Major Gifts Officer at Epiphany School in Seattle, WA

About the Role

Epiphany School seeks a strategic, collaborative, and relationship-focused Major Gifts Officer (MGO) to join our team for the life of the Capital Campaign (~3 years). This position will manage, nurture, and enhance relationships with an individual portfolio of 100-125 prospects to improve probability of continued and increased support of Epiphany School. The MGO will build a major gifts program to identify, qualify, steward, and solicit prospects capable of making gifts of $50,000 or more towards the capital campaign. The MGO will collaborate with Development staff to ensure appropriate stewardship of major gifts donors. The position requires most of the time spent visiting with prospects.

The ideal candidate brings a passion for early childhood and elementary education, a natural ability to build trust and rapport with donors, parents, alumni, and community members, can identify, cultivate, and steward prospects with long-term potential, and through exceptional verbal and written communication skills, can articulate the school’s mission and vision in compelling ways that inspire giving. They will model school values in how they approach their work with donors and staff, bring a high level of project management skills with an ability to be detail-oriented while managing multiple priorities with discretion. The person in this role will bring a high-level of professionalism, understanding the importance of handling sensitive donor and school information with integrity.

This is a full-time, exempt, year-round, administrator position reporting to the Director of Development.

The Campaign Epiphany School is currently in the pre-planning phase of a campaign. This is a new position for the life of the campaign, and for Epiphany School. Working with the Director of Development and key staff, the MGO will successfully cultivate prospects leading towards leadership level gifts to the campaign, as well as cultivating and soliciting donors for other major projects. This position will come to Epiphany School with their own skills, ready to share their knowledge, and gain additional skills through collaboration with their colleagues. The candidate's performance will be measured by the number of substantive visits made and gifts raised.

What You'll Do

• As a member of an effective fundraising team, the MGO will lead the process of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift and planned giving prospects to ensure that fundraising goals are met.
• The MGO will assist with the development and execution of a solicitation plan with an emphasis on personal face-to-face visits.
• Working in conjunction with the Director of Development and other members of the Development team, the MGO will identify, visit and evaluate alumnae, current and former parents, friends and grandparent prospects; develop strategies to cultivate and update prospects on key initiatives; solicit prospects for annual giving, and as appropriate for capital and endowment gifts; tailor solicitation proposals; provide prospects with planned giving ideas and illustrations as appropriate.
• The MGO will develop a tiered system of major gift prospects and facilitate the movement of those prospects through the various stages of giving based on the Moves Management model. In addition, the MGO will meet clearly outlined weekly, monthly, and annual performance expectations based upon industry standard best practices for prospect visits and dollars raised.
• The MGO will participate in regular capital campaign committee meetings; strategize consistently with the Director of Development, Head of School, Board of Trustees, and fellow staff members as appropriate; prepare written strategies to cultivate relationships that will lead to solicitations and stewardship of major and planned gifts; and ensure timely and appropriate acknowledgement of major and planned gifts.
• The MGO will file timely prospect reports in Raiser’s Edge documenting contacts, solicitations, and meetings. Additionally, the MGO will run reports to track progress of each prospect’s cultivation plan.
• The MGO will attend key events to interact with donors and prospects as well as keep apprised of timely and relevant school information in order to create solicitation proposals.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Development.

Expectations For All at Epiphany School:

• Contribute to a learning environment based on Epiphany School’s values
• Use Responsive Classroom approach as a social-emotional learning framework for working with students.
• Provide recess supervision, arrival, dismissal, and/or front desk coverage as scheduled.
• Participate in the school community, including professional development/learning, service learning, and community events.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by supervisor or Head of School.
• Represent the school at various regional, state, and national associations relative to role.

Typical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and/or an equivalent combination of experience and education in a relevant field.
• At least three or more years’ experience in non‐profit or independent school advancement required.
• Proven major gifts fundraising experience preferably during a campaign.
• Superior organizational and project management skills with a high degree of detail‐oriented accuracy.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in the English language; fluency in additional languages a plus.
• Understanding of major gift fundraising techniques including moves management, cultivation and stewardship techniques required.
• Must be a self-starter who can work independently, solve problems, handle confidential information and navigate sensitive situations.
• Proven experience working with and managing volunteers.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team situation required.
• Knowledge of Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT strongly preferred.
• Fluency in MS Office Suite applications with specific proficiency in Excel.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple tasks, and to manage details and deadlines.
• High energy – brings a sense of urgency to the organization.
• Values Epiphany School’s commitment to inclusiveness; demonstrates respect and commitment to diversity.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary range for this role is between $95,000 - $105,000 based on years of relevant experience, education, skill, and internal equity in line with our school’s Administrator pay scale. When determining an initial offer, we carefully consider these factors.

Alongside salary, Epiphany School offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Benefits stipend to put towards employee benefits including medical, dental, vision coverage, voluntary employee, spousal, and child life and critical illness insurance, accident insurance, voluntary short-term disability, and flexible health savings accounts
• Employer-paid monthly premiums for employee assistance program and long-term disability coverage
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
• 13 paid holidays
• 6 weeks of paid vacation and 2 weeks of sick leave
• Paid supplemental parental leave after 12 months of employment
• Professional development funding

How To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter through our Employee Portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United Sates and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Final offers will be contingent on the successful completion of a background, education, and employment check.

About Epiphany School

Epiphany School is a non-parochial, independent elementary school serving grades pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. At Epiphany School, we envision a world where exploring together fosters courageous learners and compassionate leaders. We strive to achieve this vision by being a welcoming community that embraces its diversity, celebrates the joy of childhood, and ignites lifelong curiosity. We aim to create a positive, joyful, and inclusive community by embracing the following values:

Learn Joyfully

Try New Things

Act Responsibly

Invite Everyone In

Shine Together

With over 260 students, Epiphany School is large enough to offer a broad spectrum of educational opportunities and small enough to maintain a close-knit community. The beautiful, historic campus is located in a quiet setting in central Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood.

Epiphany School’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Epiphany School promotes and cultivates a diverse community as essential to academic success, social and emotional growth, and the development of good character. Engaging diverse perspectives stretches the mind and requires critical thinking, intellectual courage, and creativity. It takes careful listening and thoughtful expression and manifests itself in cultural competency. Thinking beyond oneself and seeing the world through the eyes of others is the foundation of fairness and empathy, and thus prepares our students to live respectfully and responsibly in our pluralistic democratic society. 

Epiphany School is committed to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the principle of equal access and opportunity in education and employment and full participation for persons with disabilities in all its programs and services.  

Epiphany School is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee because of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, gender identity, gender expression, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, political ideology, physical, mental, or sensory disability, military status, genetic information, age, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. 

Epiphany School complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact careers@epiphanyschool.org.