioners, alumni, parents, and supporters about planned giving.
• Assist parishes and Catholic schools in creating legacy giving initiatives, endowment-building efforts, and donor stewardship practices
• Organize workshops and seminars on Catholic legacy planning, estate planning, charitable giving, tax-wise giving, and family philanthropy.
• Build relationships with estate planning attorneys, financial advisors, insurance professionals, accountants, trust officers, and other advisors who can serve to assist donors with charitable planning.

Minimum Qualifications & Skills:

• A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree or professional designation in law, finance, nonprofit management, philanthropy, business, or a related field is preferred.
• A minimum of five to seven years of experience in development, planned giving, major gifts, estate planning, financial services, trust administration, nonprofit leadership, or a related field.
• Knowledge of planned giving vehicles, estate planning concepts, charitable gift planning, donor stewardship, endowments, and major gift fundraising.
• Strong commitment to the mission of the Catholic Church and the ability to communicate that mission with clarity, warmth, and conviction.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with donors, pastors, parish leaders, diocesan leadership, professional advisors, and colleagues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to make presentations to individuals, parish groups, school communities, and professional audiences.
• Ability to discuss estate and charitable planning concepts in clear, accessible language while recognizing that donors must rely on their own professional advisors for legal, tax, and financial advice.
• High degree of discretion, confidentiality, integrity, and pastoral sensitivity.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple donor relationships, projects, deadlines, and administrative responsibilities.
• Familiarity with donor databases, customer relationship management systems, Microsoft Office, and digital communication tools.
• Employment is contingent upon passing a criminal background and reference check; must complete Diocese-sponsored Safe Environment Training upon hire.

Nice-to-have Qualifications:

• Familiarity with the Diocese of Raleigh
• Use of Raiser’s Edge or other CRM system for donor tracking
• Bilingual English/Spanish

Reporting Relationship: Executive Director of The Foundation.

Benefits:

In addition to a competitive salary, the diocese provides a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance, PTO, and a generous 403(b) plan.