Legacy Giving Specialist

About Pasadena Playhouse

Pasadena Playhouse, the official State Theater of California and recipient of the 2023 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is internationally recognized for its significant role in the development of American theater. One of the most prolific theaters in the country, the Playhouse has staged thousands of original productions since its founding in 1917 including premieres of works by Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, Suzan-Lori Parks and hundreds more. For decades, its pioneering School for Theater Arts was a training ground for actors and theatermakers who went on to make significant contributions to the entertainment industry.

Today, the Playhouse continues to advance the American theater and serves as a hub for the top theatermakers of our time. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman since 2016, Pasadena Playhouse has renewed focus on its founding idea of being a living force in its community, making theater for everyone. In 2025, the Playhouse regained ownership of its historic campus, paving the way for a new era of artistic ambition, community engagement, and long-term sustainability.

Position Overview

Pasadena Playhouse seeks a seasoned and relationship-driven gift officer to serve as our Legacy Giving Specialist. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, this is a flexible, part-time position that will work approximately 8-16 hours per week. The position will focus on cultivating and stewarding current and likely legacy donors—particularly those who have responded to our legacy giving survey in Fall 2025—while guiding them through the process of documenting their estate commitments.

The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of legacy giving strategies, excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to build trust quickly with donors. Familiarity with the Pasadena philanthropic community is highly preferred.

Goals and Metrics

Over the course of six months, a successful employee in this position will conduct 2-3 in-person donor visits per week; recruit 10-20 new members of the Gilmor Brown Society; and document $500,000 to $1 million in new bequest expectancies for Pasadena Playhouse.

Key Responsibilities

• Secure and conduct one-on-one meetings with current and prospective bequest donors to cultivate, solicit, and steward legacy gifts.
• Engage and follow up with survey respondents and other identified prospects to assess interest and readiness to formalize estate plans.
• Provide donors with appropriate information about planned giving options and the benefits of joining the Gilmor Brown Legacy Society.
• Support donors in documenting their commitments and completing necessary paperwork.
• Collaborate with the Chief Development Officer and broader development team to track outreach, progress, and results.
• Represent the Playhouse with warmth, discretion, and professionalism in all donor interactions.
• Advise on the content and creation of related marketing materials, stewardship events, donor communications, and other activities supporting the growth of the Playhouse’s community of legacy donors.

• Minimum 10 years of experience in major gifts, planned giving, or related development work.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating and closing legacy commitments.
• Strong understanding of planned giving vehicles and estate planning concepts; expertise in complex giving instruments is a plus, but not required.
• Strong emotional intelligence and ability to build rapport and trust with diverse donors, particularly older adults.
• Familiarity with the Pasadena philanthropic landscape is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication, listening, and follow-through skills.
• Self-directed, reliable, and comfortable working independently in a flexible part-time structure.

Compensation

• The compensation range for this position is $75–$95 per hour, commensurate with experience. This is a part-time, temporary position and is not eligible for benefits.

Culture

• Pasadena Playhouse works to maintain a positive environment for our employees, where people can learn, grow and thrive with the company. We strive to provide a collaborative, creative, transparent workplace where each person feels encouraged to contribute to our processes, decisions, planning and culture.