Gifts in Wills Program Manager

Melbourne or Sydney

Our client A leading not-for-profit conservation organisation dedicated to protecting Australia’s unique wildlife, habitats and biodiversity. Working at a national, landscape scale, the organisation partners with Traditional Owners, communities and private landholders to deliver lasting conservation outcomes and build ecological resilience for generations to come.

The role The Gifts in Wills (GIW) Program Manager will lead and grow the organisation’s GIW program, ensuring a strategic, ethical and sustainable approach to one of its most important income streams. With end-to-end responsibility across strategy, acquisition, retention, stewardship and estate administration, the role will drive the continued growth and sophistication of the program.

With two direct reports, this role will lead a high-performing GIW function and work closely with philanthropy, marketing, communications, supporter care, data, finance and legal teams to maximise the impact of legacy giving.

In addition to this, the role also includes:

- Developing and delivering a nationally leading Gifts in Wills strategy, with clear plans, KPIs and revenue targets
- Strengthening the bequest pipeline through proactive acquisition, retention, stewardship, donor journeys and engagement
- Overseeing the administration of realised bequests, working with executors, solicitors, qualified advisers and internal teams to ensure donor wishes are honoured
- Managing GIW budgets, including forecasting, financial modelling, reporting and reconciliation of bequest income
- Using data and insights to identify opportunities, improve conversion and inform strategic decision-making
- Building trusted relationships with current and prospective bequestors, confidently and compassionately navigating sensitive conversations about legacy giving
- Providing regular reporting on pipeline growth,



conversion, income, trends and risks to senior leadership

Skills and experience To be successful in the role of Gifts in Wills Program Manager, you will have the following experience:

- Proven experience in Gifts in Wills, fundraising, philanthropy or estate administration, including managing complex estates
- Experience leading and developing, or mentoring, teams, with the ability to build capability and foster a high-performing culture
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic fundraising plans, with strong budget management, forecasting and financial reporting skills
- Strong understanding of wills, estates and bequest fundraising best practice, with experience working with executors, solicitors and other professional advisers
- Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with the emotional resilience and professionalism required to support people through sensitive and sometimes difficult circumstances
- High attention to detail, with strong CRM/database, reporting and data analysis capabilities
- A strategic, growth-focused mindset and the ability to work across a national organisation, balancing strategy with hands-on execution
- A genuine passion for nature conservation and the opportunity to create lasting impact through legacy giving

To Apply Please click the Apply Now button, or for a confidential conversation, please contact either Jaxon Edwards – [email protected] or Lyndsey Walker – [email protected]

Our client is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all candidates with relevant experience to apply. deliberateImpact is the proud retained partner on this assignment. All third-party candidates will be referred to deliberateImpact to review.

The successful candidate will be subject to employment and police checks where relevant. This role can be Melbourne or Sydney based and offers a hybrid work model.

📌 Gifts in Wills Program Manager (Melbourne)
🏢 deliberateImpact Recruitment
📍 Melbourne