Specialist, and Estate Gifts

Job Description

Posted Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 11:00 AM | Expires Friday, January 1, 2027 at 10:59 AM

If you are up for the challenge and would like to be considered for this position, we would like to hear from you. The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) is looking to fill the following career opportunity:

POSITION: Specialist, Will and Estate Gifts

STATUS: Temporary;
Full-Time (6 months with the possibility of extension)

SHIFT: 35 hours per week - Monday to Friday - Hybrid

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

We welcome diversity, value differences, and foster inclusion in our employment practices. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion by reading our Foundational Principles on our website. We invite applications from all qualified individuals who are philosophically aligned with our mission, vision and values.

This position will be responsible for the administration of a portfolio of estate files, life insurance gifts, and other types of designated estate gifts. They are subject matter experts in the administration of planned gifts and responsible for the realization of large revenue opportunities. They take a strategic perspective to attain agreement, close files and achieve funding objectives. They do this while balancing the best interests of the BC SPCA, respect for the donor’s wishes and maintaining strong relationships with senior industry peers in an increasingly complex and litigious environment.

• Proactively manages the estate administration for a portfolio of estate files and accounts, from the initial notification to completion, identifying items requiring further inquiry and corresponding with estate trustees/executors and their counsel to request clarification and documentation regarding such accounts.
• Responsible for the follow up and realization of other types of designated legacy gifts, including Life Insurance Policies, RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs, etc.
• Works to maximize annual revenues from their portfolio through timely and accurate realization, accounting, reporting, allocation and recognition of these estate gifts. This includes but is not limited to:
  • Verifying all estate accounts to ensure that all claims are valid, reasonable and legal; and
  • Verifying executor fees are within acceptable and legally stipulated limits.
  • Identify activities within the administration of the estate outside our standard practice and/or which may impact the BC SPCA negatively and put forward, and work to attain agreement on, counter proposals.
  • Works closely with lawyers, executors, trustees, brokers and financial institutions externally to ensure estate gifts are administered in accordance with the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of estate trustees.
  • Ensures proper documentation is received and any discrepancies are rectified.
• Communicate with other charities named as co-beneficiaries of an estate to, where applicable, develop shared strategies to improve outcomes and reduce costs.
• Alerts Director, Will & Estate Gifts to all potential contentious estate matters, time-sensitive issues, public relations implications, and litigation to determine proper communication with internal and external stakeholders, making recommendations where appropriate.
• Follows procedures related to the Will & Estate Gifts program.
• Liaises with the Finance department to reconcile estate accounts and ensure accurate realization, accounting, reporting and allocation of estate gifts.
• Maintains detailed and accurate records and contributes to the maintenance of estate files in Raisers Edge, Docushare, and in other Will & Estate Gifts tracking with respect to funds expected and received, open estate files follow up, fund allocations, actions taken to realize gifts and communication with internal and external parties.
• Liaises with the BC SPCA’s auditors on inquiries relating to their portfolio.
• Collaborates with all team members in maintaining and updating manuals and standard documentation.

Other duties:

• Participates in regular team, department, and organizational meetings/training as required.
• Reports on activities, realized and expected estate gifts regularly to the Director, Will…